In an interview given to the English daily "The Cyprus Mail", President Mehmet Ali Talat accused the Greek Cypriot side of using smear tactics to discredit and humiliate him.

Accusing the Greek Cypriot administration of resorting to insults when it described him as a "puppet" and as "someone who did not even have the power to open crossing points in the buffer zone", President Talat said: "He (Papadopoulos) says I do not have the authority to discuss The Treaty of Guarantee and Alliance alone (without Turkey). I argue that it is the same for him with regard to Greece".

Indicating that Turkey in no way inhibited his authority to negotiate with the Greek Cypriot administration, the President said if Papadopoulos wanted an agreement it would be made with the Turkish Cypriots, and not Turkey. He said Turkey was just a guarantor and would deal only with issues relating to that and the rest would be negotiated between the two communities.

Stressing that he had Turkey's full support in his role as chief negotiator, of the Turkish Cypriot side President Talat said: "Of course we discuss and form common policies, and of course Turkey can influence me as the only country that supports me. I don't deny this. But if any Greek Cypriot thinks he can by pass me and negotiate directly with Turkey, they are wrong. Turkey will never negotiate with them".

Reacting to accusations from the Greek Cypriot administration that he and Turkey were stalling over the opening of new crossing points in the Green Line, President Talat said: "We have done everything possible to see these crossings open while the Greek Cypriots did nothing. They say the Turkish military is against opening the Ledra Street crossing. This is simply not true. Nobody is against more crossing points".

Pointing out that he believed the EU would show understanding over Turkey's likely refusal to allow Greek Cypriot shipping and aircraft to use Turkish ports, despite Turkey's recent signing of the Supplementary Protocol to the Customs Union Agreement, President Talat said this could lead to a delay in Turkey's EU accession process. He added: "Turkey will open its ports to Greek Cypriots if they allow us to open ours. A delay (in Turkey's EU accession process) is possible, but we will be able to explain (our reasoning). They (EU) understand us quite well and they know we are right".

Within the framework of its 88^th term meeting, the Autonomous Missing Persons Committee met for the 410^th time yesterday (11 August) at the Ledra Palace Hotel.

At the meeting it was decided after the necessary infrastructure had been completed, new diggings would be carried out in the autumn and the international team of forensic experts, INFORCE, also briefed the committee members on the diggings that were urgent.