LEFKOSA - Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Prime Minister Dervis Eroglu said Annan plan was a very big mistake, stating that a new negotiation basis and a new agreement were necessary for an agreement on Cyprus.
Eroglu said the text of new agreement should be prepared with the approval of the two sides.
When Eroglu was recalled about a statement of former Cyprus special envoy of the United Nations (U.N.) Alvaro de Soto that they had been mistaken about number of Greek Cypriots who would like to return to the North, and that their estimations that less number of Greek Cypriots would return to the North were wrong, he said it once again revealed that Annan plan could not be a basis for negotiations.
Eroglu said De Soto should accept that he had made a mistake, stressing that De Soto acted without being aware of the final targets of Greek Cypriot administration and the church on Cyprus. He said Turkish Cypriots knew very well the actual intentions of the Greek Cypriots, and that because of this they refused to sign Annan plan.
Eroglu said, ''as we know the intentions of Greek Cypriots, we were sure that all the Greek Cypriots would return to the North in case we signed such a document. We have many times stressed that it was impossible for us to sign a document that would put two-thirds of our people into the position of refugee.''
Eroglu said De Soto should prepare a new text of agreement to reach a lasting agreement in which both sides would live in peace and side by side. He said Annan plan, which was prepared only by consulting with the Greek Cypriot side, was a mistake.
(AY-BRC) 13.10.2003