Erdogan Says He Doesn't Believe Denktas Will Withdraw From Negotiations

ANKARA - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said late on Thursday that he did not believe that Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas would withdraw from quartet Cyprus negotiations which would start in Switzerland as reflected in the newspapers.
Erdogan, who attended a program broadcast on private STV channel, said, ''we should not and can not say that we are withdrawing from this process.''
When asked how decision of Denktas not to participate in the quartet conference to take place among TRNC, Greek Cypriot side, Turkey and Greece would affect a possible solution, Erdogan recalled that Denktas had been a part of those negotiation processes from the outset.
Erdogan stated that Turkey had always stressed that it was determined to continue Cyprus negotiations with participation of Denktas from the beginning till the end of the process when starting recent negotiations.
''I don't perceive anything like Denktas will withdraw from negotiations when I consider his statements and I don't want to perceive such a thing. This is what happened at this stage of talks. Parliamentary elections were held in Greece. After the elections, new Greek Prime Minister Costas Caramanlis made a statement 'the quartet conference should be held in the level of foreign ministers, not in the level of prime ministers.' After this statement of Caramanlis, Denktas may think of following the negotiations away from the location they take place. Moreover, we haven't received any official information about this issue,'' Erdogan said.
Erdogan went on saying, ''we have heard that Caramanlis will attend the quartet conference. In fact, we told (United Nations Secretary General Kofi) Annan that 'we want the quartet conference to be held in the level of prime ministers, but our foreign ministers can also join if prime ministers don't participate in these meetings.' If Caramanlis decides to join the conference, we will also do so. We want to solve this issue, but this solution should serve interests of two sides in the island and should not ignore our sine qua non conditions related with TRNC.''
This issue which had continued for tens of years had not only made TRNC citizens uneasy, but also people in Turkey, Erdogan said.
Erdogan continued, ''this issue should be solved. Politics is the art of solution, it is not the art of creating problems. But, unfortunately, there are circles in our country who want to create problems when talking about Cyprus issue. Our sensitivities about Cyprus are certain. But, unfortunately, those who were against Cyprus Peace Operation staged by Turkey in 1974 and those who considered Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) occupier are today beside people who want to protect Cyprus. All these can be found in our archives. It is not possible to understand it. We should know very well which action we are taking and for what reason.''
''We have sine qua non conditions related with Cyprus. And, we are taking every step after we negotiate it carefully and by taking the political risk, which is a requirement of being a government. We have seen its examples also in Lausanne. When taking some steps today, some different approaches can sometimes be seen in procedure. But, it is never possible to take any step contrary to rights of our citizens in TRNC. As how we show good will, we expect the similar good will from the other side. If the other side shows the same good will, we will have the opportunity to solve this issue,'' Erdogan said.
When the anchorman said that decisions taken by the government in Cyprus talks process were shown as ''political decisions instead of state policy,'' Erdogan noted, ''I don't consider none of them sincere. It is not possible for us to consider them sincere.''
Erdogan stated that a summit on Cyprus was held under chairmanship of Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and also the National Security Council (NSC) discussed the issue.
The Council of Ministers also discussed the issue, Erdogan noted.
Erdogan pointed out that he took up Cyprus issue in his meetings in Davos, with U.S. President George Bush in the United States, with European Commission President Romano Prodi, and with heads of state of other countries.
''We all say that if an insolubility emerges in Cyprus, this should emerge from the south, not north. But, if something contrary to our sine qua non conditions occur in the island, then we show our reaction. It is this simple. But, we want to solve this issue and we are good-willed. We favor solution of this issue before May 1. A United Cyprus Republic will be established. A different flag and a different national anthem will emerge. No state recognizes you at the moment, but after the United Cyprus Republic is founded, they will recognize you as a state. We will see if they are sincere in this attitude. We will take our steps sincerely. I can't imagine the cost of being a state at this moment. Achieving this goal, being recognized as a state in the world and use of Turkish as an official language in the European Union (EU) are very important,'' Erdogan said.
Erdogan drew attention that Turkey had sensitivities about three facts related with Cyprus issue and listed them as strengthening bi-zonality, strengthening position of guarantor states, and drawing a better map.
''We want TSK to continue to stay there at a certain extent. Two sides discuss our sensitivities about property issue. If a compromise is reached on these issues, a solution can be reached. But, we can't and should not say that 'we are withdrawing from negotiations'. I think that Denktas will not withdraw from negotiations as reflected in newspapers. He may decide to watch the process from outside due to the recent tableau and want TRNC Prime Minister (Mehmet Ali) Talat and Foreign Minister (Serdar) Denktas to go to Switzerland,'' Erdogan said.
Asked if he thought Denktas would participate in the quartet conference, Erdogan said, ''we haven't talked about this issue, but we will talk soon.''
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 fail to reach a solution till March 22, a quartet conference will take place among TRNC, Greek Cypriot side, Turkey and Greece.
U.N. Secretary General Annan will fill in the blanks left in the plan 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.
TRNC President Denktas said on Wednesday that he would not go to Switzerland to attend the quartet conference since no progress was made in Cyprus talks.
(BRC-AÖ) 19.03.2004