LEFKOSA (A.A) - 03.07.2002 - UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's Cyprus Special Representative Alvaro De Soto has said that he was disappointed that the two sides in Cyprus failed to reach a framework agreement before the end of June as it was expected.
De Soto who came to the Austrian capital of Vienna to brief Kofi Annan about the Cyprus talks, told reporters at Larnaka Airport that they expected the two sides to reach a framework agreement before the end of June. He asked the two sides to show political will and a compromising attitude and to benefit from the existing opportunities.
De Soto stated that he expected to receive directives from Annan about the Cyrpus talks.
De Soto will go to New York after Vienna and he will brief the participants about the Cyprus talks at a UN Security Council meeting on July 9. He will return to the island on July 16.
The fourth round of the talks between Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas and Greek Cypriot leader Glafcos Clerides was over with yesterday's meeting. The fifth round of talks will start on July 16 and last until August.
DENKTAS: EU IS IMPLYING TO GREEK CYPRIOTS THAT THEY WOULD BE ADMITTED TO UNION EVEN IF THEY DON'T REACH AGREEMENT WITH TRNC, CAUSING GREAT TROUBLE DURING THE TALKS
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas has said that the EU was implying to the Greek Cypriot side that they don't have to compromise because the EU will admit them to the EU even without reaching an agreement with the Turkish Cypriot side, and this was causing great trouble during the talks.
Denktas reiterated that they were working to overcome these difficulties and they were ready to reach an agreement without compromising on their rights.
Denktas had a meeting with Air Military Academy Commander Major General Korcan Pulatsu who is in the TRNC on Wednesday. Pulatsu who came to the TRNC on Tuesday night is accompanied with 15 university lecturers, 78 students from Turkey and 8 students from Turkey's ally countries.
''Cyprus is located 40 miles away from Anatolia and it is close to our southern coasts,'' Denktas said at the meeting. ''Turkey's rights from 1960 agreements should continue. Since 1963, Greeks and Greek Cypriots have been working to destroy these rights. They are trying to achieve what they couldn't achieve through entering the EU on their own. Unfortunately, the EU is telling the Greek Cypriots they would be admitted to the EU with or without compromising and this is causing great trouble. We are ready to reach an agreement without compromising on our rights. This is what we are trying to achieve.''
Denktas referred to the memoires of the Greek Cypriot leader Glafcos Clerides who wrote that the Greek Cypriots made the mistake of underestimating Turkey and tried to take possession of Cyprus. The TRNC president said that the Greek Cypriots were continuing on the same road since they have the EU's support. ''I hope they would change their path,'' he said.
EU COMMISSION: WE DO NOT HAVE ANY INTENTION TO INTERVENE IN CYPRUS TALKS
Jean Christophe Flori, the spokesman of European Union (EU) Commissioner Guenter Verheugen for enlargement, said on Wednesday that they did not have any intention to intervene in Cyprus talks.
Speaking at a daily press conference, Flori recalled that the talks had been continuing within the framework of the United Nations, and noted that the EU Commission did not have any intention to intervene in Cyprus talks.
Flori said that the Cyprus question would not affect enlargement plans.
He added that EU Commission President Romano Prodi would visit Turkey between July 18 and 19 or between July 19 and 20.
TRNC PARLIAMENT SPEAKER SERTER RESPONDS TO VERHEUGEN
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Parliament Speaker Vehbi Zeki Serter criticized EU Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen for pressuring the Turkish Cypriot side and imposing a solution to Cyprus that is in favor of the Greek and Greek Cypriots and he said Verheugen would never reach his goal.
In a written statement he made on Wednesday, Serter said that a solution to the conflict should include two separate regions, two separate states and sovereignty, political equality of Turkish and Greek Cypriot sides and the guarantee of the Turkish Armed Forces. We cannot step back from these minimum rights.''
Referring to Verheugen's latest statement on Turkey, Serter said that Verheugen caused more complications by stating that Cyprus would be admitted to the EU even if the political problems are not solved. He stated that Verheugen's words did nothing but encouraged the Greek Cypriots not to reconcile.
''Verheugen who got into the habit of saying things that are way behind his authority, is very wrong if he thinks that he is helping Greeks and Greek Cypriots through his statements,'' he continued. ''Verheugen should know that if Cyprus is admitted to the EU, neither him nor the EU could face the responsibility for the problems that will emerge from this situation. The Turkish Cyriot side stated several times what options it could use if Greek Cypriots join the EU on their own. These are causing worry to Greeks and Greek Cypriots and it is surprising to see Verheugen making such provocative statements.''
Serter also accused Verheugen for testing the patience of the Turkish nation by saying that the EU would not give any date to Turkey to start membership talks.
''Verheugen attempted to criticize the Turkish Armed Forces which protects peace and stability in Cyprus since 1974 and he defined the Turkish Armed Forces' attitude as 'uncertain'. Verheugen would have known what uncertainty is if the Turkish Peace Forces had not maintained the security environment based on the authority given by the guarantee agreements.''