ANKARA - Place and level of quartet conference to take place among Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Greek Cypriot side, Turkey and Greece were still uncertain, sources said on Monday.
TRNC President Rauf Denktas and Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos started negotiations on February 19 in order to find a fair and lasting solution to Cyprus issue till May 1 on the basis of United Nations (U.N.) Secretary General Kofi Annan's plan.
Two sides will continue their negotiations till March 22. According to schedule set by Annan, quartet conference will start among TRNC, Greek Cypriot side, Turkey and Greece after March 22.
Sources said that Ankara wanted to hold the quartet conference in political level.
The sources noted that Ankara wanted to hold the conference firstly in the level of foreign ministers then in the level of prime ministers while Athens did not welcome this proposal of Ankara.
However, the sources stated, it was Annan who would make the final decision on the level of quartet conference.
The sources pointed out that the place of the quartet conference was not certain either.
Ankara had not received any information that Denktas might not attend the quartet conference, the sources said.
Greek Prime Minister Costas Caramanlis told reporters on Sunday that the level of the quartet meeting had not been determined yet.
Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos said earlier on Monday that whether or not Caramanlis would attend the quartet conference was an issue under discussion.
Papadopoulos noted that whether or not Caramanlis would participate in the meeting had not become definite yet and added that participation of Caramanlis would depend on whether or not there was a positive development or a perspective in the negotiations.
U.N. Secretary General Annan's Special Envoy to Cyprus Alvaro de Soto will start to meet with sides in Cyprus separately as of Monday by changing the procedure in Cyprus negotiations held between TRNC and Greek Cypriot side.
De Soto is scheduled to meet with Denktas at 5.30 p.m.
In the 14th meeting held as part of ongoing Cyprus negotiations last Friday, De Soto asked the sides to give him a list of changes they wanted to make in Annan plan.
De Soto will take up this list in his separate meetings with sides, and try to start give-and-take process, and try to progress in the process.
Negotiations in Lefkosa will continue till March 22. In the quartet meeting that Turkey and Greece will also attend, the sides will try to solve issues on which Turkish and Greek Cypriots can't agree.
U.N. Secretary General Annan will decide on issues on which compromise can't be reached in quartet meetings, and the text to be formed will be voted in a referendum held synchronously in the Turkish and Greek Cypriot sides on April 20.
(BRC-AÖ) 15.03.2004