Annan plan
The Annan Plan is the name of the United Nations plan for the reorganization of the situation in Cyprus with the reunification of the two parts of the island into one state. The process was largely pushed forward by the then UN Secretary General Kofi Annan , after initial approaches in 1999, in the true sense since 2002. The plan failed in 2004 after two separate referendums due to rejection by the Greeks in the south of the island.
content
Annan had already tried in 1999 to restart talks between the Republic of Cyprus and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus . The opportunity seemed opportune, as 1999 was the first EU decision on the accession of the Republic of Cyprus. The plan was to make the island a confederation of two very independent states. The cantons of Switzerland served as a model. Only foreign, defense, economic and monetary policy and the regulation of citizenship should be reserved for the state as a whole. Annan took account of the fear of population shifts by temporarily restricting the freedom of establishment and property. In addition, extensive demilitarization was planned. The United Kingdom , Greece and Turkey were to remain protective powers of the country (see London Guarantee Treaty 1959 ).
development
The first plan (Annan I) was presented in 2002, shortly before the EU would make a final decision on the accession of the Republic of Cyprus. After the two Cypriot sides submitted their comments, the Annan II Plan was published in December 2002. After further consultations, the Annan III plan followed in February 2003. On 10/11 March saw a meeting between Annan and representatives of both ethnic groups. While the Greek side was in favor of negotiations on this basis, the Turkish side refused.
The plan initially failed. Against the background of a pro-European mood in Northern Cyprus, a changed political situation in Turkey after the AKP's election victory and the gains of the opposition in Northern Cyprus in the 2003 elections, negotiations on the basis of the Annan III plan were resumed.
Negotiations began in New York on February 10, 2004 and later continued in Cyprus itself. After no agreement could be reached, further negotiations took place in Switzerland in March with the involvement of Greece and Turkey. Annan presented the Annan IV plan. After the inclusion of further change requests, the final Annan V plan was presented at the end of March 2004. While the first plan was just over 100 pages, the last version was 6000 pages.
fail
For the implementation of the plan, the separate approval of the two population groups in referendums was planned. The vote of the Greek Cypriots on April 24, 2004 resulted in a rejection of 76%. In contrast, the Cypriot Turks agreed with 65%. The Annan Plan, as the only real opportunity to date to end the division of the island and to express the will to reconcile, had thus failed.
One of the motives that led to the rejection on the Greek Cypriot side was the compensation of the displaced persons from 1974, which was considered too low. In addition, only 20% of the displaced persons were allowed to return to their places of origin for 25 years. In contrast, the displaced Turkish Cypriots were granted the right to return. There was also criticism of the limited freedom of movement in the economic field and the permanent presence of Turkish army units.
In July 2011, the then Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan declared that he would not hold any further negotiations with the EU during the EU Council Presidency of the Republic of Cyprus and that previous concessions were no longer valid. Morfou (Güzelyurt) will not be ceded to the Republic of Cyprus , as foreseen in the Annan Plan .
literature
- Stefan Talmon : Collective non-recognition of illegal states . Tübingen 2006, p. 27 ff. Digitized in the Google book search
Web links
- Cyprus Times: Annan Plan of March 31, 2004 as a PDF document
- Cyprus and Turkish-European relations
- Essay - The Annan Plan and where it failed (PDF file; 45 kB)
Individual evidence
- ↑ The Comprehensive Settlement of the Cyprus Problem [Annan Plan] Annex IV, Art. 4, Paragraph 2
- ↑ Dispute over Cyprus - Erdogan wants contact to the EU to be frozen for six months