Eroglu: We Can Discuss Annan’s Cyprus Plan

Denktas had said on Monday that the Annan Plan was unacceptable and unethical.

Eroglu, the leader of the National Unity Party (UBP), said, “We are not against holding talks on the Cyprus issue. In fact almost all negotiations on the issue took place under the UBP administration up to now. The Annan Plan is on the table, we do not deny this. However, we are against accepting the Annan Plan in its present form. However, if the UN Secretary General says that he will fill in the gaps when the parties cannot agree, this will be a kind of imposition in my opinion.”

Mehmet Ali Talat, the leader of the Republican Turk Party (CTP), said that the party that had the highest probability to form the government was CTP and that President Denktas should authorize him to do that.

Talat said, “We stated that we would spend efforts to solve the Cyprus issue until May 1, 2004. We argued that the issue should be solved on the basis of the Annan Plan until May 2004, since after this date it would be very difficult to protect the rights of Turkish Cypriots.” Talat said that if a government under their leadership was formed, and if this government worked to solve the issue on the basis of the Annan Plan, then in December 2004 EU would have to give a date to Turkey to commence accession talks. Talat stated that if the issue was solved before May 2004 and Turkish Cyprus became a part of EU, then it would be much easier for Turkey to be a member of EU. Talat stressed that their goal was bringing about a solution.

Regarding the statements of Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul that Turkish Cypriot parties should not transfer deputies to form a government, Talat said that CTP did not warmly approach to the idea of transferring deputies from other parties. However, according to Talat, if the differences of opinion between Ankara and Denktas intensified, this might make pro-solution deputies of UBP and Democrat Party (DP) left their parties.

Moreover, Talat stated once again that according to Constitution, the government, rather than the President, should conduct negotiations for the solution of the Cyprus issue.