The Republican Turkish Party (CTP) organised a discussion called “From Yesterday to Today: Annan Plan Referendum” to mark the 20th anniversary of the Annan Plan Referendum, KibrisPostasi reported.
Former President Mehmet Ali Talat spoke at the event, expressing optimism about the potential for a positive outcome if there were serious negotiations and a subsequent referendum among Turkish Cypriots.
Talat gave a brief history of Cyprus negotiations, dating back to 1968 in Beirut. He highlighted a lack of effective communication between parties during past negotiations, citing instances where negotiations stalled due to perceived imbalances in authority. Talat also mentioned proposals made by former Greek Cypriot President Glafkos Clerides, which aimed to update founding agreements and security arrangements.
Talat acknowledged the contributions of key individuals like Clerides to the Annan Plan’s formation, noting the importance of community perspectives in negotiation processes. He emphasised the potential for a positive outcome in current negotiations, citing surveys that support this view.
Talat referred to difficulties in convincing the Greek Cypriot population to accept certain proposals, as illustrated by former President Nicos Anastasiades’s statement at Crans-Montana.
He stressed the importance of leaders persuading their communities and highlighted the significance of solving the Cyprus problem for Turkey, Greece, and the wider region. Talat identified Cyprus as the most serious issue between Turkey and Greece, followed by the Aegean.
