UN Secretary General Kofi Annan declared Saturday in a message that his Cyprus plan aimed at reunifying the divided island will not enter into force following the twin referenda held in Cyprus' two communities.

Annan's plan has been rejected by the Greek Cypriots and approved by the Turkish Cypriots.   In the message delivered here by his special advisor for Cyprus Alvaro de Soto, the UN chief said he respects the outcome of the two referenda.   But he expressed his regret that the reunification goal has not been achieved and an unique and historic chance to resolve the Cyprus problem has been missed.

The secretary general said he intends to give careful thought to the implications of today's result.   Meanwhile, Cyprus will remain divided and militarized as it accedes to the European Union, and the benefits of a settlement will not be realized.

Annan applauded the Turkish Cypriots, who approved the plan "notwithstanding the significant sacrifices" that it entailed for many of them.   The UN chief also expressed his hope that the Greek Cypriots would arrive at a different view in the fullness of time after a profound and sober assessment of today's decision, for a settlement to the long-standing Cyprus problem would benefit the people of Cyprus as well as the region and the wider international community.

On March 31, Annan handed both communities a revised version of his original proposal for a Cyprus settlement which also drew different reactions from the two sides.   Despite the lack of an agreement on the Annan plan, the UN chief has decided to go ahead with public referenda on April 24 on his blueprint for reunification, which sees two loosely tied ethnically-based zones on the Mediterranean island.

Source: Xinhua