The UN Secretary-General yesterday (29 March) presented the fourth version of his plan to the two sides and asked the sides to complete their evaluations by this morning (30 March).

Speaking at a press conference after the plan was presented, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative to Cyprus, Alvaro de Soto, said the general framework of the plan was more or less the same but some additions had been made.

De Soto said that in the revized plan, the Turkish Cypriot side’s sensitivity on bizonality was taken into consideration, Turkey would continue to have a certain number of soldiers on the island even after it became an EU member, and those people who would be resettled after a settlement would be proportionally distributed.

Meanwhile, President Denktas has also started to evaluate the fourth version of the Annan Plan in a joint meeting with Turkish officials and officials from the TRNC President’s Office.

Referring to the fourth version of the Annan Plan in a statement given to the Turkish press, Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat said the TRNC delegation was continuing with its evaluations on the plan and that it was too early to make positive or negative evaluations.

Speaking to Turkish journalists in Burgenstock, the Prime Minister pointing out that there were still some uncertain aspects in the plan that needed to be clarified, said initial comments made regarding the plan were not binding for the TRNC.

Responding to reporters questions about the fourth version of the Annan Plan that was presented to the two sides, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Serdar Denktas said this is related to the future of the Turkish Cypriot people so everyone should refrain from speculation and incorrect information.