Cyprus talks end in disagreement
Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders are divided over the reunification plan presented by United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan in Switzerland on Wednesday night.
The failure to reach an agreement means the Bürgenstock resort – which hosted the negotiations – is unlikely to find a lasting place in Cypriot history books.
Annan’s plan, which is based on the Swiss model of federalism, will be put to referendums on both sides of the divided island on April 24.
It is the first time that the UN has imposed a referendum in the absence of an accord between two sides in a dispute.
The amended 9,000-page document was presented after the Turkish and Greek Cypriots failed to reach an agreed settlement after five days of talks near Lake Lucerne.
It envisages a Cyprus composed of Greek and Turkish federal states held together by a loose central government.
No choice
Announcing the plan, Annan said the two sides had a choice between this settlement or no settlement at all. He said the document provided “a secure framework for a common future”.
Earlier on Wednesday evening it became clear that there would be no breakthrough in negotiations between the two sides.
“There are no more contacts between the two parties,” UN spokeswoman Marie Hueze said hours before Wednesday’s deadline.
Cyprus is due to join the European Union on May 1. If either side fails to approve the plan in the referendum only the Greek side will accede.
Stumbling blocks
The original plan, presented to the media on Monday, was criticised by both the Greek and Turkish sides.
The final plan will allow for fewer Greek Cypriot refugees to return to the Turkish north of the island than originally envisaged.
It makes a further concession to the Turkish side by allowing Turkey to maintain a military presence on the island indefinitely.
The Greek side had wanted all Greek Cypriot refugees to be allowed to return to the island, while at the same time demanding the departure of all 80,000 Turkish Cypriots who arrived after the 1974 coup.
Aside from acting as host to this latest round of talks, Switzerland has been quietly supporting reunification of the island for several years.
In February, Switzerland sent a team of experts to Cyprus to help both sides with negotiations on unification.
swissinfo
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan presented the modified plan for the reunification of Cyprus after five days of talks failed to produce a negotiated settlement.
The plan takes account of objections by the Turkish and Greek Cypriot leaders to an earlier version presented on Monday.
The document envisages a federal Cyprus with Greek and Turkish states held together by a central government.
Greek and Turkish Cypriots will vote on the plan in referendums on April 24.
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