ANKARA - Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said on Thursday that he did not think that elections in Greece and formation of the new government would hamper timetable in Cyprus.
Replying to questions of reporters about Cyprus, Gul recalled that New Democracy Party led by Costas Caramanlis was the opposition party before the elections, and that Caramanlis and his team knew the issues, and that to this end he did not think the timetable would be hampered.
Speaking about the visit of TRNC Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat and Foreign Minister Serdar Denktas, Gul said it was natural to meet often and exchange views in the progressing process in Cyprus.
''Denktas and Talat are here within this process,'' Gul said noting that they were exchanging views.
When asked what would be expected from ''give and take process'' in Cyprus, Gul said, ''negotiations continue. Those should be made sincerely and should aim at obtaining a result.''
When asked whether or not a decision was taken to give less information to the press in the next stages of Cyprus process, Gul said it may not be good to carry out the talks healthily in case everything discussed in talks are told outside.
Gul said, ''people who have statesman responsibility pay attention to this,'' and noted that TRNC President Rauf Denktas was one of those people who knew this the best. Gul said he did not think that this could be a problem.
Gul said level and place of the quartet meetings have not yet been clarified.
(AY-AÖ) 11.03.2004