Nicosia - Proximity talks in New York between Greek and Turkish Cypriots are to go ahead, the Foreign Minister of North Cyprus, Mr Tahsin Ertugruloglu, said yesterday, writes Declan Burke-Kennedy. Doubt had been expressed that the talks would take place when the President of North Cyprus, Mr Rauf Denatash, took exception to terminology used by President Clinton and the UN Secretary General, Mr Kofi Annan.
Mr Annan and Mr Clinton had referred to President Glafkos Clerides, the Greek Cypriot leader, as the President of Cyprus and had not used a similar title for the Turkish Cypriot leader. The Turkish precondition for these talks is the recognition by the international community that there are two states on the island of Cyprus and that they should be treated as equal.