Speaking at Istanbul before departing for Bursa, where he participated in a conference organized by the Bursa Bar Association on the Cyprus issue, President Denktas pointing out that he believed by coopetating closely with Turkey a better position would be achieved, said form a legal point of view it was wrong to sign, vote and accept the 9000 page Annan Plan without knowing its contents and not knowing where it would take the Turkish Cypriot people.

Referring to the seven page report issued after the Turkish Council of Ministers meeting on the Cyprus issue where it was stated that the Annan Plan had some positive aspects for the Turkish side, President Denktas said this indicated that Ankara was pleased with the Annan Plan.

Explaining that on 9 April the UN requested commitments from the guarantor countries Turkey, Greece and the UK that the Annan Plan would be put to a referendum, the President said if Turkey gave this commitment the Turkish Cypriots would vote ‘yes’ in the referendum.

Pointing out that the Plan was in favour of solving Greek Cypriot concerns, President Denktas said the aim was to remove the Turkish military presence from the island in phases.

The President said the Plan only restricted the return of Greek Cypriots to the North for 15 years, it didn’t resolve the issue of sovereignty and bizonality and didn’t make derogations requested by the Turkish side permanent.

He said most of the rights granted to the Turkish Cypriot side could be immediately lifted with the claim that they were contrary to EU norms.

Defending that the TRNC shouldn’t join the EU until Turkey became a member, President Denktas said the Turkish Cypriot side wouldn’t give up its rights just because the Greek Cypriots were entering the EU and Turkey would have to deal with territory, property and migration issues for many years.

Also explaining that the map presented together with the fourth version of the Annan Plan was disturbing, the President said many Turkish Cypriot villages would be under Greek Cypriot administration and after a while this could lead to the migration of Turkish Cypriots.

Stating that if the Greek Cypriot side said ‘no’ to the Plan in the referendum they would not be punished, but it would be the Turkish Cypriot side who would be punished, President Denktas criticized the fact that Cyprus was being used as an obstacle in front of Turkey’s EU membership bid.

Stressing that a game was being played over Turkey, he said if Turkey didn’t defend this just cause, it would lose prestige amongst the countries who trusted her and if Turkey gave in to pressures that were being exerted on her most just cause, she’d be forced to give in on other issues as well.

Pointing out that the scenario started to slowly dissolve Turkey was taking shape, President Denktas said the Plan needed to be improved and there was no need to rush.

In order to discuss the latest developments on the Cyprus issue and the Annan Plan following the completion of the Switzerland talks, the TRNC Assembly’s General Council convened in an extraordinary meeting yesterday (5 April).

Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat and the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Serdar Denktas briefed the General Council in the first session of the meeting, which closed to the public.

In the meeting’s second session, which was open to the public, Prime Minister Talat speaking on behalf of his party, the Republican Turkish Party – United Forces- CTP-BG, said the Annan Plan, which was full of uncertainties prior to the Switzerland talks, was improved and uncertainties eliminated as a result of negotiations. Pointing out that the Plan’s philosophy, which safeguards political equality, was correct, Prime Minister Talat said the Turkish Cypriot side reached a negotiating position, carried out bargaining and was successful in the process which began in New York and continued up until today.

Pointing out that in the fifth version of the Annan Plan the Senate will be composed of an equal number of members (24-24), the Prime Minister said the mother tongue of two thirds of the population of the North would be Turkish and the mother tongue of two thirds of the population of the South would be Greek and this would secure the political equality of the two sides.

Referring to the issue of derogations he said, although derogations could not be safeguarded by legal rules, important gains had been achieved on the property issue.

Stating that although an optimum plan had been achieved it was not possible to call this ‘victory’, because if it were called this it would mean non-settlement, Prime Minister Talat said Turkey, Greece and the two sides in Cyprus had won.

Speaking on behalf of the Democrat Party (DP), the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Serdar Denktas, pointing out although the Plan had many changes it had both pros and cons, said the Turkish Cypriot people should decide by clearly knowing what they will be faced with in the future. He said there was no give and take process in neither in Cyprus nor Switzerland, indirect negotiations had been carried out, and the image that the two sides had agreed on a text was wrong.

Pointing out that political equality and other issues were not just taken up during the 8-day process in Switzerland but, were the result of a process that had been continuing for years, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs said the map had not been negotiated and was the same as the map presented in the third version of the Annan Plan.

Explaining that on the property issue a perfect point had still not been reached, he said financial sources were required for the bonds that would be given to the Greek Cypriots for their properties and that there was no source for this and if Turkey didn’t make a contribution the property regime would create problems.

Stating that the plan envisaged current users to purchase the property they were using and those who did not leave behind property in the South would have to purchase the houses they were living in, Serdar Denktas said approximately 15 billion US Dollars was needed to cover the cost of paying for two-thirds of Greek Cypriot properties and for establishing new settlement areas. He added that somehow it was necessary to find this amount.

Explaining that EU norms would not automatically be implemented and that problems would be encountered in exporting, he said there would be difficulties in economic and financial fields.

He also stated that if there was no settlement the Greek Cypriot side would have to install check-points at the borders and even if the Turkish Cypriot side lifted all the borders, the Greek Cypriot side would still have to keep under control the movement of people and goods and people coming from Turkey would not be able to enter the South without having the necessary visa.

Stating that it was very dangerous for the Turkish Cypriot people to be divided before the referendum, Serdar Denktas said even if the two sides voted ‘no’ in the referendum new opportunities to bring the two sides together should be created.

In the statement issued after the Turkish National Security Council Meeting, where the Cyprus issue was discussed, it was stated that besides the positive aspects of the Annan Plan, not all of the Turkish side’s requests were met. Drawing attention to the fact that problems might emerge the implementation of the Plan, the statement stressed the importance of a Cyprus settlement becoming EU Primary Law.