LEFKOSA - Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot delegations convened on Friday in the tenth session of the negotiation process aiming to find a fair and lasting solution to the Cyprus issue till May 1 on the basis of the plan of United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan.
The delegations headed by President Rauf Denktas of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos convened at the Conference Center in Lefkosa`s buffer zone.
President Denktas did not make any statement prior to the meeting.
During the tenth session, the sides are expected to focus on the issues of structure of leadership council, and representation of the sides at the central government besides constitutional issues.
Yesterday, the Turkish Cypriot side presented a written document to the Greek Cypriot side explaining reasons of their objection to the Greek Cypriot side`s proposal for handing over the areas that would be transferred to them after a three years of transition period in accordance with an agreement on Annan`s plan, to the control of the United Nations beginning on the date of agreement.
Meanwhile, United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan`s Special Envoy to Cyprus Alvaro de Soto will go to Ankara later in the day.
Yesterday, President Denktas held a series of meetings in Ankara.
The sides will not meet at the weekend.
DENKTAS: WE ARE DOING OUR BEST TO MEET MAY 1 DEADLINE
Denktas said that Turkey and they were doing their best to meet the May 1 deadline, adding, ``however, they should see the obstacles and difficulties in front of us.``
Noting that it was impossible to complete the changes demanded by Greek Cypriots until May 1 and also Greek Cypriots were aware of it, Denktas said that only problems were discussed in talks and phase of negotiation had not started yet.
Stating that problem of migration could not be solved by creating new migration, Denktas said that solving the problem of migration by creating a new migration did not serve human rights.
Holding a news conference after the tenth session of the Cyprus talks on Friday, Denktas said that there had been a long argument in today`s session on rehabilitation of people that would exchange places. He said that Greek Cypriots did not deny the property right and the Turkish Cypriot side stressed that it should be resolved through compensation but the Greek Cypriot side rejected it.
Stating that Greek Cypriot side interpreted the Population Exchange Accord signed in 1975 differently and described their bizonality request as ``ethnic cleansing``, Denktas said that Greek Cypriots claimed that Turkish Cypriot side`s proposals were against the European Convention on Human Rights.
Stressing that expropriation which Greek Cypriots imposed on Turkish properties under the name of ``compulsory expropriation`` was considered valid but complete rejection of measures which TRNC took to ``end the fight between the two peoples in the island on basis of bizonality, reach peace and have its economic life continued`` would not help resolution of the Cyprus issue and they had again explained it at the meeting, Denktas said that they had also brought onto the agenda the measures they demanded for protection of the Turkish founder state in an agreement to be made.
Denktas said that they had stressed that privileges called derogations should be annexed to the European Union`s (EU) primary law or constitution as an additional protocol while Greek Cypriots had rejected it by saying that the EU would not accept it.
``We have once again stated that we don`t want it from them but we request it from the United Nations and the EU and it is essential and it is known that all our rights would remain on the paper if it does not happen and they may be invalid in terms of law so we won`t be deceived by such a trick,`` he said.
Noting that U.N. Secretary General`s Special Envoy to Cyprus Alvaro De Soto had prepared a four-paragraph document in which he summarized the demands of the two sides, Denktas said that De Soto wanted the sides to discuss the problems and finish discussions until March 10.
A proposal saying ``they have been discussed so far so let`s start negotiating them beginning on Thursday`` had been made and they had accepted it, Denktas said.
Denktas said that they examined ``the interim measures regarding the interim period`` presented by Greek Cypriots on March 4, adding ``if this attitude continues, we will understand that they have not given up their intention of taking over Cyprus.``
Denktas stated that Greek Cypriots were in the mood of entering EU, adding that the Greek Cypriot side proposed all Greek Cypriot laws to be the laws of whole Cyprus after May 1. Noting that TRNC laws were not ready for EU and the preparatory studies continued, Denktas said that they would present their views on the issue during the meeting on Monday. Denktas stated that the thing which the Greek Cypriot side tried to do was taking a step similar to the steps taken during the unification of Germany, which was one nation, adding that such a step would remove the rights and status of the Turkish nation in the north.
Responding to questions of journalists, Denktas said that they didn`t reach the stage of negotiation in the meetings, adding that the four-paragraph text submitted by De Soto constituted the outlines of the basic issues and there was no map in it.
When reminded about the words of British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw about referendum, Denktas said that ``as Greek Cypriots went furious, it must be a good statement, but I`ve not examined it carefully.``
Upon a question about his visit to Ankara yesterday, Denktas said that Ankara was very much interested in Cyprus issue and it would not let Turkish Cypriots to be left alone on the island. Denktas stated that there was pleasant excitement in Turkey about Cyprus issue, adding that yesterday`s demonstration was good.
Denktas underlined that it was not possible to make the changes which the Greek Cypriots demanded till May 1, and noted that, ``let us continue till May 1. I wish it will be much easier to solve it. However there are things to be done. As Greek Cypriots know that the issues would not be completed till May 1, they say `we could not agree but let us seem as if we agreed and enter the EU as a state on May 1.``
Denktas said, ``this means we will deceive ourselves. Our position then will mean accepting all the laws of Greek Cypriots and surrender ourselves to Greek Cypriots.``
(MS-Öª-AY) 05.03.2004