ANKARA - Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said, ''we hope to finalize successfully the psychological process in Cyprus till March 22, 2004. I believe that President Rauf Denktas of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat and Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Serdar Denktas will carry out the negotiation process without engulfing in tension of the atmosphere. I also believe that it will be a success of their diplomatic approach.''
Prime Minister Erdogan attended a live program on the private NTV Channel on Thursday.
When reminded that President Denktas had released a detailed statement about today's negotiations despite the media blackout, Prime Minister Erdogan said, ''this is his own opinion. I observed that United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan's Special Envoy to Cyprus Alvaro de Soto had shared the same opinion in his statements yesterday.''
Highlighting importance of ''silence'' in negotiation techniques, Prime Minister Erdogan said, ''if the sides maintain discussions under their attention and control during the negotiation process, they will not lead to any positive or negative reactions. And, the negotiation process will not be affected negatively.''
''United Nations Secretary General Annan told me that he did not want to be involved in a process that would not yield any results since he had finished Cyprus negotiations for three times without reaching to any conclusions. In response, we told him that we believed that negotiations would yield results this time. President Denktas' sensitivity and his psychological richness and stance in New York resulted in reflection of the process in the island. We hope that the process would continue in the same way,'' he said.
''Of course, they will make statements. However, we discuss with each other what will we say to the press when we host a foreign head of state or when we pay visits to another country. We may offend or hurt each other. We may violate the rules of courtesy. These are the sensitivities of politics in the understanding of negotiation. I wanted to underline sensitivity of the sides on this issue. Otherwise, I do not have any authority or right. I called out to President Denktas and Papadopoulos as a brother and friend of them. It is beneficial to carry out this process sensitively. But this is my personal approach,'' he said.
Prime Minister Erdogan said, ''during yesterday's breakfast, I asked our journalists to display an understanding of self-control. Some of them misled it while the others succeed in observing developments objectively. I cannot tell journalists not to write about this or that issue. However, some news stories can offend or incite Turkish Cypriots in TRNC and Greek Cypriots in the Greek Cypriot side. I told them that they should be able to implement auto-censorship since it is a national case. If it is necessary, censorship should be put into practice in all national events just like it happened after September 11th attacks in the United States and terrorist acts. Our media is accustomed to such censorship. I only asked them to display an understanding of self-control. However, my words were misunderstood.''
Asked whether or not he told those things to Denktas, Erdogan recalled that Denktas and he had close communication during talks in New York and they had mutual conservation. Erdogan said that they were brothers and added that he also spoke with TRNC Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat by phone before this tv program.
Stressing that there could be issues which should be made public and which should not be, Erdogan said, ''it also has a timing. When the right time comes, you can make public an issue. But it should not be made public when it is not a right time.''
Asked whether or not it seemed like Denktas and he sent messages to each other through press, Erdogan said that he did not have an understanding of sending messages through press.
''I cannot have any hostility against Denktas. We told him that this issue started with him and it should finish with him. We also said that then he will be a president who solved the issue with success. We told him that clearly.''
Replying to a question on his views about holding negotiations out of the island, Erdogan said that there was not any problem for themselves.
Stressing that elections in Greece might be among issues which affected the process negatively, Erdogan said, ''we don't know what the first half of March will bring. We hope that we will finish the process that I call psychological process till March 22 with success. I believe that Denktas, Talat and Serdar Denktas will carry out the process together with their advisers without tension. It will be a success of their diplomatic approach. They should reach success. We are also providing necessary support.''
When he was asked, ''if this issue does not finish till March 22, the United States and Britain may be involved in the issue, will it be easier then?'' Erdogan said, ''we highlighted that it is going well for us. South of the island doesn't show the good will that the north of the island has been showing. South of Cyprus should also show this good will. If Greece and Greek Cypriot side show similar good will that Turkey and TRNC show, there is no reason not to reach a result.''
Underlining positive developments between Greece and Turkey, Erdogan said that relations between Greece and Turkey would further improve. Erdogan noted that they had the will on the issue and added that he hoped this will would further strengthen.
Asked whether or not he would have a meeting with Denktas in Ankara, Erdogan said, ''we will hold it whenever it is necessary. It is not a problem.''
Replying to a question if Aegean issue would be brought onto the agenda within this year, Erdogan said that in case Aegean issue would be linked to Cyprus issue, it would be wrong.
Stating that exploratory talks on Aegean issue was continuing separately in a positive way, he noted, ''we are pleased with developments so far. Sides are moving toward a positive stance. I think that negotiation technique is very important.''
When he was asked, ''let's assume that when Annan is involved in the issue at the second phase, and the issue is solved. Sides decide to hold a referendum. Do you have any concern about referendum there or voting for approval in the parliament?'' Erdogan noted, ''results of referendum can affect it. It is very important. It is wrong to say anything before we see result of referendum.''
(UK-EÖ-AÖ) 26.02.2004