Fifth Round Of Direct Talks In Cyprus Starts

LEFKOSA (A.A) - 16.07.2002 - The fifth round of direct talks in Cyprus started between TRNC President Rauf Denktas and Greek Cypriot leader Glafcos Clerides on Tuesday.
Speaking to reporters before the meeting, Denktas said that the fifth round of talks started on the shadow of attack helicopters. Denktas said that his withdrawing from the talks was out of question.
Criticizing the recent statement of U.N. Security Council about Cyprus, Denktas said that U.N. Security Council gave wrong messages to the people.
''The talks had started by saying that they were secret, closed and there was blackout, that no agreement would be considered to be reached in any issue without reaching an agreement on all issues and that everything could be discussed on table and that there was no precondition. However the statements issued from the U.N. Security Council as a result of Alvaro De Soto's visits to New York every in few months, give the message to people as if the Turkish side didn't do what was necessary. The people don't know the things that are talked. As there is no precondition, as everything can be talked and as no agreement would be considered to be reached on any issue without reaching an agreement on all issues, giving this wrong message to the Turkish people from such a centre like the U.N. Security Council, is nothing beyond unilateral disclose of the talks,'' Denktas said.
Noting that the Security Council and European Union don't help in solution of the problem, Denktas said that Security Council brings everything to agenda that has the character of being the continuation of the wrong decisions taken due to cold war and which impeded the solution of Cyprus problem for 39 years and the Council makes them precondition. They don't help us. On the other hand the EU makes the solution of the Cyprus problem by negotiations impossible by issuing statements supporting the Greek Cypriot side. It spoils the rules of the game.''
When a reporter asked Denktas if he would bring onto agenda his uneasiness about the helicopter issue at the meeting, Denktas said that he conveyed his ideas about the issue in his meeting with De Soto and now he announced it to his people and the world. He said there was no need for him to bring it onto agenda of the meeting.
When asked if he could withdraw from the talks, Denktas said ''no, no we won't withdraw from the talks. We defend a right cause and we will defend it till the end.''