Denktas: De Soto Should Inform Us On Issues, Which He Discussed In Turkey

LEFKOSA - President Rauf Denktas of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) said on Thursday, ''I could not receive any detailed information about the six-hour meeting between United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan's Special Envoy to Cyprus Alvaro de Soto and Ministry of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal. De Soto has been trying to prepare something in Turkey and to present it to us later.''
Responding questions of journalists, President Denktas said, ''I could not receive any detailed information about the six-hour meeting between De Soto and Ziyal. They gave us a general information. However, we expect to receive information about details. We want to know what we will do during our meetings with Papadopulos. As you know, United Nations Secretary General Annan will come to Cyprus in the coming days. We should know Turkey's stance during our meeting with Annan.''
''De Soto refrained from giving detailed information about the meeting saying that he did not want to act as a messenger between the sides. He should inform us on issues, which he discussed in Turkey. He cannot bargain with Turkey by ignoring the Turkish Cypriots. We cannot accept it,'' he added.
(UK) 20.02.2003