LEFKOSA - Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas sent a second letter to the Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadoupulos on Friday and wanted him to review the proposals which he earlier presented to Papadoupulos.
Denktas who held a press conference said that he sent a second letter to Papadoupulos after the Greek Cypriot leader rejected his proposals.
Stating that he said in his letter that Cyprus question's not reaching any solution depended on lack of confidence between the two sides, Denktas stressed that obstacle in front of not reaching any results at the negotiations which have been made so far was lack of confidence.
Denktas said that he made some proposals to remove lack of confidence and turn relations to normal and stated, ''our proposals are on the table. We hope that the Greek Cypriot leader will evaluate them with a new point of view.''
Stressing that nowhere could be reached if there was lack of confidence between the two sides, he said that U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan said several times in his reports that there was deep lack of confidence between the two sides.
Denktas said that Papadopoulos hastily rejected his proposals to prevent ''foreign powers to support them''.
Stating that the Greek Cypriot side's signing the accession agreement of the European Union (EU) on April 16 would divide Cyprus into two, Denktas said that according to the decision which would be taken on April 16, they would review their attitude on the proposals. Denktas said that ''in case a decision leaving an open door to negotiation on April 16, their attitude would be mild.''
Stating that Annan's good will mission was continuing, Denktas said that TRNC and Turkey supported this good will, but he underlined that the good will mission does not cover imposing something to others by force.
DENKTAS: WE INTEND TO REVEAL WHY CYPRUS QUESTION, WHICH PASSED THROUGH MANY STAGES, COULD NOT BE SOLVED YET
Denktas said they want to meet and take some measures to overcome lack of confidence, stating that armament of the Greek Cypriot side to take northern part of the island by saying that ''I am the government of whole Cyprus'' deepened lack of confidence.
Denktas had a news conference and stated that they put forth some ideas with good intentions, and that Papadopoulos did not respond to those views. Denktas said, ''he said come if you accept Annan plan''.
Recalling that Papadopoulos himself did not accept the Annan plan in The Hague, and that he wanted changes in the plan, Denktas said, ''I left The Hague by saying that we may discuss the changes which both sides wanted to make, and let us resort to referendum the plan if the sides agree on the changes.''
Denktas said he sent a second letter to Papadopoulos today, and reiterated that the reason in failure of overcoming Cyprus problem based on lack of confidence. Denktas said, ''this lack of confidence constituted an obstacle in every stage we launched, and became an obstacle in face to face talks.''
Denktas said he made the proposals to overcome lack of confidence and to provide normalization of relations between the two sides. Denktas said, ''my proposals are on the negotiation table. I want my proposals to be considered again.''
Denktas said, ''I think, in case they act on the view that they would bring Cyprus to European Union (EU) on April 16, they would confirm division of Cyprus,'' and stated that it was wrong for the Greek Cypriots to think that Cyprus question would be solved in favor of them by entering the EU.
Pointing out that TRNC and Turkey supported good offices mission of the U.N. Secretary General, Denktas said, ''imposing his views or plan to the sides is not included in good offices mission. Good offices mission is to envisage an approach providing harmonization between the two sides.''
Denktas said that Papadoupulos asked him ''whether he took Annan plan as base or not'' by forgetting that he did not accept Annan plan in The Hague and stated that he answered that they initiated the face-to-face talks with good will.
Denktas said that they made all kinds of contributions and recalled Papadoupulos's attitude on not reaching any conclusion in The Hague in his answer to Papadoupulos.
''I proposed that we should discuss amendments in Annan plan both sides want. I want to remind him our attitude on talking those reservations together, and if there is an agreement on those issues, then referendum can be brought onto the agenda,'' he stated.
Denktas said that the real obstacle was lack of confidence between the two sides, noting that both sides' working toward the same vision was not possible.
Denktas said that their beginning point was exerting efforts to bring visions of the two sides together during his meetings with former Greek Cypriot leader Glafcos Clerides and recalled that however, Clerides had rejected the proposals by saying that ''they could not reach agreement if they talked about the visions.''
Denktas reiterated that proposals were still on the table and stated that he hoped that Papadoupulos would evaluate them with a new perspective.
Denktas said that he was also sending a copy of the letter to Annan due to his good offices mission.
Denktas stressed that it was very important to create an atmosphere in which both sides would have confidence and stated that lack of confidence could not be on the ground of partnerships.
When asked whether he would put into action the proposals even if the Greek Cypriot side did not accept them, Denktas said that situation would be evaluated after the decision which would be taken at the meeting of the EU on April 16.
Denktas said, ''in case a decision leaving an open door to negotiation on April 16, their attitude would be mild.''
He stated that mutual good will was the way of removing lack of confidence and they put forth their good will on the issue.
When reminded him that their proposals were evaluated as ''maneuver'' in the Greek Cypriot side, Denktas said that reason of that evaluation was lack of confidence and said that they proposed coming together to get rid of this lack of confidence.
Denktas added that he expected EU and U.N. to back the proposal.

(AY-EÖ-AÖ) 04.04.2003