ESKISEHIR - Cyprus can reach a lasting peace only by a model which takes into consideration the facts of the island and which improved bi-zonality, Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said on Monday.
Gul visited Justice and Development Party (AK Party)'s Election Coordination Center in central Eskisehir province and held a press conference.
When asked how the process of Cyprus negotiations would continue, Gul said that talks in New York were completed successfully and negotiation process started in Cyprus.
''Turkish Cypriot side and Greek Cypriot side continued negotiations in the island. The negotiations have continued till today. The sides did not reach a consensus on basic issues in negotiations which continued in mutual understanding. Negotiations will continue in Switzerland. Foreign ministers will first attend negotiations which will start there on March 24. There will be Turkish Cypriot side and Greek Cypriot side in negotiations. Later, prime ministers will participate in talks. We will attend EU Summit on March 25 and 26. On March 29, prime ministers will attend meetings and U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan will also participate. Effort will be exerted to reach a consensus there. If an agreement is not reached, U.N. Secretary General will give the final shape to the plan.''
Stating that there were matters concerning Cyprus issue to which they attached great importance, Gul said, ''those are the most important issues for us. If those issues don't take place, it will be difficult to talk about a lasting peace on the island. Cyprus can reach a lasting peace only by a model which takes into consideration the facts of the island and which improves bi-zonality in its real sense. Unfortunately, the latest developments in Europe and Kosovo have strengthened Turkey's concerns on the issue. Incidents have occurred which caused bloodshed in the middle of Europe despite attention of NATO, EU and all countries. People started to kill and ravage. Those incidents took place as lasting love and wish for living together between two societies had not emerged there.''
''Turkey wants a peace which will be permanent on the island. We should do everything for a solution, but we should also be realistic. There are measures that we put forward. U.N. Secretary General Annan will take into consideration those measures. I hope that we will solve this issue before Annan,'' he noted.
Asked whether or not there was any development on Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas's participation in talks in Switzerland, Gul said, ''we started this process together with Denktas. It will be very good if we continue this process with him. Denktas does not want to go there. Denktas does not go, but he gives Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister full authority.''
(EÖ-AÖ) 22.03.2004