Speaking to the press after the seventh meeting in the Cyprus talks yesterday (March 2), President Denktas, pointing out that bizonality was discussed and this was an issue that both the Turkish Cypriot side and Turkey placed great importance on, said, it should be stated that the new partnership state to be formed should be established by the two peoples and a distinction should be made between the Turkish and Greek Cypriot people on issues regarding the senate and other issues. Explaining that the rights the Turkish Cypriot people thought were granted to them in the 1960 Agreements were eliminated in 1963 and that for 40 years their rights had been violated, President Denktas said: "We’re frightened to relive the same events".

Pointing out that this request of the Turkish Cypriot side would not have a negative effect on the Greek Cypriot side, the President said, however, the Greek Cypriot side alleging that this request is outside of the framework of the Annan Plan rejected it and insisted on their own requests.

Explaining that bizonality should not just be on paper, President Denktas said: "Real bizonality should be where the two peoples live in two separate parts and adminster themselves. We need to discuss this issue again".

Pointing out that as it was in 1960 the Turkish Cypriot side had requested that certain issues be decided upon by separate majorities, the President said this principle should not be eliminated by mixing the Greek and Turkish Cypriot populations.

Stressing that the joint state would stem from the consent of the two founding states and their peoples and this was the basis which should be included in the agreement to be reached, President Denktas said since a settlement would be achieved through an agreement being reached between the two peoples, the Turkish Cypriot side wanted this to go on record.

Pointing out that the Turkish Cypriot side was positively evaluating the proposal submitted by the Greek Cypriot side, to which they had said "no to at first glance", the President said, counter proposals had been submitted by the Turkish Cypriot side and they expected a similar attitude from the Greek Cypriot side regarding the Turkish Cypriot proposals.

Explaining that the document submitted on March 1 by the Greek Cypriot side on the changes they wanted to make to the Annan Plan was not a comprehensive document but, just literature, President Denktas said property and territorial issues, in particular, were very complex and many things were being said outside of the framework of the Annan Plan. He added that this would be evaluated upon the return of the TRNC Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister to the TRNC from Ankara.

Reacting strongly to the recent statement made by Thomas Weston, the US State Department’s Special Coordinator to Cyprus, to the effect that, ‘whicever side said ‘no’ in the referenda would pay a heavy price’, President Rauf Denktas said this was a big threat to both the Turkish and Greek Cypriot people and was an unacceptable form of pressure.

Pointing out that up until today both the Turkish and Greek Cypriot people had paid enough, President Denktas said if a partnership was now to be formed between the two peoples, it should be formed without pressure, threats and intervention.

Explaining that the people would go the referendum aware of the realities, the President said no one had the right to interfere in this and it was his duty to inform the Turkish Cypriot people of the realities.

He said: "If the Annan Plan is accepted as it is, the price that the Turkish Cypriot people will pay is ‘annihiliation’."

Stressing that the Turkish Cypriot people had already paid a price to reach today’s position and that this had been forgotten, President Denktas said:

"A price has been paid. Both sides have paid a price. The Greek Cypriots paid the price in a war started by them to try and make Cyprus Greek territory. We say this with regret. They shouldn’t have started such a war, but they did and they paid the price. What was the price? Their co-founding partner, the Turkish Cypriot people gained their independence and sovereignty".

Also, speaking on the BRT ‘Akis’ program last night (March 2), the President said that if the requested changes were not made to the Annan Plan, he would request that the Turkish Cypriot people vote ‘no’ in the referendum. He said he didn’t believe in the Annan Plan because he knew how detrimental it would be for the Turkish Cypriots.

Yesterday (March 2) morning, TRNC Prime Minister, Mehmet Ali Talat, and the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Serdar Denktas, went to Ankara to evaluate the latest developments on the ongoing Cyprus talks with the Turkish Foreign Minister, Abdullah Gul, and his delegation.

Speaking to the press after their meeting with Minister Gul and several high ranking bureaucrats from the Turkish Foreign Ministry, Prime Minister Talat pointing out that they had the impression that the Greek Cypriot Administration wanted to postpone a settlement of the Cyprus issue until after 1 May 2004, said, this was unacceptable for the Turkish Cypriot side.

Pointing out that the Turkish Cypriot side was continuing its studies on the Cyprus issue in harmony and cooperation with Turkey, Prime Minister Talat said: "With a serious study we further clarified our current position. We are continuing our studies in harmony and cooperation".