BUERGENSTOCK - U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan officially submitted on Monday revised Cyprus plan which aimed at solution in Cyprus to sides.
There were five separate round tables for delegations during submission of the Annan plan. Besides U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, Annan's Special Envoy to Cyprus Alvaro De Soto also participated in the meeting. Sides were represented by 8-person delegations.
Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul headed Turkish delegation, Greek Foreign Minister Petros Molyviatis headed Greek delegation, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat chaired TRNC delegation and Greek Cypriot side leader Tassos Papadopoulos chaired Greek Cypriot delegation.
TRNC Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Serdar Denktas was also included in TRNC delegation.
TRNC and Greek Cypriot side started Cyprus negotiations in the island on February 19 to find a fair and lasting solution to Cyprus issues till May 1 on the basis of Annan plan.
According to Cyprus negotiations schedule, two sides were expected to attend a quartet conference together with guarantor powers Turkey and Greece after March 22 to discuss issues on which they could not reach any compromise.
U.N. Secretary General Annan will fill in the blanks left in the plan if participants can't reach any compromise in quartet meetings, and the text to be formed at the end of all these initiatives will be voted in referenda to be held synchronously in the Turkish and Greek Cypriot sides on April 20.
ANNAN THINKS TURKISH CYPRIOT SIDE WILL FIND REVISED PLAN DEVELOPED IN REGARD TO IMPROVEMENT OF BI-ZONALITY
U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan said on Monday that he took into consideration Turkish Cypriot side's sensitivity on bi-zonality during preparation of the last version of Cyprus plan and stated that it would be seen that the draft plan was developed in regard to preserving the identity of Turkish Cypriots.
Annan officially submitted revised Cyprus plan which aimed at solution in Cyprus to sides. During submission of the draft plan, Annan touched on some sensitive issues in the draft plan for Turkish Cypriot side and Greek Cypriot side.
After Annan presented the draft plan to sides, Annan's Special Envoy to Cyprus Alvaro De Soto held a press conference and informed reporters about Annan's speech during submission of the draft plan to sides.
Annan told Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat and Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Serdar Denktas that he knew their views on improvement of bi-zonality. Annan said that the draft plan covered preservation of the security and identity of the Turkish Cypriot constituent state. Stating that Turkish Cypriot side would find the draft plan developed at a great extent, Annan noted that this development would especially be seen in the parts of the draft plan on property, settlement and vote system which would be arranged for federal state.
Kofi Annan said that according to the draft plan, even after Turkey joined the European Union (EU), it could have military presence in the island at a definite extent and noted that there were some guaranties that distribution of population of people who would resettle in the island after a solution would be proportional.
U.N. SPECIAL ENVOY TO CYPRUS SAYS PARTIES TO GIVE VIEWS ON NEW PLAN BY TUESDAY MORNING
United Nations (U.N.) Secretary General Kofi Annan's Special Envoy to Cyprus Alvaro De Soto said on Monday that parties would give their views on the new Cyprus plan by Tuesday morning.
De Soto held a press conference in Buergenstock, Switzerland where the quartet conference among Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Greek Cypriot side, Turkey and Greece were expected to last till Wednesday.
U.N. Special Envoy to Cyprus De Soto underlined that March 31 was the final day of the four-party negotiations in Switzerland.
De Soto noted that a text which would be put to synchronous referenda in both sides in Cyprus would have been prepared by March 31.
Touching on the text presented to the sides, De Soto said, ''this is not a take it or leave it.''
Parties were asked to express their first impressions on the drafted Annan plan in the morning of Tuesday and to say their final word on the text on Wednesday, De Soto pointed out.
De Soto said that the text presented to parties consisted of 9,000 pages including annexes and the Foundation Agreement.
They would have time till Wednesday to make some new changes in the draft plan till Wednesday, De Soto stated.
De Soto stressed that it was impossible for him to inform the press about the revised plan at the moment.
Noting that they expected European Union (EU) Commissioner for enlargement Guenter Verheugen to come to Buergenstock later in the day, De Soto drew attention that EU should take some steps for an agreement to be reached on Cyprus.
De Soto expressed hope that Verheugen would stay in Switzerland till Wednesday.
When asked about the authorization granted to the TRNC delegation to negotiate, De Soto recalled that he had earlier announced that there was not any problems related with the authority of the TRNC delegation.
De Soto did not give any clear reply to questions if parties could sign any document at the end of the process, but only said that journalists would see the developments in two days.
TRNC and Greek Cypriot side started Cyprus negotiations in the island on February 19 in order to find a fair and lasting solution to Cyprus issue till May 1 on the basis of Annan plan.
According to the Cyprus negotiation road map, two sides were expected to attend a quartet conference together with guarantor powers Turkey and Greece after March 22 to discuss issues on which they could not reach any compromise in their negotiations held in the island.
Delegations from TRNC and Greek Cypriot side will try to reach compromise on several issues in the quartet Cyprus conference to be held in Buergenstock, Switzerland till March 31 with the participation of delegations from guarantor powers Turkey and Greece headed by Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan and Greek Prime Minister Caramanlis.
U.N. Secretary General Annan will fill in the blanks left in the plan if participants can't reach any compromise in quartet meetings, and the text to be formed at the end of all these initiatives will be voted in referenda to be held synchronously in the Turkish and Greek Cypriot sides on April 20.

DRAFT PLAN SUBMITTED BY ANNAN TO SIDES ALSO COVERS DRAFT ''ACT OF ADAPTATION''
BUERGENSTOCK - Draft plan which was submitted by U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan to sides on Monday also covered the draft act of adaptation arranging United Cyprus Republic's accession to the European Union (EU), sources said on Monday.
Annan summed up content of the draft plan in his speech during submission of the draft plan to sides within the scope of four-party Cyprus talks continuing in Switzerland.
Annan's Special Envoy to Cyprus Alvaro De Soto held a press conference and informed reporters about Annan's speech during submission of the draft plan to sides.
Kofi Annan said that the plan covered founder agreement, constitutions of Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot founder states, agreement arranging issues on function of new Cyprus state, draft act of adaptation arranging United Cyprus Republic's accession to the EU, issues which would be submitted to the U.N. Security Council and measures which would be taken in April 2004.
Stating that the plan which was submitted did not include any component which was earlier prepared and it was negotiated till the last moment, Annan said that he believed that the plan was to the benefit of the two sides.
Annan asked negotiators to consider whether the plan met their concerns and gives them the courage to seize the chance of peace. He said, ''I believe it does. I believe this is a win-win proposal.''

TRNC PRESIDENT DENKTAS EXAMINES ANNAN PLAN
LEFKOSA - Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas is examining the revised Annan plan which was presented by the United Nations (U.N.) to sides in Buergenstock resort of Switzerland.
Denktas is assessing the plan with his advisers and Turkish Ambassador in Lefkosa Hayati Guven.
President Denktas is expected to hold a press conference after examining the revised Annan plan.

PRELIMINARY EVALUATIONS SHOW SECURITY AND POLITICAL EQUALITY DEMANDS OF TURKISH SIDE HAVE BEEN MET IN REVISED ANNAN PLAN
BUERGENSTOCK - Preliminary evaluations on the revised United Nations (U.N.) Secretary General Kofi Annan's plan presented to parties earlier in the day showed that demands of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) for security and political equality had been met in the drafted plan, diplomatic sources said on Monday.
Diplomatic sources told A.A correspondent that Turkish and TRNC delegations who were in Buergenstock, Switzerland to join the quartet Cyprus negotiations aiming at finding a fair and lasting solution to Cyprus issue started to examine the revised U.N. plan.
The sources said that the draft text included not only expressions that Turkish soldiers would stay in Cyprus till eternity, but also some satisfactory articles on political equality which was one of ''sine qua non'' conditions for the Turkish side.
Diplomatic sources noted that the plan foresaw equal distribution of seats at the senate of the ''United Cyprus Republic'', which was expected to be comprised of 48 seats and stated that it would be a permanent equal distribution of seats.
The same sources pointed out that one side could not dominate or rule the other side under the revised Annan plan.
Noting that the number of Greek Cypriots who would return to their homes left in the north of the island was reduced, the sources said that however, that number was not clearly expressed in the plan.
The sources quoted the plan as saying that Turkish Cypriot constituent state could make every kind of cooperation in economic, cultural, financial and commercial fields with Turkey. The plan stated that Turkey and Turkish Cypriot constituent state could sign documents and agreements for such a cooperation, the sources noted.
The sources also said the plan also foresaw that two presidents, one Turkish Cypriot and one Greek Cypriot, would represent the ''United Cyprus Republic'' in the European Union (EU) after the ''United Cyprus Republic'' joined the EU.
Diplomatic sources added that the plan also envisaged that Turkish Cypriot constituent state would be fully authorized to do fishing and make agriculture.
U.N. Secretary General Annan presented the parties with his revised plan earlier in the day in Buergenstock, Switzerland where Cyprus negotiations continue. Parties are expected to give their views on the new Cyprus plan by Tuesday morning and to say their final word on the text on Wednesday.
TRNC and Greek Cypriot side started Cyprus negotiations in the island on February 19 to find a fair and lasting solution to Cyprus issue before May 1 on the basis of Annan plan.
According to the Cyprus negotiation road map, two sides were expected to attend a quartet conference together with guarantor powers Turkey and Greece after March 22 to discuss issues on which they could not reach any compromise in their negotiations held in the island.
Delegations from TRNC and Greek Cypriot side will try to reach compromise on several issues in the quartet Cyprus conference to be held in Buergenstock, Switzerland till March 31 with the participation of delegations from guarantor powers Turkey and Greece headed by Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan and Greek Prime Minister Caramanlis.
Erdogan is flying to Switzerland to join the negotiations. It was impossible for Turkey to make concessions of sine qua non conditions in Cyprus although Turkey had a Cyprus policy aiming at ''solution in the island'', Erdogan told a news conference before he left Turkey for Switzerland.
U.N. Secretary General Annan will fill in the blanks left in the plan if participants can't reach any compromise in quartet meetings, and the text to be formed at the end of all these initiatives will be voted in referenda to be held synchronously in the Turkish and Greek Cypriot sides on April 20.

TALAT: ''IT IS TOO EARLY TO RELEASE A POSITIVE OR A NEGATIVE STATEMENT ABOUT THE PLAN''
BUERGENSTOCK - Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) has said, ''it is too early to release a positive or a negative statement about the plan submitted to the sides earlier today by United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan.''
Replying to questions of Turkish journalists by phone, Prime Minister Talat said on Monday, ''the TRNC delegation has still been assessing the plan since it includes some uncertain points.''
''It is too early to release a positive or a negative statement about the plan. The first comments about the plan are not binding for the TRNC,'' Prime Minister Talat added.

INTENSE TELEPHONE CONVERSATIONS AND MEETINGS IN BUERGENSTOCK
BUERGENSTOCK - After United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan presented the draft plan, the sides have been holding intense telephone conversations and meetings in Buergenstock town of Switzerland under the Cyprus talks.
Sources told the A.A correspondent on Monday that Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul met with European Union (EU) Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen earlier in the day.
At the meeting, the Turkish side reiterated that an agreement to be reached by the sides should become a part of the primary law of the EU, and stressed that Turkey considered it an indispensable and undiscussable priority.
Meanwhile, the act of adaptation in the plan of United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan is envisaged to be submitted to approval of the EU Council and the EU Commission in the first stage. Later, the parliamentary process will start about the act of adaptation. However, there are some uncertainties about formation of a mechanism to protect the agreement till the beginning of parliamentary approval process.
U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell earlier called Gul on the phone. During the conversation, Gul conveyed his first assessments about the draft plan to Powell.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who arrived in Buergenstock earlier in the day, is expected to hold a telephone conversation with U.S. President George W. Bush in the coming hours.
The sides have been trying to change the draft plan in line with their interest and to use their influence in the international platform to this end.
Earlier, United Nations Secretary General Annan set March 31 as deadline to give the draft plan its final shape.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Erdogan is expected to meet with Greek Prime Minister Costas Caramanlis later in the day.
(AA) 29.03.2004