Within the framework of the Cyprus negotiation process TRNC President Rauf Denktas and Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos met for the last time yesterday (22 March).

In a previous statement issued, President Denktas said that he personally had told Papadopoulos that the government would have full authority to represent the TRNC at the quadripartite talks in Switzerland on 24 March.

As agreed in the New York talks on 13 February, the quadripartite talks, which is the second stage of the Cyprus negotiation process, will start this Wednesday (24 March) in Lucerne, in the town of Burgenstock in Switzerland. The TRNC delegation, headed by Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat, left the island this morning.

The TRNC delegation includes Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Serdar Denktas, Presidential Undersecretary Ergun Olgun and the TRNC’s Washington Representative Osman Ertug.

The quadripartite talks, which will first start with the participation of the Turkish and Greek foreign ministers, will continue until 29 March, after which the Turkish and Greek Prime Ministers and the UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, will join the talks.

A large delegation from the Greek Cypriot National Council will accompany Greek Cypriot leader, Tassos Papadopoulos, to Switzerland.

Turkey and Greece will be represented in the talks by large delegations of ambassadors and bureaucrats.

Yesterday (22 March), President Denktas submitted a written document to the UN confirming that the TRNC government representatives who would participate in the talks in Switzerland had full authority.

Referring to his decision not to attend the quadripartite talks in Switzerland, President Denktas pointing out that he did his best and there wasn’t much else he could do, said if he went to Switzerland he wouldn’t be able to make any evaluations.

Speaking after yesterday’s (22 March) meeting with the Greek Cypriot leader, President Denktas said in yesterday’s meeting the UN representative gave them a detailed document and information regarding the studies of the technical committees, which would be evaluated by the Turkish Cypriot side.

Pointing out that during the meeting the treaties made by two sides were also taken up, the President said the Turkish Cypriot side has 255 treaties and the Greek Cypriot side objected to 246 of these. He said after the meeting the Turkish Cypriot side withdrew 38 of them, but from the remaining 217 the Greek Cypriot side still objected to 210 of them.

Explaining that the Greek Cypriot side had made 1,156 treaties, from which 7 treaties were later withdrawn, the President said, the Turkish Cypriot side only objected to 9 of these treaties, but upon most of the Turkish Cypriot side’s treaties being rejected by the Greek Cypriot side, in order to create a balance the Turkish Cypriot side in turn rejected all their treaties. "These will probably be discussed in Switzerland", added the President.

Pointing out that during the meeting the issue of the location and requirements of the new buildings of the federal government was also taken up, President Denktas said it was requested that the joint committees visit the buildings being considered for this purpose.

Referring to the issue of civil servants, President Denktas said Greek Cypriot leader Papadopoulos had proposed that Greek Cypriot civil servants appointed in accordance with the 1960 Constitution continue their posts, otherwise these people would start to take legal action. President Denktas said upon this remark he explained to Papadopoulos that there were no Turkish Cypriot civil servants remaining from the 1960 Constitution, but only civil servants appointed in accordance with TRNC laws, who should be treated equally as Greek Cypriot public servants. President Denktas said upon this explanation Papadopoulos didn’t even want to consider the issue.

Pointing out that the Greek Cypriot side rejected all of the Turkish Cypriot side’s opinions on airspace and naval rights, the President said they wanted everything to be under the control of the central government and even alleged that the TRNC citizens, which they refer to as "settlers", were illegally staying in Cyprus.

Stating that he was against methods that were enforced under pressure, the President said: "Because Turkey was obliged to accept the method, we too accepted it". He also said he tried his best to achieve reconciliation in Lefkosa, but did not make any further commitments.

Stating that this type of method was first introduced in Kosova, where the fighting still continues today, the President said he accepted this method because promises were made regarding the derogations, but that later these promises were not kept.

Pointing out that he had promised Turkey he would attend the New York talks and not leave the negotiating table, President Denktas said he kept his promise and transferred the negotiation procedure to Lefkosa, but he didn’t make any promises beyond this procedure. He said if he were to go to Switzerland he wouldn’t be able to make any evaluations, but now he is in a position to evaluate the outcome of the talks and make the necessary comments. President Denktas said: "Withdrawing also contributes to reconciliation".

The President added that the outcome of the quadripartite talks in Switzerland would be jointly evaluated with Turkey.

Pointing out that the Turkish Cypriot delegation was going to Switzerland with hope and determination, Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat said, up until today, he believed they had conveyed the Turkish Cypriot side’s requests and opinions clearly to the UN and international community.

Stressing that they were striving to reach an agreement to which the Turkish Cypriot people would willingly be able to say yes to, Prime Minister Talat reminding that the agreement to be put to referendum would take its final shape on 31 March, requested everyone to act calmly until that day.

Speaking on the BRT last night (22 March), Prime Minister Talat said the Greek Cypriot’s had displayed a much more negative than ever before.

Requesting the Turkish Cypriot people to wait until 31 March for the outcome of the Switzerland talks, he said they would give their messages on that day.

Speaking at a press conference at the Ledra Palace Hotel yesterday (22 March), following the completion the first phase of the Cyprus talks, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative to Cyprus, Alavro de Soto, said the first phase of the Cyprus talks, which have been continuing for more than one month, were completed and in order to reach a settlement the two sides were going to Switzerland.

De Soto said on the day the Turkish and Greek foreign ministers would meet in Switzerland, the UN Secretary-General would have arrived in Switzerland.

Pointing out that the legal committees were continuing with their studies and that important strides had been made, De Soto said out of a total of 102 draft laws, 15 had been completed and 87 were ready to be completed.

Explaining that committees dealing with laws and economic issues would continue their studies today (23 March) and tomorrow (24 March), De Soto said the completed studies (on important issues) would be submitted to the two sides in Switzerland.

In a meeting yesterday (22 March), the General Assembly of the TRNC Assembly ratified by majority vote the "Draft Law (Private and Temporary Rules) Regarding A Public Referendum On Settling The Cyprus Issue".