Turkey Sends Its Written Commitment To Annan Plan To Caramanlis And Blair

ANKARA - Turkey sent its written commitment to United Nations (U.N.) Secretary General Kofi Annan's plan for Cyprus to not only Annan, but also Greek Prime Minister Costas Caramanlis and British Secretary of State Tony Blair, Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesman Namik Tan said on Wednesday.
Tan held the weekly press conference in which he announced that Turkey's commitment to U.N. plan signed by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was sent to Annan on Tuesday.
Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesman Tan noted that Turkey stated in its letter to the U.N. that ''it agreed that the plan would be put to simultaneous referenda in the both sides in Cyprus on April 24.''
In the letter, Turkey also said that the plan would be signed on April 29 if two sides in the island were to vote 'yes' to the plan in simultaneous referenda and if the domestic ratification process was to be completed, Tan said.
Tan drew attention that every stage of that Cyprus process would be subject to factors set by the Constitution.
The plan would be firstly ratified by the Turkish parliament and then by Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Tan stated.
Tan added that the letter in which Turkey expressed its commitment to Annan plan was not only sent to the U.N., but also prime ministers of guarantor powers Greece and Britain.
Sources said that translation of Annan plan into Turkish was about to be completed.
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-AÖ) 07.04.2004