On February 13, the last day of the Cyprus talks in New York, both the Turkish and Greek Cypriot sides gave positive responses to the UN Secretary-General’s proposal for restarting the Cyprus talks.

Speaking after the meeting, President Denktas, said the rights of the Turkish Cypriots would be protected and the agreement to be reached with the Greek Cypriot side would be included in the EU Accession Agreement. Stressing that it was very important that the agreement to be reached by the two sides should be accepted as a primary law within EU norms, the President said it was important that the process be used to reach a conclusion for the benefit of the people.

In a statement issued following the completion of the Cyprus talks in New York, the UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, said: "At the end of the Cyprus talks, which started on February 10 and continued for three days, the sides have undertaken to continue the negotiations in good will. These negotiations, which envisages achieving a permanent settlement to the Cyprus problem, will be carried out on the basis of the Annan Plan and put to simultaneous referenda before 1 May 2004".

Pointing out that the two sides would try to agree on the changes to be made to the Plan by 22 March 2004, the statement said, however, if the sides couldn’t agree on these changes, the Secretary-General would invite Turkey and Greece to a meeting where they would try to agree on the final text before March 29. The statement also added that if the obstructions could still not be overcome in this way, the Secretary-General himself within the framework of the Annan Plan would fill in the points on which the two sides disagree on in the final text to be put to a referendum.

Pointing out that "the guarantor powers have confirmed their commitment to this process", the Secretary-General said, "additionally, we gladly welcome the EU Commission’s proposal to provide technical assistance aimed at facilitating a settlement".

Stating that negotiations will start in Lefkosa on February 19 with the participation of his Special Representative for Cyprus, Alvaro de Soto, the Secretary-General expressed his appreciation for the political will displayed by the TRNC, the Greek Cypriot side, Turkey and Greece.

Annan said: "Now all the parties are faced with the historical responsibility of finding a just and lasting settlement in Cyprus". He also wished the parties success in their efforts, whom he said he would be closely cooperating with.

The TRNC delegation headed by President Rauf Denktas, and including Prime Minister, Mehmet Ali Talat, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Serdar Denktas, and Presidential Undersecretary, Ergun Olgun, who went to New York last week upon being invited by the UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, for contacts on the Cyprus issue, returned to the TRNC yesterday evening (February 15).

Speaking upon his arrival at Gecitkale Airport, President Denktas talking about the point reached on the Cyprus issue said, the Turkish Cypriot side was entering a process which would require intensive efforts.

Pointing out that efforts would be spent in good will to ensure that an outcome would be achieved, the President said, the Turkish Cypriot side would test the Greek Cypriot side’s good will and vice versa.

Stressing that the Turkish Cypriot side would show the necessary flexibility to achieve peace, President Denktas said they went to New York after receiving solid guarantees in negotiations in Ankara regarding the Turkish Cypriot side’s basic requirements. Explaining that negotiations on the Cyprus issue would start this Thursday (February 19), the President said, during the week a delegation from Turkey would be arriving in the TRNC. The President said the Turkish Cypriot side desired a settlement and reconciliation and wanted to reach a conclusion as two equal partners in Cyprus.

Referring to his contacts in New York with the UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, and the Greek Cypriot delegation, the President, pointing out that a negotiation process had started, said:

"There is not much time. If both sides work in good will, we think a result can be achieved. This result, without a doubt, should protect the basic rights of the Turkish Cypriots and Turkey’s basic rights over Cyprus. There are two control mechanisms in front of us. The first one is that the agreement to be reached will be put to a public referendum. If our people do not like the result that has emerged, they have the right to say they do not accept it in the referendum. As a side who knows the anxieties and needs of our people, we will prepare an agreement that will answer these concerns. The Greek Cypriot side shall also do the same…The result that will emerge will be put to a referendum. The second most important point is the ratification of the agreement by the Turkish Grand National Assembly. It should also be a balanced and lasting agreement that will be accepted by the Turkish nation. Thus, we will work in good will. If at the end a good outcome is achieved, then we will all be pleased". The President also said he hoped the agreement to be developed would be one that would be accepted by the two sides.

Reminding that for a very long time the Turkish Cypriot side had insisted that the Annan Plan could not be accepted as it was, the President said: "We explained that it must be modified. We were constantly confronted with the stiff attitude that modifications could only be made within the framework. As the May 1 deadline approaches, those sides who were pushed into a corner, especially those who were calculating on shifting everything onto the Turkish Cypriot side by saying to them ‘May 1 is approaching’, when they saw that we were insisting on modifications, announced that they could be more flexible on the issue of modifications (to the Annan Plan)".

Explaining that in New York they only did what was possible, President Denktas said: "The Greek Cypriots went to New York to, together with Greece, include the EU in the process. This was a big game. They engaged in initiatives to give the duty of implementing all the negotiations jointly to the UN Secretary-General and the EU. This could not have been accepted. Just because of this issue we were kept in the UN building for 12-hours and we finally managed to find a formula. We think that this formula will not hurt us".

Pointing out that during the talks in The Hague, the Turkish Cypriot side had requested that changes be made to the Annan Plan and had proposed to have a referendum once the two sides had agreed, however, their proposal was rejected, President Denktas said:

"At that time, what was requested of me was, except for some very small changes, to accept the Annan Plan as it was and without the two sides agreeing go to a referendum at a specific date. I could not have accepted this. Now a door is opening on changes to be made to the Annan Plan. We shall see. Hopefully we can make these changes and the Greek Cypriots will stop being intransigent, stop acting as if they are the sole owners of Cyprus and stop seeing us as a minority. On the basis of good neighbourly relations, two people struggle to reach an agreement. Turkey and Greece are also involved. We expect Greece to give up playing her game over the Greek Cypriots, which through the EU would make them claim ownership over Cyprus".