ANKARA - Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said on Thursday that President Rauf Denktas of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) needed time to examine revised Annan plan. Gul said his opinion would be clarified when he was informed fully.
Speaking to reporters at Ankara's Esenboga Airport prior to his departure for Brussels to attend informal meeting of NATO foreign ministers, Gul said Turkish team exerted extraordinary efforts in Switzerland.
Gul said Turkish side put forth its priorities in the Annan plan, and noted that changes were made in line with those priorities. Gul said, ''I am sure that everybody who examine the plan will see that important amendments were made about the issues we attached importance. Thus, this has been a plan on which adjustments were made which Turkey wanted.''
Replying to a question regarding criticisms of Denktas to the plan, Gul said Denktas needed time to examine the plan.
Gul said Denktas was not in Switzerland, but that there were two people whom he fully authorized and his consultant were in Buergenstock. Gul said Denktas followed the process closely.
Gul said everybody would put forth their convictions, and that in the end the decision would be taken by people.
When asked whether or not Turkish side was satisfied with the issue of derogations, Gul said act of adaptation would be put into implementation immediately, and that the process regarding approval of the parliaments of all EU member countries would start soon.
''If the negotiations had taken place during the talks in The Hague last year, and if the results which the Turkish side obtained had been taken at that time, then parliaments of 15 EU member countries would have had approved this, and 'United Cyprus Republic' would have had entered the EU,'' Gul noted.
Gul said this wasn't made and that it was technically impossible for the parliaments of the 25 EU member countries to approve this till May 1. ''Turkey is after two armors. First, act of adjustment will fully be implemented, and the other is that procedure regarding ratification of it in parliaments of the EU member countries will start soon. Every kind of legal procedures was made.''
Replying to a question if Turkish side accepted to give Karpaz to Greek Cypriot side in return for derogations and that EU Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen made negotiations on behalf of Greek Cypriots, Gul said this was not right.
Gul said Verheugen came to Switzerland upon his invitation, and noted that he was not a part of the negotiations.
Gul said, ''in Brussels, I told him that he could come if he wanted after arrival of the prime ministers because there were issues concerning the EU. If Greek Cypriot side and Greece accepted to sign the plan, then Verheugen would have signed it on behalf of the EU. He did not have any bargaining with us or with any group about Cyprus text. Also, he does not have the authority for that. May be, he only pointed out his views somewhere. But that is different.''
(AY-AÖ) 02.04.2004