UNITED Democrats leader George Vassiliou said yesterday fears that the economy would be ruined if the Annan plan were implemented were totally unfounded.
He told state radio that his party had commissioned a group of specialists to study the economic aspects of the UN Secretary-general’s plan. The team are in the final stages of the study, which will be announced to the public on completion, said Vassiliou.
He acknowledged that numerous reports were floating around on the high cost of the Annan plan, but rejected claims about the destructive consequences of implementation.
“We have a team of specialists who have almost completed a study on the economic aspects of the plan and we will present the findings when they are done,” he said.
“But I can tell you for sure, these are not serious points being made, all this talk about economic destruction,” he added.
Vassiliou stressed the harm done with public debates on changes to the Annan plan.
“I believe it is wrong to have public debates on changes to the plan now. Hopefully, the Turkish Cypriot side will be ready to discuss seriously and responsibly, unlike Denktash. Then, we can have debate and negotiation of substance,” he said.
“But for one person to say he wants this changed, and another who thinks that point should be changed… We will be negotiating amongst ourselves and that can only do harm.”
Vassiliou said Turkish Cypriot opposition leaders wanted to see progress but they themselves have expressed some worries and doubts in the past. “I think the important thing for us now is to convince them that we are serious, responsible and want a solution based on the Annan plan,” he said.
“And when we talk about negotiations, we don’t mean Denktash-style, which never end,” he added.
Meanwhile, AKEL announced yesterday that they were working towards a series of measures to increase contact with Turkish Cypriots and create a better climate.
AKEL deputy Nicos Katsourides said one of the issues that had to be dealt with was the movement of representatives to the occupied north. The concerns and ideas of AKEL would be passed onto the National Council, he added.
