Denktas To Announce His Decision On Whether Or Not To Attend Quartet Conference When Time Comes

LEFKOSA - Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas said on Tuesday that he would announce his decision on whether or not to attend the quartet conference to be held among TRNC, Greek Cypriot side, Turkey and Greece when the time came.
Denktas told reporters that he had made his decision about whether or not to participate in the quartet conference to be held among two sides in Cyprus, Turkey and Greece as a part of ongoing Cyprus negotiations.
Two sides had started negotiation process on February 19 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.
Denktas said that the news in Greek Cypriot press about the document U.N. Secretary General Annan's Special Envoy to Cyprus Alvaro de Soto presented during indirect talks he held with himself and Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos was accurate.
But, he stated, a map was not presented in the talks.
Greek Prime Minister Costas Caramanlis decided not to attend the quartet conference since Greece did not believe that it would get successful results in the conference, Denktas said.
Denktas announced that Annan had launched initiatives about this issue.
Noting that he was fulfilling his duty in a case in which his people had lost their lives, Denktas said that Turkish Cypriot side wanted equal sovereignty, bi-zonality, Turkey's effective and de facto guarantee to be stressed in an agreement to be reached between the two sides.
Denktas pointed out that the way of solving property issue could cause fight between two peoples and seven thousand U.N. soldiers were foreseen to be brought to the island to settle this issue.
The Greek Cypriots had not accepted any of the proposals they had laid down in negotiations so far, Denktas said.
Denktas said, ''they try to leave settlement of the issue to Annan. I can't say that we have reached somewhere in our talks.''
Noting that beginning of indirect talks was nothing, Denktas said that every issue was expected to be solved in the quartet conference.
Denktas stated that difficulties and the intrigue of the Greek Cypriots to possess whole Cyprus through European Union (EU) membership still continued.
Pointing out that people would take their decision in the synchronous referenda to take place in both sides, Denktas said that he trusted people.
Denktas said, ''this path will be passed through with or without me. And, the referenda will take place.''
TRNC President Denktas noted that he believed in friendship between Turkey and Greece.
When a reporter recalled that the Greek Cypriot press published details of a document presented by de Soto in yesterday's talks and asked if this news was accurate, Denktas said that news in Greek Cypriot press was accurate.
Denktas pointed out that de Soto presented an item of agenda, not a document.
TRNC President Denktas said that de Soto did not present a map.
Denktas stated that they attached importance to derogations, but they had not received any heartening news from the EU so far.
Rehabilitation of Turkish Cypriots who would change their places due to territory arrangement was important, Denktas said.
Denktas stressed that 24/24 Turkish Cypriot-Greek Cypriot rate in the senate should be preserved.
Underlining that TRNC wanted presence of Turkish soldiers in the island after Turkey's EU membership, Denktas said that TRNC should protect its special relations with Turkey.
Touching on Greek Cypriots' proposal, Denktas said that the Greek Cypriots wanted the territory to be given back to them to be given to the U.N. immediately.
Replying to a question about Caramanlis' decision not to attend the quartet conference, Denktas said, ''they are saying that it won't be a meeting which will reach success. They are saying that they don't want to discredit the new prime minister by such an unsuccessful meeting. Therefore, they wanted the meeting to be held in the level of undersecretaries. Turkey has opposed to this proposal of Greece. I think that the Secretary General has asked the sides to 'at least be represented by a political authority.' This means that the meeting should take place in the level of foreign ministers.''
Denktas added, ''if things go well and if there is a chance to succeed, prime ministers will attend the meeting in the last one or two days. Talks about all these possibilities continue.''
Greece thought that ''success could not be reached in the quartet conference since Cyprus talks were not successful till today,'' Denktas stated.
Denktas said, ''however, Turkish prime minister says he will attend the meeting. This is the current situation.''
The Greek Cypriots were acting relievedly, taking into consideration their 40-year policy and did not think that this would change in the quartet conference, Denktas noted.
Denktas pointed out that the Greek Cypriots would not change unless they were told they were not the government of Turkish Cypriots.
If they had not resisted to Annan's plan since the very first day, the Turkish Cypriots would be miserable these days, Denktas said.
Denktas added, ''we are resisting for our people, our freedom, justice, equality and sovereignty.''
If sides can't reach a settlement till March 22, quartet conference will start among TRNC, Greek Cypriot side, Turkey and Greece.
U.N. Secretary General Annan will fill in the blanks if participants can't reach any compromise in quartet meetings, and the text to be formed at the end of all these initiatives will be voted in referenda to be held synchronously in the Turkish and Greek Cypriot sides on April 20.
(BRC-AÖ) 16.03.2004