Euro Green threatens to try and block accession if Greek Cypriots vote ‘no’

EUROPEAN Green Party Deputy Daniel Cohn-Bendit has warned his party would attempt to stop Cyprus’ accession to the EU should the Greek Cypriot side vote ‘no’ in the referendum in April.

In an interview with Phileleftheros, Cohn-Bendit warned the Cyprus Greens that their party would be isolated if they continued to hold a negative stance on UN Secretary-general Kofi Annan’s plan for a settlement.

“We have worked so hard all these years to convince the Turkish Cypriots to accept the UN proposals and mediation, and now that we have achieved that, the Greek side is telling us that it was all a simple joke?” Chon-Bendit asked.

“I don’t know if I will be able to win this battle, but I will raise the issue at the European Council and I will ask that Cyprus’ accession be frozen.”

Cohn-Bendit said he was planning to visit Cyprus in the near future in an effort to convince Greek and Turkish Cypriots to vote ‘yes’ in the referenda, but added he did not think the Cyprus Green Party would support their efforts.

“I know that they will not support our efforts, but I will discuss the issue with them publicly,” he said.

“They are defending their views and we are defending ours. Those parties that hold a negative stance on the UN proposals will be isolated.

“This also stands for the Cyprus Greens, who I believe will be isolated in the European Green Party if they hold a different stance, and they already know this,” Cohn-Bendit added.

“We know the Cyprus Greens are sceptical over the Annan plan because, as they say, it does not ensure the return of refugees to the north.

“I believe that they, and the majority of the Greek Cypriots should understand that if they have a united Cyprus in the EU, then everything will change for the better.
“It is totally foolish to deny this. Foolish and dangerous.”