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| Indecisive piece of graffiti in south Nicosia |
Seven years ago this month, the Annan Plan was voted on as a referendum that would have "settled" the Cyprus Problem prior to the island's accession into the European Union. The plan, proposed by former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, would have created a two-state federation with a majority of "yes" votes from each community. The leadership of both sides at the time campaigned for a "no" vote while the international community was pushing for a "yes" leading up to the decisive vote. With nearly 90% of each population turning out to the polls, the Turkish Cypriot population voted 65% "yes" while the Greek Cypriot population voted 75% "no". My sources tell me there was a demonstration of approximately 2000 in North Nicosia yesterday calling attention to the Turkish Cypriot wish that a the referendum would have resulted in resounding YES... MAYBE a new proposal is looming as current UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon continues to push for peace talks with the leadership of both sides. Could a Ban Plan achieve the intended result?
Reportedly, a deadline has been set by Ban Ki-Moon for the end of the UN-conducted peace talks in Cyprus. By the end of 2011 (or early 2012 at the latest) reunification negotiations under the UN are to end, which I assume means that a plan would be drafted and brought to a referendum. If not, the UN will deem the problem unsolvable...: http://www.cyprus-mail.com/cyprus/un-final-deadline-looms-tv-network-reports/20110510
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