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Cyprus This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Cyprus Image File history File links Unbalanced_scales. ... Cyprus coat of arms This image depicts a seal, an emblem, a coat of arms or a crest. ... This entry is about politics of Cyprus, especially the island of Cyprus and the Republic of Cyprus. ... Cyprus dispute Annan Plan referendum President Tassos Papadopoulos House of Representatives Political parties Elections in Cyprus Legislative: 2001 | 2006 Districts Foreign relations of Cyprus EU Politics See also: The Cyprus dispute is the conflict between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots and also Republic of Cyprus and Turkey over Cyprus, an island nation in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. ... The two major communities of the de facto divided island nation of Cyprus held a referendum on settleing the Cyprus dispute on 24 April 2004. ... The President of Cyprus is the countrys head of state. ... Tassos Nikolaou Papadopoulos (Greek: Τάσσος Παπαδόπουλος) born January 7, 1934) has been the president of the Republic of Cyprus since 2003. ... The House of Representatives (Vouli Antiprosópon/Temsilciler Meclisi) is the parliament of Cyprus. ... Political parties in Cyprus lists political parties in this country. ... Elections in Cyprus gives information on election and election results in Cyprus. ... The 2001 Parliamentary elections in Cyprus took place on 27th Mary Results ... The 2006 legislative election in Cyprus will take place on 21 May. ... The districts (επαρχίες) are the subnational subdivisions of Cyprus. ... Cyprus has historically followed a non-aligned foreign policy, although it increasingly identifies with the West in its cultural affinities and trade patterns, and maintains close relations with Greece. ... The European Union or EU is a supranational and international organization of 27 member states. ... Politics of Northern Cyprus Other countries · Politics Portal view • talk • edit

Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus This article is part of the series: Politics and government of the TRNC Politics of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus takes place in a framework of a semi-presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President is head of state and the Prime Minister head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. ... Information on politics by country is available for every country, including both de jure and de facto independent states, inhabited dependent territories, as well as areas of special sovereignty. ... Anthem: Ä°stiklâl Marşı  (Turkish) Independence March Capital LefkoÅŸa (Nicosia) Official languages Turkish Government Representative democratic republic[1]  - President Mehmet Ali Talat  - Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer Sovereignty from Republic of Cyprus (de facto)   - Proclaimed November 15, 1983   - Recognition Only by Turkey  Area  - Total 3,355 km² (not ranked... Image File history File links Northern_Cyprus_coa. ... Since 1974, Cyprus has been divided de facto into the internationally recognized southern two-thirds of the island and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus which controls the northern one-third of the island. ... Cyprus dispute Annan Plan referendum Constitution President Mehmet Ali Talat Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer Assembly of the Republic Political parties Elections Foreign Relations See also: Politics of Cyprus The Cyprus dispute is the conflict between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots and also Republic of Cyprus and Turkey over Cyprus, an island nation in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. ... The two major communities of the de facto divided island nation of Cyprus held a referendum on settleing the Cyprus dispute on 24 April 2004. ... The President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is the head of state of the TRNC. Rauf DenktaÅŸ was the first and founder president of TRNC, retired in 2005. ... Mehmet Ali Talat Mehmet Ali Talat (born July 6, 1952) is the current President of the de factoTurkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which controls the northern third of the island of Cyprus and is unrecognized by any nation except Turkey. ... F.S. Soyer, TRNC PM Ferdi Sabit Soyer (born 1951) is the TRNC Prime Minister, and Deputy Leader of TRNC President Mehmet Ali Talats Republican Turkish Party (CTP). ... The parliament of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, the Assembly of the Republic (Cumhuriyet Meclisi) has 50 members, elected for a five year term by mitigated proportional representation. ... Political parties in Cyprus lists political parties in this country. ... Turkish Cypriots elects a president and a legislature. ... The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, due to its unrecognized status internationally, is dependent upon Turkey to facilitate its contacts with the international community. ... This entry is about politics of Cyprus, especially the island of Cyprus and the Republic of Cyprus. ... Other countries · Politics Portal view • talk • edit

The two major communities of the de facto divided island nation of Cyprus held a referendum on settling the Cyprus dispute on 24 April 2004. The peoples of Cyprus were asked to choose between ratifying or rejecting a 5th revision of a United Nations proposal to settle the Cyprus dispute known as the Annan Plan for Cyprus. Information on politics by country is available for every country, including both de jure and de facto independent states, inhabited dependent territories, as well as areas of special sovereignty. ... The Cyprus dispute is the conflict between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots and also Republic of Cyprus and Turkey over Cyprus, an island nation in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. ... An island nation is a country that is wholly confined to an island or islands. ... April 24 is the 114th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (115th in leap years). ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The foundation of the U.N. The United Nations (UN) is an international organization whose stated aims are to facilitate co-operation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress and human rights issues. ... The Cyprus dispute is the conflict between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots and also Republic of Cyprus and Turkey over Cyprus, an island nation in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

Results

The participation in the referendum of post-1974 Northern Cyprus settlers from mainland Turkey was disputed by many Greek Cypriots, but this was not deemed a matter of relevance to the referendum.

Since the Greek Cypriot Community did not approve the plan and implementation of the plan was dependent on its approval by both communities, the Annan Plan became null and void. The European Union states: "In light of Protocol 10 of the Accession Treaty 2003 Cyprus as a whole entered the EU, whereas the acquis is suspended in the northern part of the island (“areas not under effective control of the Government of the Republic of Cyprus”). This means inter alia that these areas are outside the customs and fiscal territory of the EU. The suspension has territorial effect, but does not concern the personal rights of Turkish Cypriots as EU citizens, as they are considered as citizens of the Member State Republic of Cyprus"[1].

Had the plan been ratified by both sides, Cyprus would have entered the EU as the United Cyprus Republic. This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

Reasons for 'Yes' and 'No' vote

Divided Cyprus

The main reason for the 75 percent "no" vote among Greek Cypriots in the referendum was the general perception that the Annan Plan was unbalanced and excessively pro-Turkish, and that it would not safeguard Greek Cypriot rights in the north. Map of Cyprus from CIA World Factbook. ... Map of Cyprus from CIA World Factbook. ... Greek Cypriot refers to the ethnic Greek population of Cyprus. ...

Political leaders in both controlled areas of Republic of Cyprus and Greece also influenced the Greek Cypriot vote by strongly opposing the plan. Tassos Papadopoulos, president of the Republic of Cyprus, spoke out against the plan in an emotional speech broadcast live on television. Two days before the referendums, Cyprus's biggest party, AKEL, decided to reject the Annan Plan because of its perceived bias. Greek Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis decided to maintain a "neutral" position over the plan, but the Greek opposition leader George Papandreou (of the PASOK party) urged Cypriots to vote in favour, also because the plan had been promoted by his political party while it was still on power and Mr. Papandreou himself was the foreign minister of Greece during the last PASOK term. Mr. Papandreou even stated that the plan was laid out during his term and that both parts were ready for "a final common agreement" before his party lost the elections. Mr. Papandreou's involvement in conceiving and negotating crucial points of the plan has been a source of controversy in Greece, at least during the referendum days. Tassos Nikolaou Papadopoulos (Greek: Τάσσος Παπαδόπουλος) born January 7, 1934) has been the president of the Republic of Cyprus since 2003. ... The Progressive Party of Working People (AKEL) (Greek: Ανορθωτικό Κόμμα Εργαζόμενου Λαού) is a socialist party in Cyprus. ... The Prime Minister of Greece (Πρωθυπουργός in Greek) is the head of government of the Hellenic Republic and the leader of the Greek cabinet. ... Konstantínos Alexandrou Karamanlís (Κωνσταντίνος Αλεξάνδρου Καραμανλής, in Greek; generally known as Costas Caramanlis, Costas Karamanlis, or Kóstas Karamanlís, born September 14, 1956) became Prime Minister of Greece on March 10, 2004 following his partys victory in the March 7 parliamentary elections. ... George Papandreou as Foreign Minister of Greece For George Papandreous grandfather, also called George Papandreou, see George Papandreou, senior. ... Party logo The Panhellenic Socialist Movement, better known as PASOK (Greek: Πανελλήνιο Σοσιαλιστικό Κίνημα, Panellinio Sosialistiko Kinima, ΠΑΣΟΚ), is a Greek social democratic political party. ... Party logo The Panhellenic Socialist Movement, better known as PASOK (Greek: Πανελλήνιο Σοσιαλιστικό Κίνημα, Panellinio Sosialistiko Kinima, ΠΑΣΟΚ), is a Greek social democratic political party. ...

Many Greek Cypriots opposed the plan as it meant endorsing a confederal state with a weak central government and considerable local autonomy, rather than the pre-1974 status quo ante of Greek Cypriot majority rule over a minority Turkish population. It would also have left Greeks dispossessed of their homes in 1974 without financial redress or the return of their property. The plan would have cemented the division of Cyprus into two political entities and safeguarded the presence of settlers from mainland Turkey, both of which were felt to be illegitimate and unfair outcomes. Any solution other than a return to the status quo ante was deemed unacceptable by many Greek Cypriots, and opinion polls conducted over the entire period of the negotiations from start to finish had always shown around 80% opposition to the proposals. A confederation is an association of sovereign states or communities, usually created by treaty but often later adopting a common constitution. ... Status Quo are an English rock band whose music is characterised by a strong boogie line. ...

There were reservations over the fate of property or humanitarian disputes, which could no longer be brought before an International Court according to the plan, but would have to be settled by a third party set by the warrant forces. An embargo on weapon imports to the Greek Cypriot side, until the Turkish Cypriot side would be able to fully support itself also caused reservations among Greek Cypriots, in part because it did not apply to the Turkish forces.

On the Turkish Cypriot side, the plan was felt to be excessively pro-Greek, but most Turkish Cypriots were willing to accept it as a means of ending their prolonged international isolation and exclusion from the wider European economy. It was opposed by their leadership, with the Turkish Cypriot President Rauf Denktaş actively advocating a no vote. However, his Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat favoured the plan's acceptance, while Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also supported it. Turkey saw a resolution of the Cyprus issue as being an essential first step to eventual Turkish membership of the EU as well as a way of defusing tensions with Greece. Turkish Cypriots are those inhabitants of Cyprus who are ethnically Turkish[1], as opposed to those who are of Greek (the Greek Cypriots) or other ethnicities. ... The economy of Europe is comprised of more than 665 million people in 48 different states. ... Rauf DenktaÅŸ Rauf Raif DenktaÅŸ (in English often spelled Rauf Denktash) (born January 27, 1924) is the founder of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, a de facto state which is only recognized by Turkey. ... Mehmet Ali Talat Mehmet Ali Talat (born July 6, 1952) is the current President of the de factoTurkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which controls the northern third of the island of Cyprus and is unrecognized by any nation except Turkey. ... This is a chronological list of every government formed by the Prime Ministers of the Republic of Turkey. ... Recep Tayyip ErdoÄŸan (born February 26, 1954), became Prime Minister of Turkey on March 14, 2003. ...

The Grey Wolves (a Turkish right-wing nationalist group belonging to the MHP nationalist party) actively advocated a "no" vote. There were some limited riots caused by the Grey Wolves party activists against pro-ratification supporters during the pre-vote period. At least 50 such activists had arrived in Northern Cyprus during the pre-voting period. However, the referendum itself passed off peacefully and was deemed free and fair. Grey Wolves (Bozkurtlar in Turkish) is the youth organization of the Turkish Nationalist Movement Party (Milliyetçi Hareket Partisi, MHP), an ultra-nationalist[1] movement founded by Alparslan Türkeş in 1969. ... In politics, right-wing, the political right, or simply the right, are terms which refer, with no particular precision, to the segment of the political spectrum in opposition to left-wing politics. ... Nationalism is an ideology that creates and sustains a nation as a concept of a common identity for groups of humans. ... MHP symbol The Nationalist Movement Party (Can also be translated as Nationalist Action Party) (Milliyetçi Hareket Partisi (MHP)), is a far-right nationalist political party in Turkey. ...

Both sides also had reservations over the fate of property or humanitarian disputes, which could no longer be brought before an International Court according to the plan, but would have to be settled in Cyprus, in front of a specially appointed non-EU court, including UN, UK and USA representatives.

Although the plan was published on 1 April 2004, it continued to be modified until only 24 hours before the referendum, enabling opponents to argue that people were being asked to vote on something they had not even seen and whose consequences could not be fully analysed. April 1 is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 274 days remaining. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Reaction

Rauf Denktash responded to the referendum outcome by declaring that, with the Annan Plan rejected, his "no" campaign had reached its objective. He rejected calls for his immediate resignation, but announced the following month that he would not be standing for a fifth presidential term in 2005. Republic of Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos, emphasised that his people had rejected just the Annan plan and not all solutions to the Cyprus problem. "They are not turning their backs on their Turkish Cypriot compatriots," he said soon after the results were declared. "They have simply rejected this particular solution on offer." Rauf R. Denktash Rauf Raif Denktash (Rauf Raif Denktaş in Turkish; born January 27, 1924) is a Turkish-Cypriot political leader. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Tassos Nikolaou Papadopoulos (Greek: Τάσσος Παπαδόπουλος) born January 7, 1934) has been the president of the Republic of Cyprus since 2003. ...

There was varied reaction from Cyprus's Guarantor Powers, Greece, Turkey and the United Kingdom. Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that he believed the result spelled an end for Turkish Cypriot isolation, and that by rejecting the Annan Plan, "southern Cyprus (was) the loser". A spokesman for the Greek government stressed that efforts to reunite Cyprus should not be halted, pointing out that in the EU framework it is "in the interest of everyone to continue efforts to reconcile Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots". Recep Tayyip ErdoÄŸan (born February 26, 1954), became Prime Minister of Turkey on March 14, 2003. ...

The British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said, "We will respect the choice which Greek Cypriots have expressed today. But I hope that they will continue to reflect on whether this choice is the right one for them." The general international reaction to the result was similar to that of Britain: one of deep disappointment, particularly among those bodies that had worked on the Annan Plan and on EU accession arrangements. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Whitehall, seen from St. ... John Whitaker Straw (born August 3, 1946) is a British Labour Party politician. ...

• United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan: A unique and historic chance to resolve the Cyprus problem has been missed.
• European Commission: The European Commission deeply regrets that the Greek Cypriot community did not approve the comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem, but it respects the democratic decision of the people.
• US State Department Spokesman Richard Boucher: We are disappointed that a majority of Greek Cypriots voted against the settlement plan. Failure of the referendum in the Greek Cypriot community is a setback to the hopes of those on the island who voted for the settlement and to the international community.
• European Commissioner for Enlargement Günter Verheugen: I feel cheated by the Greek Cypriot government... There is a shadow now over the accession of Cyprus. What we will seriously consider now is finding a way to end the economic isolation of the Turkish Cypriots.
• UN Special Envoy Álvaro de Soto: This evening I'm biting my tongue.

Loukis Loukaides, the Cypriot judge on the European Court of Human Rights, has since called on Greek Cypriot political leaders to abandon the Annan Plan as a basis for negotiations, arguing that its basic philosophy violates fundamental human rights and the EU acquis communautaire. The foundation of the U.N. The United Nations (UN) is an international organization whose stated aims are to facilitate co-operation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress and human rights issues. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Kofi Atta Annan (born April 8, 1938) is a Ghanaian born diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations from January 1, 1997 to December 31, 2006, serving two five-year terms. ... The European Commission (formally the Commission of the European Communities) is the executive body of the European Union. ... The Cyprus dispute is the conflict between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots and also Republic of Cyprus and Turkey over Cyprus, an island nation in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. ... The United States Department of State, often referred to as the State Department, is the Cabinet-level foreign affairs agency of the United States government, equivalent to foreign ministries in other countries. ... Richard Boucher is the name of at least two people: Rick Boucher - Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives representing Virginia Richard A. Boucher - United States Department of State spokesman, and former Ambassador and diplomat. ... The European Commission (formally the Commission of the European Communities) is the executive body of the European Union. ... Günter Verheugen (born 28 April 1944 in Bad Kreuznach, Rhineland-Palatinate) is a German politician, currently serving as European Commissioner for Enterprise and Industry. ... Álvaro de Soto (born 16 March 1943) is a Peruvian diplomat and a senior official of the United Nations. ... European Court of Human Rights building in Strasbourg The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), often referred to informally as the Strasbourg Court, was created to systematise the hearing of human rights complaints against States Parties to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, adopted by... The term acquis (or sometimes acquis communautaire), deriving from French, is used in European Union law to refer to the total body of EU law accumulated so far. ...

See also

• History of Cyprus
• Cyprus dispute
• Enlargement of the European Union

This article is about the History of Cyprus. ... The Cyprus dispute is the conflict between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots and also Republic of Cyprus and Turkey over Cyprus, an island nation in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. ... The European Union (EU) was created by six founding states in 1958 (following the earlier establishment by the same six states of the European Coal and Steel Community in 1952) and has grown to 27 member states. ...

External links

• The Annan plan: text and commentary from the UN
• No to the Annan Plan: campaign against the Annan Plan
• Oxi sto Sxedio Anan: campaign against the Annan Plan in Greek
• The UN Annan Plan Proposal For the settlement of the Cyprus question: legal analysis of the Annan Plan
• Le Monde Diplomatique: Implications for the "No" Vote in Cyprus
• BBC News: prior to the vote
• BBC News: results coverage
• UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Press Release

Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus presidential elections v • d • e

1981 | 1985 | 1990 | 1995 | 2000 | 2005

Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus parliamentary elections

1985 | 1990 | 1991 | 1993 | 1998 | 2003 | 2005

Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus referenda

2004