Speaking to reporters yesterday (3 March) after the eighth meeting of the ongoing negotiations process between the two sides in an attempt to find a solution before May 1, President Denktas, pointing out that the Greek Cypriot side was continuing to reject the Turkish Cypriot side’s proposals to change the Annan Plan, said, the Greek Cypriot side was running away from the negotiations and not opening the path for negotiations.

Pointing out that the game being played by the Greek Cypriot side might be not to achieve reconciliation at the negotiations and not make any changes to the Annan Plan, President Denktas said, the Greek Cypriot side wanted to limit the periods stated in the Annan Plan. He said, however, in the Plan, the transition periods were already very limited for the Turkish Cypriot side and instead of being reduced they should be increased. President Denktas said this would not have any effect on entry into the EU by May 1, because if an agreement was reached it would not be the Cyprus Republic that would enter the EU but a different formation, and with a new protocol, this should be accepted by the EU. President Denktas said the derogations would also be included in this protocol and would become primary law within the EU norms.

Referring to the issue of the Presidential Council that was discussed in yesterday’s meeting, President Denktas pointing out that while the Turkish Cypriot side did its best and even submitted alternatives, said, the Greek Cypriot side only insisted on strengthening the central government, and even rejected the Turkish Cypriot side’s proposals.

Referring to the Greek Cypriot side’s stance on territorial issues at the negotiating table, President Denktas said on this issue the Greek Cypriot side didn’t put forward anything constructive and although the Annan Plan envisages that properties and areas which will be given back to the Greek Cypriots returning to the north be under Turkish Cypriot control for three years, the Greek Cypriot side insists that these properties and areas should immediately be transferred to UN control. The President stated that the Turkish Cypriot side rejected this request.

Explaining that the Greek Cypriot side was trying to reduce the periods stated in the Annan Plan on the claim that "the negotiation process is being delayed", the President said if it is to be considered why there is a delay all sides are responsible for this, and added that he had previously requested that changes be made to the Annan Plan, but unfortunately this was ignored and time was lost.

Stating that time was needed for developing the TRNC economy and for rehabilitation studies after a settlement, President Denktas, reiterating that the situation of all those people who migrated during the 1963-74 period should be taken up under special conditions, said, compensation should not be requested from these people and they shouldn’t be relocated. He said the property issue could be settled through global exchange and compensation. "Peace can not be achieved by demanding all Greek Cypriots will return to their former homes", he added.

Pointing out that the UN Secretary-General’s Assistant for Political Affairs, Sir Kieran Prendergast, also participated in yesterday’s meeting, President Denktas said during the meeting he just observed.

Commenting on his visit to Ankara today (March 4), the President said in Ankara he would meet with the Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and up date him on the latest developments in the Cyprus negotiation process. He said he would be going to Ankara after this morning’s (March 4) meeting at 09:30am and return later in the day.

TRNC Prime Minister, Mehmet Ali Talat, pointing out that the issue of the derogation was still on the agenda, said, together with the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Serdar Denktas, they called upon the EU Ambassadors for a special meeting on derogations next week.

Prime Minister Talat said that in this meeting they would explain the requests of the Turkish Cypriot side in detail to the EU Ambassadors and request their support.

Referring to the Cyprus negotiations, the Prime Minister said: "The negotiations are difficult. However, there is a timetable that needs to be followed. We are doing our best to secure the best possible result within this timetable".

Pointing out that the Greek Cypriot side wanted to postpone a Cyprus settlement until after May 1, Prime Minister Talat said, as a result of this disadvantage, the negotiations had not yet entered a give and take process. He also added that during the negotiations the Turkish Cypriot side had put forward counter proposals to some of the Greek Cypriot proposals, to which the Greek Cypriot side said they wanted in them writing so that they could evaluate them. The Prime Minister said this showed that the Turkish Cypriot side’s approach was more constructive than the Greek Cypriot side’s.

Progress has been achieved by the technical committees which began their studies two weeks ago within the framework of preparing the legal and financial infrastructure of the new partnership state that is envisaged to be formed in Cyprus on the basis of the Annan Plan. The general coordinator of the technical committees of the Turkish Cypriot side, Presidential Undersecretary, Ergun Olgun, in a press conference yesterday (March 3) said the committees aimed to complete their studies by March 22.

Olgun said, in adaptation with the foundation agreement of the new state, the legislation of the TRNC and the Greek Cypriot Administration, all international agreements that have been made up until today, the adaptation process into the EU and the financial and economic structure of the new formation were issues that were being evaluated by the technical committees.

Olgun said, although important progress had been achieved in examining the legislation, because the studies and agreement to be reached had to be approved by the political will of the two sides, he could not talk about the contents of the studies.

The technical committees are carrying out their studies under six main headings.

Committees dealing with administration, public issues, foreign affairs and criminal law, have so far taken up 11 laws, and committees dealing with police, citizenship and emigration, have already concluded 2 laws.

On the issue of naval and water resources, which make up the third study area, 16 laws have been concluded and one law has been taken up by the committee dealing with economic and financial issues.

Meanwhile, the technical committee dealing with international agreements is evaluating which international agreements made by the two sides would be binding on the new state.

In addition to this, the committee that will deal with the adaptation of the founding states’ and federal state’s legislation to EU norms is continuing with its studies.