LEFKOSA - First meeting of President Rauf Denktas of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and Greek Cypriot administration leader Tassos Papadopoulos within new negotiation process in Cyprus ended on Thursday.
The meeting took place in Lefkosa International Airport in the buffer zone and lasted for nearly 2.5 hours. The meeting took place under the supervision of U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan's Cyprus Special Envoy Alvaro de Soto.
TRNC Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat, Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Serdar Denktas, Presidency Undersecretary Ergun Olgun, Prime Ministry Undersecretary Aytug Plumer, TRNC's Representative in Washington Osman Ertug, and Foreign Ministry official Feyza Olgun were in TRNC delegation led by Denktas.
Greek Cypriot delegation, led by Papadopoulos, included Greek Cypriot side's U.N. permanent representative in New York Andreas Mavroyannis, permanent representative in Council of Europe Nikos Emiliu, Greek Cypriot administration spokesman Kipros Hrisostomidis and Ambassador Tasos Conis.
The leaders met with EU Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen in the buffer zone after the talks.

DE SOTO: LEADERS WILL COME TOGETHER AT 9.30 A.M. EVERYDAY
De Soto issued a statement together with EU Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen after TRNC President Rauf Denktas and Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos left Lefkosa International Airport.
De Soto said that the leaders' meeting was constructive and they met with Verheugen after that meeting. He added that the leaders would come together at 9.30 a.m. every day.
DE SOTO: EVERYONE WANTS TO DO SOMETHING
De Soto said that they held a very beneficial and constructive meeting which lasted for more than two hours and stated that they saw that everyone wanted to do something and both sides were very willing on the issue.
Stating that Verheugen attended a meeting with leaders after the negotiation, De Soto said that Verheugen explained views of the commission and his role in the process to them.
Verheugen said that a united Cyprus's accession to the European Union (EU) would bring benefits to everyone.
Stating that they held a very good meeting with leaders in a very sincere atmosphere, Verheugen said that the reason of his being in Cyprus was to explain views of the EU. He added that they supported efforts of the U.N. for a solution.

VERHEUGEN: SOLUTION SHOULD NOT VIOLATE PRINCIPLE RULES OF EU
Verheugen made a statement following his meeting with President Rauf Denktas and Papadopoulos in the buffer zone and said the solution should not violate principle rules of the EU. He said there was willingness for a solution to the Cyprus question, stating that the U.N. wanted to support and facilitate solution efforts.
Noting that they would be constructive in efforts to find a solution to Cyprus question, Verheugen said they were ready to expend any necessary support that the U.N. needed for the success of the process.
Verheugen said he visited the island to meet with Cypriot leaders and announce how European Union would intervene in the process. He said they wanted a united Cyprus to be a member of the EU.
Verheugen said they did not only mention solution of a problem, but that at the same time preparations continued for full membership to the EU. He said there was only 70 days for Cyprus to join the EU, noting that they wanted a united island to join the EU.
Verheugen said another issue what they should discuss was how they could help Turkish Cypriot people in this process, adding they wanted to help Turkish Cypriot people.
Stating that they did not have much information about the situation in Turkish Cypriot side, Verheugen said they aimed at organizing a mechanism. He said they wanted the factors of the solution that would be reached at the end of the negotiations, to comply with the needs and conditions of the EU.
Reiterating that they were ready to facilitate and support the solution, Verheugen said the solution should not violate principle rules of the EU.
Verheugen said they encouraged the leaders to benefit from this opportunity, stressing that a united Cyprus would be in favor of everybody.

TALAT: VERHEUGEN CLEARLY STATED TODAY THAT PREVISIONS OF ANNAN PLAN ARE NOT CONTRARY TO EU RULES
Talat, who replied to the questions of reporters following his meeting with Verheugen, clarified the issue of derogation.
Talat said Greek Cypriot side for a long time has been trying to investigate whether or not Annan plan complied with EU rules, and sometimes they have claimed that the plan should be adjusted with the EU regulations.
Talat said Verheguen clearly stated today that discussions were made with the EU during preparation of Annan Plan and that previsions of the plan were not contrary to the EU rules.
Talat said Greek Cypriot side should not hide behind the EU regulations and remove privileges envisaged for Turkish Cypriots. ''We will bring this onto agenda within the process.''

DENKTAS: IN TODAY'S MEETING, WE SAW THAT GREEK CYPRIOT SIDE WAS RELAXED
Speaking at a news conference after first day talks, Denktas gave information about the proposals of Turkish and Greek Cypriot sides for changes on Annan plan.
Denktas said as the Turkish side they wanted bizonality to be stronger, stressing that they requested a commission to be set up to compensate the losses of the Turkish side between 1963 and 1974.
Denktas said what was essential was the presence of two equal sovereign peoples, noting that they brought this onto the agenda. Denktas said, ''this issue was also suspended.''
Stressing that derogations were also very important for them, Denktas said this was also discussed during the meeting.
Denktas said they wanted Greece not to claim rights more than Turkey to preserve Turkish-Greek balance till Turkey's full membership to the EU.
Denktas announced their demands in economy, stressing that a transition period was necessary for the Turkish side to reach the level of Greek Cypriot side.
Denktas said demands of the Greek Cypriot side were not surprise for them.
DENKTAS: WE CALLED ON BIZONALITY TO BE STRONGER THAN IT IS IN ANNAN PLAN
Denktas said both the Turkish and Greek Cypriot sides made several proposals, stressing that content of bizonality would be removed after settlement of Greek Cypriots in Turkish Cypriot side.
Stressing that they insistently focused on bizonality since 1975, Denktas said, ''this is a concept concerning our security, identity, personality and founding partnership status.''
Denktas said approach of Greek Cypriot side to the issue was that, ''necessary freedom should be given within the framework of European Union criteria and norms. Thus, we can not know how the courts would decide for the bizonality and put it into practice according to EU norms.''
Denktas said Greek Cypriot side did not envisage a bizonality based on the separation of two ethnical national organizations, stressing that property issues were also included in bizonality and that those should be solved speedily.
Denktas said they wanted commissions to be set up to compensate the losses of Turkish Cypriots between 1963 and 1974, yet that they could not get a satisfactory response on the issue.
Stating that a discussion was made whether or not this would comply with criteria of Annan Plan, Denktas said Annan Plan envisaged some compensations, and that what they wanted was discussion of compensations within equity and examination of the issue by a commission. Denktas said their proposal was suspended and yet that they would focus on the issue.
TRNC President Denktas said they did not want equality of the founder states, but the equality of two national people in the senate as basis, stating that, ''presence of two national peoples should be basis as it had been in 1960. Otherwise, if we leave it as 'members that would come from founder states', Greek Cypriots may mainly come (to the senate) as our citizens in the future. Thus, we see a danger there. We put forward this.''
Denktas said existence of two founder sovereign peoples and creation of a joint central government with the authority given by them were essential, and noted that set of ideas of Boutros-Ghali had included this, yet that it was changed later, and the issue was also suspended.
Emphasizing that derogations were very important for them, Denktas said the agreement that would be reached should be included in the EU main laws, and that this was brought onto agenda during the talks.
Denktas said derogations were brought onto agenda during his meeting with EU Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen, and noted that he asked how would the derogations be and whether or they could be given guarantees on them in case agreements were made. Denktas said Verheugen told him that guarantees could be given and expressed readiness to give them. ''However, I think he can not know either what the courts will do,'' Denktas stated.
Denktas said he would talk with the jurists whether or not Verheugen's giving written assurances would be valid.
Denktas said they also asked Greece not to ask for more rights than Turkey over Cyprus as an EU member in order to protect the Turkish-Greek balance and not to put obstacles in front of Turkey to use its rights over Cyprus that are equal with rights of Greece.
DENKTAS: WE NEED TRANSITION PERIOD
Denktas said they revealed in the first day of the talks that necessary measures should be taken in the transition period, and that they should be protected. Denktas said they focused on the issue that continuation of special relations with Turkey should not be disrupted because of the EU membership.
Pointing out that demands of the Greek Cypriot side were not a surprise for them, Denktas said those had been issued in Greek Cypriot media. He said Greek Cypriot side had a relaxed attitude because of their EU full membership.
Denktas said Greek Cypriots wanted constitutions of the two founder states to comply with the EU principles and international law, yet that they opposed to this. Denktas said they had rights and that those should be protected with derogation.
Denktas said Greek Cypriots brought onto agenda the situation of TRNC people of Turkish origin and did not want those people to cast votes in the referendum, adding that in response they said it was impossible for them to make discrimination among citizens. Stating that the problem could not be solved with this approach, Denktas said there was not any discrimination among TRNC citizens and that those who cast votes in the recent elections have the right to cast vote in referendum.
Pointing out that Greek Cypriots wanted transition period to be shortened, Denktas said transition period was very important for them and stressed that shortening this period would be out of question.
Denktas said Greek Cypriots wanted number of Chairmanship Council members to be increased from six to nine, and their term in office to be extended.
Denktas said they decided to complete international agreements and list of fundamental laws, and that committees would continue to work, noting that, ''there is a paragraph about cost of solution and formation of commissions. A special committee on this issue will search for the cost of the solution.''
Denktas said they would discuss places of the temporary buildings of central government during the meeting that would take place on Friday. He said, ''what we have seen in today's meeting is that Greek Cypriot side has been relaxed. As an EU member, they consider us also an EU member and they have a tendency to take us within themselves in the way of adaptation. I hope they will gradually change.''
Replying to the questions of reporters, Denktas said U.N. supposedly accepted bizonality, yet that Greek Cypriot side opposed to it. Following Greek Cypriot side's opposition, Denktas said the U.N. brought 80,000 Greek Cypriots to the Turkish side in line with the request of Greek Cypriots with the Annan Plan. Denktas said, ''there will be an administration mechanism in the Greek Cypriot side which was comprised of Greek Cypriots almost 100 percent. But there will be a joint administration mechanism in Turkish Cypriot side. We do not accept this.''
DENKTAS: WE WANT TURKEY TO SUPPORT US TILL THE END ON ISSUES WHICH WE CONSIDER DANGEROUS AND FOCUS ON
When a journalist said, ''in a newspaper report, you said responsibility of Turkish Cypriots is 30 percent and responsibility of Turkey is 70 percent on a referendum,'' and asked ''can you clarify this?'' Denktas said, ''Turkey said and committed to the whole world that it could solve Cyprus question till May 1. It is true that Turkey said Annan Plan, which majority of people thought as dangerous, could be discussed and opened ways of discussion and created a flexible situation. Thus, in New York, we wanted Turkey to have the position of a referee. We want Turkey to support us till the end on issues which we consider dangerous because Turkey managed to resume talks.''
Denktas said Greek Cypriots did not want TRNC citizens of Turkey origin to cast votes in the referendum and that they also wanted those citizens to go out of the island.
Denktas said negotiations would not take place in the weekends, stressing that negotiations could take place outside the island from time to time.
Denktas said EU Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen stated that the EU would expend economic aid to the Turkish side.

(AY-AÖ) 19.02.2004