& nbsp & nbspΤου Giannaki Omirou/Photos: Andreas Manoli & nbsp; & nbsp;
It is 18 years since the final phase of the Annan Plan discussions that led to the referendums of April 24, 2004. The process in the Swiss mountains of Burgenstock, chaotic and unrestrained, will remain a UN practice that should recorded as an example to avoid. As a member of the National Council that I was present, I testify from the beginning and the end of what took place in March and April 2004 at the Swiss resort.
When the talks at Nicosia Airport for the first of the two phases provided for in the New York agreement were completed, it was time for the second and most critical phase. The United Nations has chosen Burgenstok, a mountain resort in Switzerland, next to the city of Lucerne, at an altitude of a thousand meters, as the venue for these talks. On March 23, 2004, the members of the National Council, together with the President Tassos Papadopoulos, the former President Glafkos Clerides, the former President George Vassilios and the other members of the delegation of the Greek Cypriot side traveled to Switzerland.
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We landed at Zurich airport. From there, by helicopter arranged by the United Nations and the Swiss Government, we were flown to Burgenstock. The members of the National Council were accommodated in one of the hotels of the tourist complex, while President Papadopoulos and the other members of our delegation were accommodated in another hotel, which also housed the Greek, Turkish and Turkish delegations.
When I woke up the next morning, the balcony door of my room did not open. It took a lot of effort to half open it. The reason is the heavy snowfall throughout the previous night. The landscape was magnificent, with a wonderful view of the huge valley that stretched below the hotel. However, in the following days, due to the snow, we would encounter great difficulties in our travels outside the hotel, while there would be no shortage of minor accidents. The security measures were draconian. Roadblocks were set up everywhere and UN and Swiss security men were not allowed to enter the area where the delegations had been deployed except to special permit holders.
The sessions of the National & nbsp;
The media correspondents were stationed in a hotel 2-3 km from Burgenstock. On the same day, the members of the Turkish delegation and the Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abdullah Gul, arrived at the Swiss resort with us, together with the Deputy Minister in charge of the Cyprus issue, Ugur Zial. The next day, Greek Foreign Minister Petros Molyviatis, Deputy Foreign Minister Giannis Valinakis and a group of diplomats arrived. On March 23, after our installation at the hotel, a meeting of the members of the National Council with the President of the Republic took place. We were informed of a document submitted by the UN Special Representative for the Cyprus Alvaro de Soto to President Papadopoulos, which contained the proposals of the Turkish side on the Annan Plan. & Nbsp;
The President raised the issue of the appropriate authorization of the Turkish Cypriot representatives Mehmet Ali Talat and Serdar Denktaş, in order “to be able to take binding decisions on the ground”. He stated that he would raise this issue categorically in the first meetings he would have. He also informed us about the issues that de Soto intended to raise. He emphasized that he would make it clear to his interlocutors: administration territories had to fall, in the transitional phase, under full UN control. & nbsp;
The Turkish document
In the meantime, from a document of the Turkish side which we secured, we became aware of the demands raised by the Turks to de Soto for changes and additions to the Annan Plan. These requirements were fully met by the United Nations Secretariat, as subsequently demonstrated. The document was submitted to de Soto by Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Ziyal. The Turkish requirements were as follows: & nbsp;
1. The percentage of Greek Cypriots who will be entitled to return under C/C administration to be reduced from 21% to 18%. & Nbsp;
2. Limitation of the right to recover the property to 1/3 of its value. & Nbsp;
3. Enhancing “transnationality – bi-zoning” in state institutions. In addition to the equal number in the Upper House – Senate (24-24), this should be extended to other bodies of the state. & Nbsp;
4. There should not be a 5% limit on the number of Turkish citizens wishing to settle in Cyprus. & Nbsp;
5. Introduce provision in the settlement plan that neither side should seek or claim jurisdiction or supremacy over the other. & Nbsp;
6. The EU ensure that the solution is considered and secured as Primary Law. & nbsp;
Source: www.philenews.com
