THE latest opinion poll measuring Greek Cypriot feelings about the Annan plan and the ongoing negotiations has shown an increasing scepticism among Greek Cypriots on the viability of the final settlement.
Commissioned by Simerini and conducted by pollsters CBS Communication Services Bureau, the survey found an overwhelming disapproval of the UN-backed plan as it stands, although respondents did not reject it outright, particularly in the event the Greek Cypriot side’s concerns were addressed.
Asked what they would vote in the referendum judging from developments in the talks so far, 66 per cent said ‘No’, 10 per cent ‘Yes’ and the remaining 24 per cent were undecided.
But the poll examined various scenarios. For example, people were asked how they would vote if the President accepted the plan in Switzerland; 57 per cent said they would still vote against the proposed solution, 35 per cent for, and eight percent were not sure.
Asked, “what if the President accepted the final plan, but the political party you support rejected it?” 76 per cent said they would still vote ‘no’ in the referendum; 18 per cent would vote ‘yes’.
Disapproval reached the highest figures in the event the Greek Cypriot side’s so-called ‘seven points’ were not accepted by the United Nations. Here people almost universally rejected the proposed solution: 94 per cent against, five per cent for.
The ‘seven points’ issue seemed a determining factor in people’s minds; reversing the scenario, the survey asked what if these Greek Cypriot demands were accepted by the UN. That radically altered the figures, with 53 per cent saying they would vote for a solution, and just 39 per cent against.
“I think these three conditions/scenarios were the most important aspect of the poll,” said Michalis Vrionides, field research manager for Symmetron, a CBS affiliate.
“This latest survey suggests an increasing scepticism with regard to the final settlement, and this is also reflected in most of the other polls published recently,” he added,
CBS’s poll was carried out from March 18-23, that is, before the negotiations in Burgenstock got under way. A total of 1,000 people aged 18 and over participated; respondents were asked to fill in questionnaires that were then placed in a ‘ballot box’.
Respondents were also asked to prioritise the reasons why they were opposed to the UN blueprint: 66 per cent said the proposed settlement was unjust; 61 per cent that it violated human rights; 53 per cent voiced security concerns; 52 per cent said it was not viable; 44 per cent objected to the continued presence of Turkish troops on the island; and 38 per cent cited the fact that not all refugees would be returning to their homes.
President Papadopoulos’ handling of the negotiations was highly rated, as 77 per cent of respondents said they were ‘very’ or ‘quite’ satisfied with his performance so far.
According to reports, political leaders in Switzerland have taken a keen interest in the poll’s results. Asked to comment, DISY alternate chairman Averoff Neophytou said it was too early to pass judgment on the negotiations, and advised people to be patient and wait for the final document.
