It was about two separate referendums in the free and occupied territories, with the question of approving or rejecting a Cyprus solution plan that had resulted from the UN arbitration at the points where there was distance between the two sides.
From 2004 until today, there have been other attempts to resolve the Cyprus issue, the latest of which is ongoing with the Anastasiades-Akintzi negotiations.
Although the present process had created many hopes due to the issues discussed and agreed upon, problems have arisen created by the Turkish side which is looking for ways to stop the talks under various pretexts to put the blame on the Greek Cypriot side.
The Greek Cypriot side has today made it clear that the Annan Plan, since it was rejected, cannot be reinstated with decorative changes and a new formula must be sought.
Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades, who in 2004 as the leader of the “Democratic Alarm” party (DISY) had been in favor of the plan, has made it clear that respecting the verdict of the people he will not favor the reinstatement of the plan if there are no changes that will satisfy the Greek Cypriots side. What has been emphasized is that if the plan is reinstated there will be a new rejection that will bring Cyprus closer to the final partition.
It should be noted that just 6 days after the 2004 referendum, the Republic of Cyprus became a full member of the EU with all the territories of Cyprus and suspension of the application of the acquis communautaire in the occupied territories.
The Annan Plan in its original form was presented by the UN to then President Glafkos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash on 11 November 2002.
In December 2002, the two sides made proposals on the plan, and after UN-mediated negotiations, the second version of the plan was finalized on December 10.
The negotiations had not been done with direct contacts but with a constant back and forth of UN representatives in the free and occupied territories.
Efforts were intensified at the EU summit in Copenhagen where the accession of Cyprus to the EU would be decided. The British Sir David Haney played an important and behind-the-scenes role. Denktas was unable to go to Copenhagen as he had undergone open heart surgery a few days earlier.
The so-called “minister of foreign affairs” of the pseudo-state consulted with the then Attorney General of Cyprus, Alekos Markidis, and the consultation ended in a wreck with Cyprus joining the EU without the resolution of the Cyprus issue being set as a condition. A decisive role was played by the Greek government, which had made it clear that in the event of Cyprus not joining, it would undermine EU enlargement.
At the same time, Cyprus enters a pre-election period with Glauko Cleridis requesting re-election with a commitment to remain in the Presidency for 16 months in order to resolve the Cyprus problem. The elections were won on February 16, 2003 by Tassos Papadopoulos with the votes of his party (DIKO) and the leftist AKEL. On February 26, then UN Secretary General Kofi Annan visits Cyprus and presents to both sides his third plan with some changes from the previous one. It is decided to hold a joint meeting in The Hague, Switzerland on March 10, 2003.
At the meeting, Rauf Denktash rejects the third plan, while Tassos Papadopoulos accepted it with some objections to security issues and gaps that had been identified in relation to the implementation of the solution.
On April 16, 2003, the accession treaty of the Republic of Cyprus to the EU is signed in Athens. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, wanting to anticipate the full integration of Cyprus on May 1, 2004, requires both sides to accept the filling of the gaps through arbitration by the UN. In other words, on the points where Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots would not agree, let the UN decide the arrangements. Denktash, who was under intense pressure inside the pseudo-state, with a surprise move, on April 23, 2003, opens the roadblocks for the first time since 1974 and allows the movement of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots between free and occupied areas.
In December 2003, Mehmet Ali Talat (“prime minister”) wins the elections in the occupied territories, while Denktas remained in the so-called “presidency”.
Tassos Papadopoulos, in a letter to the UN Secretary General, requests a resumption of efforts to resolve the Cyprus issue with the aim of a solution before May 1, 2004, when Cyprus would join the EU. This move by Tassos Papadopoulos was aimed at placing blame on the Turkish side as he believed that there would be denial again from Denktas. The assessment of Tassos Papadopoulos proved to be wrong as Denktas, in a meeting held with the UN Secretary General in New York, accepted arbitration and the holding of referendums in April 2004. Tassos Papadopoulos was forced to accept the same.
Immediately after, new consultations are held between the two sides without reaching an agreement until March 23, 2003. The next day, the UN Secretary-General invites the leaders of the two communities and the Prime Ministers of Greece and Turkey to Lucerne, Switzerland for consultations.
In Lucerne, the UN through the representative of Alvaro De Soto exercises its deliberative role and comes to the final Annan plan (No. 4) which is decided to be put to referendums on April 24, 2004. The plan was given on March 29 and the next day attempts were made for some changes which, however, did not satisfy either Tassos Papadopoulos or Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis.
Tassos Papadopoulos opposed the upvoting of the plan and with his dramatic speech on April 7, 2004, he asked for its rejection in the referendum.
After the stagnation of several years, which followed the referendum, and despite predictions that there would possibly be no new opportunity to resolve the Cyprus problem, expectations were rekindled during the administration of Dimitris Christofias and under the leadership of the Turkish Cypriots by Mehmet Ali Talat. The talks, although they progressed to a significant extent by recording convergences on several issues, did not come to an end, as Mr. Talat was unable to make the excesses that would allow for a comprehensive agreement. Mr. Talat was then succeeded by the extremist Dervish Eroglou, who attempted to overturn any convergences that had been achieved, leading the negotiations to yet another impasse.
The current phase of the talks between President Anastasiades and Mustafa Akintzi, despite everything, shows that it is headed for a new wreck. The demands placed on the rights of Turkish Cypriots and Turkish nationals do not allow their acceptance, while at the same time challenges continue with the searches of the Turkish vessel Barbaros in the Cypriot EEZ.
Few today believe that negotiations can lead to an agreement, and in all likelihood these negotiations will also be recorded as one of many failed attempts.
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