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In February 2003, Greek Cypriots elected Tassos Papadopoulos, leader of the center right Democratic Party, as president of the Republic of Cyprus. President Papadopoulos was supported by a broad coalition of parties ranging from his own Democratic Party to communist AKEL. None of the Greek Cypriot parties has been able to elect a president by itself or dominate the 56-seat House of Representatives. The 165,000 Greek Cypriot refugees from the area now administered by Turkish Cypriots are a potent political force, along with the independent Orthodox Church of Cyprus, which has some influence in temporal as well as ecclesiastical matters. "TRNC President" Mehmet Ali Talat was elected in April 2005, replacing long-time nationalist leader Rauf Denktash. Talatís political rise was due largely to his support of the UN Settlement Plan for Cyprus (the "Annan Plan"), which Rauf Denktash opposed, but which was supported by a majority of Turkish Cypriots in a 2004 referendum. Talatís pro-settlement, pro-EU political allies in the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) hold 24 of the 50 seats in the "TRNC National Assembly." In March 2005, the CTP agreed to form a coalition "government" with the 5-seat Democrat Party (DP) under the leadership of CTP "Prime Minister" Ferdi Sabit Soyer and DP "Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister" Serdar Denktash. The first UN-sponsored negotiations to develop institutional arrangements acceptable to both communities began in 1968; several sets of negotiations and other initiatives followed. Turkish Cypriots focus on bizonality, security guarantees, and political equality between the two communities. Greek Cypriots emphasize the rights of movement, property, settlement, and the return of territory. Turkish Cypriots favor a loose grouping of two nearly autonomous societies living side by side with limited contact. Greek Cypriots envision a more integrated structure. Direct talks began in January 2002 between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot community leaders under the auspices of the UN Secretary General, Mr. Kofi Annan. In November 2002, Secretary General Annan released a comprehensive plan for the resolution of the Cyprus issue. This plan was revised in early December. In the lead up to the December 2002 EU Copenhagen Summit, intensive efforts were made to gain both sides' signatures to the document prior to a decision on the island's EU membership. Neither side agreed to sign. The EU invited the Republic of Cyprus to join on December 16. Following the Copenhagen Summit, the UN continued dialogue with the two sides with the goal of reaching a settlement prior to Cyprus's signature of the EU accession treaty on April 16, 2003. A third version of the Annan plan was put to the parties in February 2003. That same month the Secretary General again visited the island and asked that both leaders agree to put the plan to referendum in their respective communities. Also in February 2003, Tassos Papadopoulos was elected as the fifth president of the Republic of Cyprus. On March 10, 2003, this phase of talks collapsed in The Hague when the then-leader of the Turkish Cypriots, Rauf Denktash, told the Secretary General he would not put the Annan plan to referendum. On April 23, 2003, Mr. Denktash relaxed many restrictions on individuals crossing between the two communities, including abolishing all crossing fees. Since then, the relaxed crossing procedures have led to relatively unimpeded bicommunal contact for the first time since 1974. Since April 2003 there have been over 7,000,000 buffer zone crossings in both directions. Greek Cypriots are currently required to present identity documents at the checkpoints along the buffer zone, something many are reluctant to do. Greek Cypriots are permitted to drive their personal vehicles in the Turkish Cypriot community, provided they first obtain a policy from an insurance provider in the north. Turkish Cypriots are permitted to cross into the government-controlled area upon presentation of a Turkish Cypriot ID card. Turkish Cypriots must also obtain car insurance from an insurer in the south to drive their personal vehicles in the government-controlled area. Until recently, visitors choosing to arrive at non-designated airports and seaports in the north were not allowed to cross the United Nations-patrolled "green line" to the government-controlled areas in the south. In June of 2004, however, Cypriot authorities implemented new EU-related crossing regulations that allowed Americans (and citizens of most other countries) to cross freely regardless of their port of entry into Cyprus. Visitors arriving in the south are normally able to cross the green line without hindrance, although on occasion difficulties are encountered at both the Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot checkpoints. Policy and procedures regarding such travel are subject to change. More information on current procedures may be obtained at the UN "Buffer Zone" Ledra Palace checkpoint in Nicosia. In February 2004, President Papadopoulos and Rauf Denktash accepted the Secretary General's invitation to resume negotiations on a settlement on the basis of the Annan plan. After a meeting with the Secretary General in New York, talks began in Cyprus on February 19. The two community leaders met nearly every day for negotiations facilitated by the Secretary General's Special Representative for Cyprus, Mr. Alvaro De Soto. In addition, numerous technical committees and subcommittees met in parallel in an effort to resolve outstanding issues and complete the legislative framework. Beginning on March 24, the talks moved to Burgenstock, Switzerland with the participation of the Prime Ministers and Foreign Ministers of Greece and Turkey. Negotiations concluded on March 31, and the Secretary General presented the two sides with a final settlement package. Most Turkish Cypriot and Turkish leaders supported the agreement, but most Greek Cypriot leaders, including President Papadopoulos, urged the Greek Cypriot public to reject the settlement. On April 24, after a three-week campaign marked by accusations that the government of Cyprus was unfairly manipulating public opinion, Cypriots on both sides of the Green Line went to the polls in parallel and simultaneous referenda. Turkish Cypriots voted by a large majority (65% "yes" to 35% "no") to accept the solution. Greek Cypriots, however, voted by an even larger margin (76% "no" to 24% "yes") to reject it. Cyprus entered the European Union on May 1, 2004 as a divided island. The Secretary Generalís Good Offices Mission is suspended. |
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