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04 November 2004

Talat denies proposing fresh talks on Annan plan

* The Turkish Cypriot prime minister says calling for re-negotiations over the collapsed plan would be 'disrespectful' to Turkish Cypriot people

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ANKARA - Turkish Daily News

Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat denied proposing a re-negotiation of a United Nations plan for the reunification of the island, saying his statements concerning the issue were "exaggerated and misinterprated."

"Me saying 'let's re-negotiate the plan' would be disrespectful to my people," Talat said in an interview with Turkish Cypriot Bayrak television on Tuesday night.

Turkish Cypriots voted overwhelmingly in support of the U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan's plan in an April 24 referendum. But the plan failed because most Greek Cypriots voted against it, angered by the proposed power-sharing and the financial terms of the deal.

In a recent interview with Greek Cypriot Phileleftheros newspaper, Talat said he was open to re-negotiating the plan, but first Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos should make clear what he wanted. He said Turkish Cypriots would then come up with their own proposals.

"First, Mr. Papadopoulos has to decide what kind of changes he wants," Talat was quoted as saying in a subsequent interview. "If he hands over his proposals to us will we negotiate? Of course."

Papadopoulos has repeatedly said he was ready to return to negotiations to make Annan's plan acceptable for Greek Cypriots.

"My statements were exaggerated and misinterpreted," Talat told Bayrak television. "It was a conversation in the form of questions followed by answers. In particular, the Turkish press exaggerated it as if I am proposing to bring the Annan plan back onto the table," he said.

But he did not dismiss any possible re-negotiation on the plan.

"We are waiting for Papadopoulos' proposals. He does not want to do anything," Talat said.

Pushing for early elections

Talat's coalition government with Serdar Denktas' Democratic Party (DP) resigned last month, but it will remain in office until the new election.

The resignation followed the failure in months-long efforts to forge a majority government, as well as appearing to be an attempt to force early elections, something likely to strengthen his position in future talks with Greek Cypriots.

"We want to hold elections and go ahead with our work," Talat said, emphasizing that Turkish Cypriot Parliament could decide to hold early elections after two months, if the political parties agreed.

Talat's Republican Turks' Party (CTP) has turned down an offer from the rival National Unity Party (UBP) of Dervis Eroglu to form a coalition government. Talat told Bayrak television that a UBP-led government would harm the efforts of Turkish Cypriots to end their international isolation.