Talat: Participation Of Turkish And Greek Prime Ministers In Four-party Conference In Switzerland Displays Their Will To Resolve The Cyprus Issue

LEFKOSA - Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) has said, ''participation of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Greek Prime Minister Costas Caramanlis in four-party conference in Switzerland displays their will to resolve the Cyprus issue.''
Holding a press conference, Prime Minister Talat expressed his pleasure with Prime Minister Erdogan's decision to go to Switzerland to attend the four-party conference, adding, ''if something serious will be done, high-level participation is required.''
When asked whether TRNC President Rauf Denktas' decision not to go to Switzerland affected plans of Prime Minister Erdogan and Prime Minister Caramanlis to attend the four-party conference, Prime Minister Talat said, ''it could be. Consequently, participation of Turkish and Greek prime ministers in four-party conference in Switzerland displays their will to resolve the Cyprus issue.''
When asked whether he would ask President Denktas to change his mind, Talat told reporters, ''I have already asked him. The process will last till March 31. Then, everyone can have different assessments. Our acting together till March 31 is of great importance in regard to social compromise.''
Upon a question, Prime Minister Talat said that his meeting with United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Sir Kieran Prendergast and United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan's Special Envoy to Cyprus Alvaro de Soto had a preparatory characteristics for the four-party conference.
''The Turkish Cypriot side may not get all its requests at the end of the process. However, we expect changes in vital parts. We have been carrying out a team-work. I believe that President Denktas will review his decision,'' he said.
Talat said that if President Denktas did not attend the conference, the government would have full authority legally.
''According to our point of view, the authority belongs to government. However, a meeting on the level of leaders is in question since leaders of the two communities have conducted the negotiation process so far. We should go to Switzerland with full authority. The government's representing Turkish Cypriot people with full authority will be the most appropriate and correct thing,'' he said.
Noting that the plan of United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan would be given its final shape in Switzerland, Talat said, ''it is not right to launch a campaign of yes or no before finalization of the negotiation process.''
Recalling that he had objected to the document presented to the sides by De Soto since it did not included views of the sides sufficiently, Talat added, ''however, the document contains very important issues. De Soto categorized the issues in the document. We will discuss whether or not the document should be taken to Switzerland as well.''
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(UK-AÖ) 18.03.2004