30/4/2004
Great Disappointment At Result Of Cyprus Referendum

Although the result of the Cyprus referendum had been forecast with some accuracy for some days before, there was no disguising the disappointment of the United Nations and the European Commission when it came. Although there was a strong vote from the Turkish Cypriot community in the north of the Island in favour of the UN reunification plan - 65 per cent voted 'yes' - this was matched by an even stronger rejection of the plan by the Greek Cypriots in the south where 76 per cent voted to reject the plan. A positive vote would have been required in both communities if the island were to have been reunified. The vote means that only the southern Greek part of Cyprus entered the European Union on 1 May.

The European Commission said that, while respecting the democratic decision of the people, it deeply regretted that the Greek Cypriot community had not approved the comprehensive settlement. A unique opportunity to bring about a solution to the long-lasting Cyprus issue had been missed, they said. The Commission congratulated Turkish Cypriots on their 'yes' vote, saying that it signalled a clear desire of that community to resolve the island's problem.

The Commission is now believed to be considering ways of further promoting economic development of the northern part of Cyprus. It has also to consider the implications for an EU frontier running through the middle of the island.

The reunification plan, which would have created a United Cyprus Republic, comprised of a Greek Cypriot constituent state and a Turkish Cypriot constituent state and linked by a federal government, was drawn up by the United Nations and overseen by the Secretary-General Kofi Annan. He said this week that he considered still that this plan was the only realistic basis for reunifying the island. "I hope that before too long the Greek Cypriots will have an opportunity to consider the plan more calmly, and to judge it on its true merits, he said." He also congratulated the Turkish Cypriots for their courageous vote. "We must all do our best to see that they are not penalised for the way the vote went in the other part of the island," he added.