The programme of the Republican Turkish Party - United Forces and Democrat Party (CTP-BG-DP) coalition government was read out in the TRNC Assembly yesterday (3 May). Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer and 3 CTP-BG deputies read out the 48 page programme, which outlines the aims of the new government.

Meetings on the government programme will start on 6 May and it will be put to a vote of confidence one day later.

The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Serdar Denktas on 2 May departed for Doha, Quatar for contacts on political and economic issues. On arriving in Quatar Serdar Denktas received a state welcome at the highest level as the TRNC Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and had his first official meeting with the Foreign Minister of Quatar, Seyh Hamad Bin Jassem Bin Jabor El Thani.

During the meeting, after briefing the Foreign Minister of Quatar on the latest developments in Cyprus, Serdar Denktas underlined the importance of the steps to be taken by the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), of which Quatar is also a member of, for the TRNC in terms of ending the economic, political and cultural embargoes imposed upon the TRNC. For his part El Thani pointing out Quatar would continue to support the just cause of the Turkish Cypriot people said he warmly welcomed establishing relations between Quatar and the TRNC in all fields.

Within the framework of his contacts in Quatar, Serdar Denktas yesterday (3 May) met with the Head of the Quatar Businessmen's' Association Bassam Massouh where they discussed the latest developments on the Cyprus issue, the opportunities for establishing commercial relations between the two countries and the issue of direct flights to the TRNC.

Serdar Denktas was also interviewed by Quatar's prominent journalists from the Al-Raya and Al-Vatan dailies on the Cyprus issue and establishing relations between Quatar and the TRNC.

During his interviews, pointing out that his contacts with high ranking government officials and businessmen had been extremely constructive, Serdar Denktas said this was the starting point in developing relations between the two countries and they expected to the results of this in the near future.

Also referring to the Cyprus issue and explaining that as long as the Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos had no intention of returning to the negotiating table a new initiative would not be started by the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, Serdar Denktas said Papadopoulos' rejection of the UN Secretary General's call to list in writing his objections to the Annan Plan was unacceptable and a sign that Papadopoulos intended to continue with his non-settlement stance.