The two leaders met for the 11^th time yesterday (March 8) with the aim of finding a settlement to the Cyprus issue on the basis of the Annan Plan. Speaking after yesterday’s meeting, President Denktas said the main issue of the meeting was security.

Pointing out that despite the Turkish Cypriot side having submitted its proposals on security issues at the begining of the Cyprus negotiation process, the Greek Cypriot side only submitted a 40-page document on this issue the previous night (March 7) and that the Turkish Cypriot side had not yet examined the document in detail, the President said: "From the very first day we submitted all our proposals, as a whole, under its main headings in 3-4 pages to the Greek Cypriot side, whereas they’ve handed over their proposals gradually, which amounts to 110 pages in total".

Referring to today’s meeting, the President said the Turkish Cypriot side would be responding to the 40-page Greek Cypriot document on security issues, which greatly changes the main headings of the Annan Plan. He said the exchange of documents should come to an end today.

Explaining that under EU norms the Greek Cypriot side was keeping the issue of all Greek Cypriots returning to their former homes on the agenda, President Denktas said the Greek Cypriot side rejected all agreements the TRNC had made with Turkey.

The President said: "The Greek Cypriot side is adopting the approach of completely reducing the transition period foreseen in the agreement and pressuring us to accept everything that eliminates our rights without fully negotiating it".

The President said the Greek Cypriot side wanted to impose a majority administration instead of an equal partnership.

Pointing out that the Greek Cypriot side rejected the Swiss model, that is based on the status and equality of the two sides, and on the issue of the new partnership’s relations with the EU even rejected the Belgian model, that is based on two separate languages, President Denktas said bizonality as well as the Annan Plan would be diluted by a large number of Greek Cypriots settling among the Turkish Cypriots.

Explaining that by arguing that issues of vital importance to the Turkish Cypriot side such as airspace, territorial sea waters and similar issues were "issues that the central government should deal with", President Denktas said nothing was being left to the founding state and the Greek Cypriot side insisted that guarantees be given by Turkey even before an agreement is finalized.

Stating that the issue of derogations was not favourably considered by the Greek Cypriot side, the President said even the EU’s attitude on this issue was not satisfactory.

Referring to the documents submitted by the Greek Cypriot side, the President said there were some remarks indicating that the Greek Cypriots were afraid of people of Turkish origin.

The President said: "However, in South Cyprus there are 80,000 Greek Cypriots who can be called up to the army at any time. These people are being used as militia and they’re keeping their weapons at home".

The President said the Greek Cypriots proposed to have the referendum on April 20, instead of April 21, as foreseen in the Plan, because April 21 marked the anniversary of the Greek junta in Greece.

The President also reminded that the founding states must submit their own constitutions to the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative to Cyprus, Alvaro de Soto, by March 12.

Evaluating the ongoing Cyprus negotiation process yesterday (March 8), President Denktas, pointing out that the Turkish Cypriot side was trying to change the Annan Plan, said unless it was changed, there would be utter confusion and called upon the Turkish Cypriot people to vote consciously in the referendum.

Reiterating that he’s not concealing his opinions on the Annan Plan from the Turkish Cypriot people, President Denktas said: "If the Plan remains as it is, we will be faced with many difficulties".

Stating that the agreement would not be accepted through their signatures but, by the peoples’ vote in the referendum, the President said: "I believe that the Turkish Cypriot people will not close their eyes to the realities for the sake of temporary benefits and will vote consciously and sensibly in the referendum. Our role is to follow this path and do our best and even if we can’t achieve anything to put the result to a referendum. Since they know that we’re not going to sign the Annan Plan, they don’t ask for our signature. However, we have entered this process and when we come to the end of this process we’ll tell our people that ‘we made these changes in our favour’ or that ‘the dangers continue’, so vote accordingly. If a wrong decision is made for today’s interests we will drag our people and country into a disastrous situation which we will never be able to get out of. Everyone should be conscious and careful…".

As a condition of the ongoing Cyprus negotiation process, studies being carried out by the technical committees to prepare the infrastructure of the new state to be formed are continuing.

In addition to the technical committees dealing with international agreements, federal laws and economy and finance, two more committees have been set up to deal with the new state’s flag and national anthem.

The committees had their first meeting yesterday (March 8) at the UN Conference Centre in the UN-controlled buffer zone.