LEFKOSA, Jan 14 (A.A) - Rauf Denktas, the President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) said on Monday if U.N. Secretary General's Special Representative to Cyprus Alvaro De Soto brought a delegation of jurists with him, he made a big mistake.
'We don't need foreign jurists,'' said Denktas.
Denktas said that the Cyprus question could not be solved to date due to foreign interventions, adding that an intervention in the new process would disturb everything.
Denktas responded to questions of journalists after his weekly regular meeting with TRNC Prime Minister Dervis Eroglu and Deputy Prime Minister Salih Cosar.
When reminded about the news telling that De Soto came to the island with a delegation composed of jurists and he would submit a document during his contacts, Denktas said that ''if he came to the island with a delegation, he made a big mistake. He only made a show-off. We don't need foreign jurists, he should not make such a show at this stage. This process is a single one between the two sides, a direct process in which no body has to intervene. The good will mission of U.N. Secretary General continues. This mission is to bring together the sides and help them if they request. Therefore, the mission of De Soto is to be with the sides which came together and to help them when necessary.''
Underlining the fact that no agremeent was reached on the island to date due to foreign interventions, Denktas said that ''we want everybody to help in starting a positive process by leaving the sides alone. If they intervene in the process like they did in the past, the things will not go well.''
Evaluating the Greek Cypriot side's approach toward the matter, Denktas said, ''for a long time, the Greek Cypriot side had followed a policy of remaining behind by keeping the matter in international arena and by giving authorities especially to other sides which supported them. However, I hope that they give up this policy in this new process and they keep this matter on the path for compromise sincerely as we do and they do not drag it to some other ways.''
Denktas said that they had prepared a report on missing people and they would present the report if Greek Cypriot administration leader Glafcos Clerides sent his report the same day.
Responding a question on the content of the report, Denktas said, ''it is a practical meeting document which puts forward what can be done under the light of the latest talks. It is not a thing which puts forward conditions. It is an exercise on what can be done and how can they be. Also the Greek Cypriot side will do the same thing and later we will look whether or not these can be reconciled.''
When asked whether or not there would be a new meeting on the missing people issue, Denktas said, ' a new meeting may not be needed. Maybe instructions would be given to the Missing People Committee through exchange of notes. However, we can briefly take this up again at a session in which De Soto does not participate during our meeting on January 16. This matter does not concern De Soto as we separated it from politics.''