The two leaders on the island had their 12^th meeting yesterday (March 9). Speaking to the press after yesterday’s meeting, President Denktas said the Turkish Cypriot side presented documents on property and bizonality to the Greek Cypriot side and that the give and take process had not yet started.

Pointing out that the two sides had agreed to have the referendum on 20 April 2004, President Denktas said in yesterday’s meeting the issue of the Temporary Supreme Court was again brought to the agenda and the Turkish Cypriot side would give its opinions on this issue to the Greek Cypriot side today (March 10). Stating that the issue of whether the judges appointed to this court should serve for 15 months, as envisaged in the temporary period, or 36 months was discussed, the President said: "Our sensitivity on this issue is that the temporary periods foreseen in the plan should not be eliminated or reduced. The Greek Cypriot side is trying to reduce these periods. However, we need time."

Stating that a committee meeting was requested on the issue of the temporary buildings for the new federal government, where personnel and other related issues would be discussed, the President said yesterday they discussed where these buildings would be located and in today’s (March 10) meeting representatives from the two sides would give information about this issue.

Explaining that the Greek Cypriot side was insisting that territory to be handed over to them should immediately be transferred to UN control, President Denktas said this was unacceptable until the necessary funds for rehabilitating the Turkish Cypriot people were found and these people were resettled.

Pointing out that the Turkish Cypriot side also insisted the embargoes be lifted as this was necessary to bring the Turkish Cypriot economy to the same level as the Greek Cypriot economy during the transition period, President Denktas said, the Greek Cypriot side by saying they were not imposing any embargoes didn’t even consider this issue. The President reminded that although it was said that the European Union Court of Justice was imposing these embargoes, there was an application from the Greek Cypriot side to the EU for the implementation of these embargoes.

He said no one was claiming responsibility for the embargoes.

Explaining that most of the work was going to be left to the 4-party conference between Turkey, Greece and the Turkish and Greek Cypriot sides and that if after this meeting issues still remained unresolved the UN Secretary- General, Kofi Annan, would step in said, however, the main responsibility belonged to the Turkish Cypriot people. He said if the Turkish Cypriot people behaved consciously and sensibly they wouldn’t suffer any losses. "Therefore, I hope everyone closely follows our statements and evaluates the losses that will arise if the Annan Plan is accepted as it is without any changes being made to it", added the President.

Referring to the anniversary of the Baf resistance, the President said: "Today is the anniversary of the Baf massacre and martyrs. We remember with respect our martyrs, and veterans who struggled for many years to keep our flag hoisted in Baf".

Pointing out that there was an ongoing struggle for statehood in Palestine, President Denktas said in order to establish their own state, gain their sovereignty and hoist their flag the Turkish Cypriots also gave the same struggle.

Stating that, "this was gained as a result of the struggle waged by the martyrs, veterans and the people’s trust in their motherland", President Denktas said he was at the negotiation table so as not to lose this and called upon the Turkish Cypriot people to embrace their state, rights and sovereignty with the same feelings.