TRNC President Rauf Denktas, who recently went to The Hague to convey to the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan his views on the Annan plan and putting the plan to a referendum, returned to the island on March 14, 2003.

Stressing that the reason for the failure of the negotiations in The Hague was because of the demands of the Greek Cypriot administration, which were impossible to achieve, President Denktas said, in spite of all of this, the Turkish Cypriot side, in writing, had put on the table that they were prepared to continue the negotiations until March 28, and in the event of the two sides agreeing they would go to a referendum. President Denktas said "this was not also accepted".

President Denktas said that the negotiation process was ended by the UK’s Special Representative on Cyprus, Lord David Hannay’s approach of "this ends here".

Reiterating that the Turkish Cypriot side is ready to send its proposals for the amendments that it wants to Greek Cypriot leader Tasos Papadopulos, President Denktas said: "He should do the same. If we agree, there might be a way out."

Explaining that the Greek Cypriot leader, Tasos Papadopulos, is also in favour of making amendments, who by playing the trick of cunningly saying if the parties give up their proposals for making amendments, he could accept the present form of the plan, President Denktas said "Naturally, we did not fall prey to this game."

Reiterating his belief that a way out could be found, President Denktas reminded that the Greek Cypriot side had said "no" to face-to-face talks and added that he does not know the reason why the Greek Cypriot side is afraid of having face-to-face talks.

Addressing the TRNC people on BRT Television on March 14, 2003, TRNC Prime Minister Dervis Eroglu said achieving a reconciliation during the Cyprus negotiation process could not be possible since it was conducted under pressure. He added that: "There is no need to be hopeless and daunted as if we have missed a very important opportunity."

Prime Minister Eroglu said the main reason for not reaching a reconciliation is because the geography, rights and interests of the Turkish Cypriot people, and the history of Cyprus are ignored, and because it has been aimed to satisfy the Greek Cypriots.

Eroglu said just as it was yesterday, today the Turkish Cypriot people would be devoted to their state and move forward, together with Turkey, who has a population of 70 million.