Greece urges Cyprus to accept deal

Greece today urged traditional rival Turkey to endorse a UN plan seeking to end Cyprus’ 28 year division over the next five months.

Ankara has not yet responded to the UN proposals, released last night and aimed at bringing a lasting settlement to Cyprus before its scheduled entry into the European Union in 2004.

The island’s Greek Cypriot government has already expressed support, along with its close ally Greece.

Panos Beglitis, the Greek foreign ministry spokesman, said a solution would also help Turkey’s bid to join the EU.

“It would have a great cost for Turkey to undermine its own course toward the European Union,” he said.

Under the proposal, Cyprus would be “modelled on the status and relationship of Switzerland, its federal government, and its cantons.”

“Accordingly, Cyprus is an independent state in the form of an indissoluble partnership, with a common state government and two equal component states, one Greek Cypriot and one Turkish Cypriot,” a summary of the proposal states.

It calls for Cyprus to have “a single international legal personality and sovereignty” and to be a member of the United Nations. It renounces “forever the threat of the use of force, or any domination” by either side, and looks forward to Cyprus joining the European Union “and to the day when Turkey does likewise.”

In Cyprus today, some Greek newspapers denounced the plan, calling it a blackmailing attempt to legitimise Turkish occupation of the island’s north.