MILLIYET- Columnist Sami Kohen comments on the Cyprus peace process. A summary of his column is as follows:
Today, February 28, was the deadline imposed by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan for the communities of Cyprus to accept reunification under a UN peace plan. Annan has been holding talks on the island in the hope of reaching agreement by his deadline. He recently met with Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas and new Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulous in his bid to get them to sign his deal today. However, as Annan's self-imposed deadline run out, the secretary-general was now asking the two leaders to meet him at the Hague on March 10 to give their final response. If there is a March 10 agreement, the plan will be put to simultaneous referendums of Greek and Turkish Cypriots on March 30. Annan expects an answer today on whether the leaders will attend The Hague meeting. We are familiar with such deadlines as far as the Cyprus peace process, which has been going on for years, is concerned. In the past, deadlines were imposed and extended over and over. However, this time everything seems a little bit different. The UN secretary-general made every possible effort to help both sides to reach an agreement. In that case, today may not be a deadline any more. However, it is clear that Annan will not set out another deadline after March 10. If the two communities fail to reach an agreement, the Greek Cypriot administration is very likely to join the EU on its own. Annan had presented a third revised plan to the two leaders of the island, which in fact includes favorable ideas for the Turkish side. Annan has made significant changes on a number of sensitive issues such as map, security, migration and political structure which previously bothered Denktas. However, Denktas finds these changes neither convincing nor satisfactory. Although the latest version of Annan’s plan defines Turkish and Greek Cypriots as ‘constituents’ of a joint state, Denktas wants international community to recognize two separate and equal sovereignties. Lack of accord concerning such philosophical issues are very important to Denktas. The Turkish side finds integration with the Greek side very dangerous. The Turkish Cypriot administration sees their Greek neighbors as a rival rather than a partner to live with. That’s why Annan felt it necessary to stress that his proposal should be regarded as a peace plan, not a matter of war. Of course, the Greek side has also certain concerns. Let’s admit that under these circumstances, we need a miracle for the communities of the island to reach a historic agreement!
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION