Cyprus-Forum.com

[kafenes]

‘Leader’s secret meetings to sabotage 2004 referendum’
By Jean Christou

SECRET meetings between the two sides ahead of the 2004 referendums on the Annan plan resulted in an agreement that a ‘yes’ and a ‘no’ should come out of the dual votes, reports from the north said yesterday.

Afrika newspaper said that before the referendum, then ‘Deputy Prime Minister’ Serdar Denktash and ‘Communication and Works Minister’ Omer Kalyoncu took part in the secret dinners at the Strakka home of President Tassos Papadopoulos.

Kalyoncu was the general secretary of Talat’s Republican Turkish Party.

“It was decided that a “yes” and a “no” come out of the ballot box at the referendum,” the report said.

Denktash, the son of the former Turkish Cypriot leader, told a radio station in the north that Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat was asked during the Burgenstock talks whether he wanted a solution or a referendum and he reportedly replied the latter.

Greek Cypriot presidential candidates have been mudslinging in the past week over who was responsible for what when it came to the Annan plan and referendum. Politis yesterday dubbed the story “The X Files”.

The Strakka dinners, and the extent of the participation of AKEL candidate and former government partner Demetris Christofias were central to the argument.

AKEL has been arguing that it merely wanted a postponement of the referendum so that certain gaps in the plan could be worked out and a ‘yes’ could be secured at a later date.
However Talat wanted the referendum to go ahead, and the government was also bound under an agreement with the UN that the referendum would be held.

Afrika said the only solution was a failed vote for the plan.

”Papadopoulos told Serdar Denktas that even if AKEL said ‘yes’ to the referendum, the result would be a ‘no’, and proposed the referendum to be postponed for two years,” the paper said.

Denktash also said he met with Papadopoulos five or six times in Burgenstock, where the president had also suggested a postponement so that negotiations could continue between the two sides, and after they reached an understanding they could prepare a joint plan to submit to the UN.

Denktash said he took the idea to Talat but, fearful that there were bugs in the Swiss hotel, discussed the issue out in the snow. Talat insisted the referendum should take place, Afrika said. This was also Turkey’s position, it said.

AKEL spokesman Andros Kyprianou said yesterday Christofias only attended one of the Strakka meetings, and had insisted on the presence of Kalyoncu as a representative of Talat.
Kyprianou said he knew nothing about other meetings.

“We asked for a postponement of the referenda and we did not act behind the backs of the Cypriot people,” he said.

He also said if Christofias was elected President he would put to referendum a solution agreed by the two sides.

Government spokesman Vassilis Palmas said two meetings had taken place in Papadopoulos’ house, one of which was attended by Christofias.

There has also been a number of meetings in Burgenstock, he said.

Palmas said he didn't know why Papadopoulos’ opponents were causing such a fuss, given that they were the ones that unanimously approved the law that made the referendum possible.

“This is something that is being ignored,” he said, adding that none of them made their objections known at the time.

Asked about Serdar factor, Palmas said: “Obviously someone is trying to identify the President with the same policies of Mr Denktash,” he said.

Palmas suggested it was time to stop taking things out of the drawer that related to the referendum period and to move forward with constructive arguments about the future.


http://www.cyprus-mail.com/news/main.php?id=35676

[clive of payia]

Not in the least surprised. Citizens of Cyprus you have been well and truly taken for a ride by you wonderful president. Now perhaps you will understand why other European Union members and the Americans are opening up negotiations with the TRNC.

Most of just look for a united island to live together in peace and harmony. Bury the past and lets get on with life.

Clive of Payia

[Piratis]

"Clive of Peyia" can you tell me what "ride" we were taken?

We, the people of Cyprus, never approved the Annan partition plan created by the AngloAmericans in order to grand their ally Turkey officially and legally 1/3rd of Cyprus.

Unfortunately the previous president of Cyprus, for "unknown" reasons was doing what some outsiders wanted him to do, and not what we, the Cypriot people wanted.

Papadopoulos simply tried to get us out of the shit the previous government has put us in.

Cyprus Mail is supported by those (mostly foreigners along with a small minority of Cypriots) who want the Annan partition plan forced on the Cypriot people against our will. So I would suggest to read some more objective newspapers if you want to know the truth about things.

Anyway, I don't blame Clive for his beliefs. His sources are apparently only the Cyprus Mail and maybe BBC and other US/UK media who are doing their best to support their good ally Turkey.

By the way, this is funny:

It was decided that a “yes” and a “no” come out of the ballot box at the referendum

Our "no" vote was decided long long long before that. All polls showed that Annan plan would be rejected. There was absolutely no doubt about this. Here is a poll from February of 2004:
http://www.simerini.com/nqcontent.cfm?a_id=130368

Maybe Turkey could decide what the outcome of the referendum in the occupied areas would be, but we are no sheep. We didn't wait for Papadopoulos to tell us that we should reject that one sided pro Turkish plan.

[zan]

"Clive of Peyia" can you tell me what "ride" we were taken?

We, the people of Cyprus, never approved the Annan partition plan created by the AngloAmericans in order to grand their ally Turkey officially and legally 1/3rd of Cyprus.

Unfortunately the previous president of Cyprus, for "unknown" reasons was doing what some outsiders wanted him to do, and not what we, the Cypriot people wanted.

Papadopoulos simply tried to get us out of the shit the previous government has put us in.

Cyprus Mail is supported by those (mostly foreigners along with a small minority of Cypriots) who want the Annan partition plan forced on the Cypriot people against our will. So I would suggest to read some more objective newspapers if you want to know the truth about things.

Anyway, I don't blame Clive for his beliefs. His sources are apparently only the Cyprus Mail and maybe BBC and other US/UK media who are doing their best to support their good ally Turkey.

By the way, this is funny:

It was decided that a “yes” and a “no” come out of the ballot box at the referendum

Our "no" vote was decided long long long before that. All polls showed that Annan plan would be rejected. There was absolutely no doubt about this. Here is a poll from February of 2004:
http://www.simerini.com/nqcontent.cfm?a_id=130368

Maybe Turkey could decide what the outcome of the referendum in the occupied areas would be, but we are no sheep. We didn't wait for Papadopoulos to tell us that we should reject that one sided pro Turkish plan.

Is this the same man that was and is part of EOKA and the author of the Akritas plan It seems that only in the "RoC" can devils get angel wings....

[Piratis]

EOKA was the army that fought for the liberation of our island from the colonialists, while you Turks collaborated with the colonialists and fought against Cypriots. We are all EOKA mate, and we will keep fighting for the liberation of our country from the foreigners either you like it or not.

[zan]

EOKA was the army that fought for the liberation of our island from the colonialists, while you Turks collaborated with the colonialists and fought against Cypriots. We are all EOKA mate, and we will keep fighting for the liberation of our country from the foreigners either you like it or not.

Even if that means killing your country men......Do not include me in that we.....

[Bananiot]

EOKA was a huge mistake and furthermore it gave birth to EOKA B. We are not all EOKA, speak for yourself Piratis. I was only 7 years old at the time when EOKA murdered two 18 year old girls in Famagusta, just because they were British. From that time I realised that their cause was not for the benefit of Cyprus.

[Piratis]

EOKA fought a liberation war against the colonialists and those few that collaborated with them. We had every right to fight for our rights, and no British had the right to be in Cyprus without our approval.

[Bananiot]

Is this the reason then that it killed twice as many Cypriots than British soldiers? Collaborators my foot! EOKA is the cause of our misery and it harboured EOKA B that finished the job.

Anyway, the issue here is the secret meetings Papadopoulos had with Serdar. It has been revealed today that he would send his limousine to pick him up from Ledra Palace.

[Get Real!]

Bananiot, the EOKA fighers of 55-59 are Cypriot heroes but you cannot see that and probably never will because you have the mind of a serf...