Turkey Hasn't Received Any Information That Denktas Will Withdraw From Negotiations

ANKARA - Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Namik Tan said on Wednesday that Turkey had not received any information that Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas would withdraw from Cyprus negotiations.
TRNC and Greek Cypriot side started Cyprus negotiations 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.
If sides can't reach a settlement till March 22, quartet conference will start among TRNC, Greek Cypriot side, Turkey and Greece.
Tan told a weekly press conference that quartet conference would begin on March 24, as the second stage of Cyprus negotiations.
Noting that they were waiting for the decision of the U.N. on the place of the quartet conference, Tan said that the U.N. was thinking of holding the quartet conference in Luzern or Geneva, Switzerland.
Tan stated that at which level the quartet conference would be held was not clear yet.
Asked if Turkey or TRNC had any contacts with the United States, who has undertaken a facilitator role, Tan said that they were in contact with all concerned parties.
Recalling that U.N. Secretary General Annan's Special Envoy to Cyprus Alvaro de Soto held meetings with two sides to start give-and-take process, Tan said that how that process would continue depended on de Soto.
Tan stated that de Soto prepared a list of demands of two sides to see give-and-take possibilities and shared the list with two sides.
That list should be considered ''a study which laid down proposals of sides and consisted demands of sides for changes in Annan's plan,'' Tan stressed.
Tan said, ''there are some deficiencies in the list according to us'' and noted that they had informed de Soto about their views on those deficiencies.
They learned about contents of the list by news published today, Tan added.
According to news in Turkish and Greek Cypriot press, de Soto's list included below mentioned demands of Turkish Cypriot side:
''1- Permanent derogations in European Union (EU) acquis.
2- Method of rehabilitating Turkish Cypriots who will change their places due to territory arrangement.
3- Preservation of 24/24 rate in the senate.
4- Presence of Turkish soldiers in the island after Turkey's EU membership.
5- Protection of TRNC's special relations with Turkey.''
De Soto's list covered these demands of the Greek Cypriot side:
''1- The territory to be given to the Greek Cypriot side after an agreement is reached on the island should be handed over to the U.N. immediately.
2- The Presidential Council should be formed by six Greek Cypriots and three Turkish Cypriots instead of four Greek Cypriots and two Turkish Cypriots.
3- The Presidency should be run by the Greek Cypriot side for 40 months and by the Turkish Cypriot side for 20 months.
4- Basic courts should be established.
5- The number of Turkish Cypriot citizens of Turkish origin should be announced and the number of those who will cast votes in the referendum should be unveiled.
6- Security is another issue attached importance by the Greek Cypriot side.
7- Federal organs should start to function immediately.
When asked about the results of the meeting held by Turkish and EU jurists to make an agreement that will be reached in Cyprus EU's primary law, Tan said, ''we have some problems in this issue. This is an issue of vital importance for us. The U.N. and EU are trying to form a written paper about this issue. This paper should satisfy us.''
Tan recalled about news on this issue which dwelled upon some methods and said that one of those methods was endorsement of a constitution and a founder agreement to come out of negotiations by the U.N. Security Council.
''We think that this method will not bear the required result due to its quality. This disposition of the U.N. Security Council aims to provide an additional legitimacy to an agreement to be reached in the island. Therefore, these activities of the U.N. Security Council will not bear the result we expect in regard to EU primary law. This issue is under authority of the EU,'' Tan added.
(BRC-AÖ) 17.03.2004