LEFKOSA - TRNC Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat said on Friday that ''a new period started in Cyprus negotiations as of today with give-and-take process,'' adding that news blackout had to be valid in that process.
Talat who had meetings in Ankara on Thursday together with TRNC Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Serdar Denktas, said that they should work hard within 10 days and their main target should be to reach success in the process.
''I suppose information bombardment to the press will not be seen this time in give-and-take process. It should not be because it can cause speculation,'' said Talat.
Talat stated that the people had already known the proposals which the sides presented, adding that ''we must be more tight-lipped in the give-and-take process.''
Noting that they worked in Foreign Ministry all day in Ankara yesterday and met with Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul, Talat refrained to give any detail about their meetings.
Talat stated that the quadrilateral meeting in which Turkey and Greece would also participate would start in Switzerland on March 24, adding that a new phase opened in Cyprus negotiations with the give-and-take process.
''In the meanwhile, maybe we must have more meetings with Ankara because an important process starts. We should be in cooperation in this give-and-take process and create a common line of thinking,'' said Talat.
Upon a question, Talat said that they had some clues and information about the method which U.N. special envoy Alvaro De Soto would pursue in the give-and-take process. ''We will see it today,'' he said.
When asked if the strategies of the Turkish side about the give-and-take process were determined, Talat said that ''certainly, our strategy is certain. As we always say, our target is to resolve the problem here. We want to leave less issue to Turkey and Greece and leave nothing to U.N. Secretary General if possible. This is our strategy and target. Certainly, there should be an harmony between the two sides to able to do that.''
''We, as the Turkish side will do our utmost. We hope the Greek Cypriot side shows the same effort so that we can reach a result. This is our hope,'' said Talat.
(Öª-AÖ) 12.03.2004