President Denktas, pointing out that the Greek Cypriot side’s requests to change the security and functionality issues in the Annan Plan indicated that there was no change in the Greek Cypriot side’s policies, said the Turkish Cypriot side has a strong bargaining position and the demands should be identified.

President Denktas said the Greek Cypriot side’s request that the Greek Cypriot Administration should authorize the TRNC Chamber of Commerce to issue certificates of origin for exports could not be accepted.

Speaking at a press conference organized yesterday (22 September), President Denktas drawing attention to remarks made by AKEL Secretary-general Nikos Katsurides that the ‘Annan Plan was still on the table and the Cyprus issue would be settled within this framework and that the Greek Cypriot side was only focusing on security and functionality issues without distorting the Plan’s philosophy’, said:

"If know our history, then these remarks should be a sign for us. If we don’t forget that by alleging to make it ‘functional’ they destroyed the 1960 partnership state and remember that during all phases of the negotiations they attempted to change all articles in favour of the Turkish Cypriots claiming that they were "not functional" and wanted to make it ‘functional’, we can carefully evaluate their real aim".

Explaining that the Greek Cypriots’ sympathy towards the Turkish Cypriots in this period indicated that the Turkish Cypriots were in a strong bargaining position, the President said the Turkish Cypriot side should know what it would demand.

Pointing out that the Greek Cypriot side was trying to prevent the EU from carrying out its openings for the North, President Denktas said there was no change, whatsoever, in the Greek Cypriot side’s well known policies.

Referring to the recent statement made by the TRNC Chamber of Commerce, President Denktas stating that he supported this statement said:

"Since the British Rule, the Chamber of Commerce has had the authority to issue certificates of origin. We oppose the Greek Cypriot side’s requests that for these certificates to be accepted the Greek Cypriot administration, which they refer to as the ‘Cyprus Government’, should authorize the TRNC Chamber of Commerce to issue these certificates of origin. Not only would this situation degrade the status of the Chamber of Commerce to a worse position than it was in during the colonial period and the 1960 Republic, but it would mean accepting that the Greek Cypriot administration as the ‘legitimate government’ of Cyprus".

The TRNC Tourism Congress organized by the TRNC Ministry of Economy and Tourism, which aims to evaluate and promote the TRNC’s tourism potential, commenced yesterday (22 September) at the Open University Faculty in Lefkosa. During the congress’ first session entitled, "The Tourism Perspective of the Political Parties", political party representatives explained their views on this topic. In its second session entitle, "The Tourism Perspective of Tourism Representatives", related non-governmental organizations expressed their views. The congress will also continue today (23 September).

Speaking at the congress, Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat, pointing out that studies on the trade and financial regulations within the framework of the Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER) were continuing, said: "We are on the eve of very important developments which will affect our entire economic life and tourism. Therefore, these studies should be jointly carried out".

Drawing attention to the fact that it was necessary for the infrastructure and transportation facilities for tourism to be ready, the Prime Minister said the TRNC had serious problems in transportation and should solve these problems without creating any tension.

Stressing that not having direct flights was a serious problem for the TRNC and would continue to be so, Prime Minister Talat said: "We are not the ones to ensure direct flights to the TRNC. We can only influence outside countries on this issue. Therefore, when doing this, as a government we will continue to work on a political level and all representatives and associations represented in this Congress should also carry out similar studies".

In a high-level meeting at the Presidency yesterday (22 September), EU regulations directed towards the North and the developments on the Greek Cypriot applications to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), were evaluated.

Under the leadership of President Denktas, the meeting was attended by Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Serdar Denktas, the Turkish Ambassador to Lefkosa, Hayati Guven, Attorney-General, Akin Sait, lawyer Zaim Necatigil, who represents Turkey in the ECHR on cases related to Cyprus, and officials from the Presidency.

President Denktas stated that during the meeting they evaluated the EU’s aid for the Turkish Cypriots and also discussed Greek Cypriot applications made to the ECHR regarding their properties in the TRNC.

Continuing, the President said: "The property issue is extremely complicated. The problem is that the Cyprus issue’s political and physical perspective, why there is bi-zonality, why there was an exchange of populations and why the property issue should be settled through compensation and exchange, has not been properly explained to the ECHR or the judges did not want to understand the issue because it was a ‘political issue’. Resolutions have been passed against the Turkish Cypriots and it is aimed to make Turkey pay compensation for Greek Cypriot properties left in the North.