ANKARA - Turkey expressed its committed in writing that a referendum should be held in Cyprus on United Nations (U.N) Secretary General Kofi Annan's plan to the U.N., sources said on Wednesday.
Sources told A.A correspondent that Turkey made a commitment to the U.N. to present the plan to Turkish parliament for ratification if positive results came out of simultaneous referenda to be held in both sides in the island on April 24.
Annan had asked all the concerned parties to express their commitment to the plan in writing after he presented his final plan to the parties at the end of Cyprus negotiations held in Buergenstock, Switzerland on March 31.
Two sides on the island were asked to express their commitment to the U.N. to ''put the plan to referendum'' while the guarantor powers were expected to express their commitment that ''they consented to holding a referendum on the plan and they would present the plan to their national parliaments for ratification after the plan was approved by the two sides in the island.''
Annan wanted the concerned parties to make the above mentioned commitments at the end of the Buergenstock talks but he could not achieve his goal as the Greek Cypriot side and Greece did not want to sign any document.
Two sides on the island and guarantor powers were expected to express their commitment to the U.N. in writing till April 9 as foreseen in New York talks as parties did not sign any document at the end of Buergenstock talks.
Delegations from Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Greek Cypriot side, Turkey and Greece held Cyprus negotiations in Buergenstock, Switzerland from March 24 to 31 in order to find a fair and lasting solution to Cyprus issue till May 1 on the basis of Annan plan.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Greek Prime Minister Costas Caramanlis also joined the negotiations as of March 29.
U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan presented his final plan to the parties on March 31.
The final plan will be put to separate simultaneous referenda in Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot sides in the island on April 24.
(BRC-AY) 07.04.2004