LEFKOSA - Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) said on Wednesday that the cause of the obscure pause in indirect talks after the first meeting might be the uneasiness that Greek Cypriots felt over the matters of discussion.
''I suppose that the United Nations got into trouble with the Greek Cypriot side and they are trying to solve it,'' he said.
The TRNC Council of Ministers convened under chairmanship of Talat as there won't be any meeting under the Cyprus negotiations.
Replying to questions of reporters prior to the TRNC Council of Ministers meeting, Talat said that there was not any extraordinary issue on their agenda.
Noting that any negotiation would not be held the same day and any opinion had not been conveyed to either the TRNC President or him about the issue, Talat said, ''however, I suppose that there would be a meeting.''
Replying to a question, Talat said that it could be said at this stage that intermediary talks had started, but it included a little difference. ''Face-to-face talks started again under a different format. It can be called intermediary or give-and-take process. It can be called effort to provide proximity. Some people call it shuttle diplomacy or some call it Alvaro process.''
Noting that he believed this method would be productive if it was kept thriving, Talat said that it was impossible to say anything at the moment. ''The process paused after the first meeting and we could not understand the reason,'' Talat said and noted that he could not know whether it was caused due to the Greek Cypriot side or TRNC President Rauf Denktas' unwillingness in presenting the constitution.
Recalled of rumors about resignation of Denktas, Talat said, ''the President says it, but such a move would be very wrong at this stage of talks. I don't want to think that he would do a very wrong thing. I believe and think that he should not resign.''
(MS-AÖ) 17.03.2004