Following the completion of his contacts with Turkish government and military officials in Ankara, President Denktas returned to the TRNC yesterday (January 26).

Speaking at Esenboga Airport, Ankara, prior to his departure for the TRNC, President Denktas said that the issue was to achieve a mutally accepted settlement through negotiations and the continuation of an agreement based on protecting the rights of the two sides.

Pointing out that even if the two sides displayed good will it was difficult to reach a settlement by May 2004, the President said: "1 May 2004 is the target date. It is hoped that a settlement will be achieved by this date, however, it is known that there is so much work that needs to be done and even if the Greek Cypriot side shows all its good will, settling this issue by May 2004 is difficult and this is also expressed by the Greek Cypriot side. The issue is to reach a mutally accepted settlement through negotiations and the continuation of an agreement based on protecting the rights of the two sides. Good will is vital to achieve this"

Explaining that once the two sides sit down at the negotiating table and if one of the two sides did not see the other side as their equal and thought that they were sitting at the table to dominate the other side, President Denktas said in this situation the negotiations could not be carried out in a healthy environment.

Asked when he would be meeting with the Greek Cypriot leader, Tasos Papadopoulos, the President said this depended on the invitation that would be made by the UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, and Annan would make this invitation when the two sides were ready to negotiate and reach a conclusion.

Meanwhile, speaking upon his return to the TRNC at Gecitkale Airport, President Denktas said in Ankara he had constructive and comprehensive meetings with Turkish President, Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkish Foreign Minister, Abdullah Gul, and the Chief of the Turkish General Staff, Hilmi Ozkok. He said: "I’m returning to the island with Ankara’s full support and strength".

Explaining that at this stage he would not be able to go into details regarding his contacts in Ankara, President Denktas stated: "As it is known, there is a negotiation process to go through. At this stage it is not correct to announce our negotiating position. However, I can say that on all the issues discussed a consensus was reached on all matters which are vital for the Turkish Cypriots."

Evaluating the latest decision taken by the Turkish National Security Council on January 23, the President said this decision was very positive and within this framework he would do his best on the Cyprus issue.

Continuing, he added: "What’s important for us is to achieve a just and permanent settlement that will secure the existence, security, sovereign equality and bizonality of the Turkish Cypriot people. With this aim, we are ready to actively work with our government".

President Denktas called upon the Greek Cypriot side to abandon their ideas that they solved the Cyprus issue by themselves and take the Cyprus realities into consideration.

Referring to Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan’s contacts in the US, President Denktas said the Cyprus issue would play an important part in Prime Minister Erdogan’s agenda and that following the completion of these contacts the situation would be re-evaluated and the final shape of their stance to be followed would be decided.

27-28 January, which marks the 46^th anniversary of the Turkish Cypriot people’s resistance against British Colonial Rule will be commemorated with two separate ceremonies in Lefkosa today (January 27).

The first ceremony will be held at the Lefkosa Martyrs Monumnet, followed by a second ceremony at the Kucuk Kaymakli Cemetery. In the evening prayers will be said for the martrys at the Yenisehir Martyrs Mosque.

In her message issued, the Speaker of the TRNC Parliament, Fatma Ekenoglu, said, 27-28 January, which marks the 46^th anniversary of the Turkish Cypriot peoples resistance against the discrimatory and oppressive treatment of the British Colonial Rule, was an important landmark that determined the fate of the Turkish Cypriot people".

Ekenoglu, also added: "While we remember our martyrs with respect, I underline that we are striving towards reaching a political settlement where we will not give any more martyrs and suffer".

According to the Greek Cypriot daily ‘Politis’, the Greek Cypriot Administration will purchase 6 million Cyprus Pounds worth of rearmament for the Zuzana cannons and Grad missile launchers it purchased a few years ago.

The daily reported that an agreement had been reached with the Slovakian arms producing ‘Kersametal’ company and that during the Greek Cypriot Assembly’s Defence Committee Meeting on January 25 it was agreed that ten per cent (600,000 Cyprus Pounds) of the agreed contract, worth 6 million Cyprus Pounds, would be paid to the said company.

Politis reported that the Greek Cypriot National Guard had very maintenance costs and that its 5,000 paid soldiers had extremely high salaries.