TRNC FM: The negotiations have started
NEW YORK (AA) – TRNC Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Serdar Denktas said on Wednesday after the first session of Cyprus negotiations that "it can be said that the negotiations have started, there is not any imposition."
Noting that the Turkish side was pleased with the course of the negotiations, Serdar Denktas said that "the negotiations have been postponed for one day, not because of deadlock, but as the negotiations went good."
Denktas said that it would be decided on Wednesday if the negotiations would continue on the island, Geneva or New York, adding that "at the moment, continuing the negotiations in Cyprus is a stronger alternative."
Stressing that the negotiations were carried out by taking Annan plan as the basis, Denktas said that "they would carry out their studies themselves tonight and Wednesday morning and would come together with Secretary General at 16.00 hours (Turkish local time 23.00) on Wednesday."
"Today, we had a separate and then joint meeting with Secretary General today. This was the first meeting of the negotiations that was held within the scope of Annan plan. At the meeting the sides put forward their own views. Everybody knows each other’s attitude. Tomorrow Annan and the sides will come together again. The meeting was very beneficial for us, and we are pleased. The impression is that the negotiations can be held next week," he said.
Serdar Denktas pointed out that both sides submitted their demands of amendment in written form in the meeting and the documents were exchanged.
Denktas also told that he hoped the atmosphere in the meeting to continue also on Wednesday. "We work for solution, and this atmosphere will continue if the Greek Cypriot side also assumes a positive attitude. We search if we have the hope of treating the patient who is in coma," he noted.
Meanwhile the meeting foreseen to be held between U.N. officials and guarantor countries’ representatives was not held as the negotiations would continue on Wednesday.
