Cyprus reunification talks fail

Home>>World

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, April 01, 2004

Cyprus reunification talks fail

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

As negotiators failed to reach agreement themselves, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan presented Wednesday evening his final Cyprus reunification plan which will go to separate referenda in the two Cypriot communities on April 20.

"As the people of Cyprus consider their future over the next three weeks before going to referendums they will be looking to you for guidance," Annan told leaders of Greek and Turkish partiesat a closing ceremony of talks held at the Swiss resort of Buergenstock.

Turkey was quick to give support to the plan, confirming that it would hold the referendum as planned, while the Greek side was more cautious.

Cyprus has remained divided into the Turkish-Cypriot north and the Greek-Cypriot south since 1974, when Turkish troops entered the north of the island after a failed Greek-Cypriot coup seeking union with Greece.

Failure to reunite the island before EU membership on May 1 would mean impoverished Turkish Cyprus would be excluded. Greek-Turkish rapprochement could be undermined and Turkey's own hopes of entering the EU would be dealt a serious blow.

Source: Xinhua

Questions?Comments? Click here

Annan expected to present Cyprus peace plan's final version on Monday

Annan's revised Cyprus plan draws mixed reaction

Israel's killing of Yassin fuels conflict: Commentary ( 2 Messages)

How the US could improve its image abroad ( 14 Messages)

US urged not to fingerprint Chinese ( 10 Messages)

China hunts corrupt officials who abscond overseas ( 3 Messages)

Seven Chinese activists land on Diaoyu Islands ( 4 Messages)