Visits from certain NGO’s and institutions to show their support for President Denktas during the Cyprus negotiation process are continuing.

President Denktas this morning received a delegation from the Chamber of Industry, headed by Salih Tunar.

Speaking during the meeting the President said that even if by February 28 an agreement had been reached on all issues in the plan, before it could be signed, according to the law on the "Temporary Rules For A Referendum Governing The Signing of Agreements With Foreign States or International Institutions on Behalf of the TRNC", a referendum had to take place in the TRNC.

President Denktas said: "This is more advanced than the referendum I have foreseen. It is a legal necessity. Today, I’ll bring this to De Soto’s attention so that he is aware and doesn’t say that he was confronted with a surprise".

The President pointed out that today, a copy of this law would be sent to him by the Attorney General, and also drew attention to Article 3 of the Temporary Rules For A Referendum Governing The Signing of Agreements With Foreign States or International Institutions on Behalf of the TRNC, which was passed in the TRNC in 1990.

The President said, " Article 3 of this law states that: ‘Fundamental principles in agreements, which would bring restrictions to the sovereignty and international existence of the TRNC following the signing of an agreement or its approval, before being approved by the Republic’s Assembly should be put to a public referendum. The date for the public referendum is determined upon the request of the Council of Ministers, and the decision of the Republic’s Assembly".

The President said the Annan plan’s biggest shame is that it has eliminated the population exchange agreement, bi-zonality agreements, and made ineffective the rights granted to Turkey in international agreements. He added: "This plan deems Greek Cypriot title deeds as being valid, and by ignoring the existence of the TRNC and acting as if its rights and authority do no exist, it deems Turkish Cypriot title deeds as being invalid".

Underlining that in its present form the Annan plan only serves the Greek Cypriot side, President Denktas said: "This is an unacceptable one-sided approach".

Speaking at a panel organized by the Marmara Group for Strategic and Social Research Foundation on the Cyprus issue at the Izmir Economy University, Prime Minister Eroglu said the Turkish Cypriot side was continuing in its struggle not to lose its vested rights at the negotiating table.

Prime Minister Eroglu said the Turkish Cypriot side was being pressured to sign a document, which was prepared on the other side of the ocean. He said that under the roof of the Turkish Cypriot state, which was established after 1974 with the blood of Turkish and Turkish Cypriot fighters, the Turkish Cypriot people, living in an environment of freedom, are giving the struggle for their existence.

The Prime Minister added: "The Greek and Turkish Cypriots only lived together from 1959 until 1963. Afterwards, the Greek Cypriot Administration was recognized as the Cyprus Republic. From 1990 onwards, when the Greek Cypriot Administration applied for EU membership, it has improved its economy through EU funds and Greece’s support. The Turkish Cypriots, on the other hand, were subjected to all kinds of inhumane embargoes, it was not recognized, and it couldn’t even sell its products. Despite all this, our gross national product is 4,500 US Dollars. After being excluded from the partnership republic in 1963, the Turkish Cypriots were also excluded from all economic activities".

Within the framework of the ongoing Cyprus negotiation process aimed at reaching a settlement on the Cyprus issue, the two Cypriot leaders will meet again this afternoon.

In today’s meeting the two leaders are expected to discuss the documents they presented to one another regarding the changes each side would like to make to the UN solution plan.

A group of Turkish Cypriots living in South Cyprus last night protested near the TRNC border in Lefkosa about the injustices and torment they were subjected to from the Greek Cypriots.

The Turkish Cypriot protestors said that yesterday afternoon they were evicted from the hotel where they were staying in South Lefkosa, and that now had no where else to stay and were homeless.