ANKARA - Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Serdar Denktas of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) said on Wednesday that semi-official relations could be established between Turkey and Greek Cypriot administration.
Denktas who came to Ankara for a meeting organized by Gazi University International Relations Society replied to questions of reporters.
Replying to a question on recognition of Greek Cypriot side, Denktas said that they knew that the European Union (EU) put pressure on Turkey on this issue and stated that Turkey's EU perspective also required to take a step on this issue. Denktas said that it could be in question for Turkey to ''accept'' Greek Cypriot administration by taking into account current borders.
Recalling that EU expressed that it wanted to see united Cyprus in many occasions, Denktas said that Greek Cypriot side was responsible for this target's not being put into practice. Denktas noted that Greek Cypriot side should also be pressed to accept existence of Turkish authority in other part of the island and added that dialogue could be continued between sides by opening representative offices.
Denktas said that it was expected that U.N. Security Council's report on Cyprus would be announced next week and stated that this report would be assessed in a summit in Ankara with participation of TRNC President Rauf Denktas and high level officials of TRNC.
Denktas stressed that studies should be speeded up after the U.N. Security Council's report was announced.
Serdar Denktas said that they could not accept EU's aid for TRNC amounting to 259 million euros through ''Cyprus Republic Central Bank''. He added that they would not receive the aid if EU was insistent on this path.
(EÖ-AÖ) 13.05.2004