AFTER the Greek Cypriot’s resounding ‘no’ last Saturday, debate has already begun on the likelihood of a second referendum.
AKEL leader Demetris Christofias said on Saturday that his party would still fight for a fresh referendum, even after 76 per cent of the community voted against the Annan plan. He said AKEL’s ‘no’ aimed at cementing a big ‘yes’ from the Greek Cypriot community as soon as possible. The party wanted certain guarantees that the plan would be implemented before committing to supporting a ‘yes’ vote.
United Democrats leader George Vassiliou yesterday echoed Christofias’ call for a second referendum. The former president said a second vote should be called for because no one in the international community was prepared to restart negotiations.
Interior Minister Andreas Christou also supported the idea of a second vote on the Annan plan.
However, former Foreign Minister Yiannakis Cassoulides yesterday described AKEL’s proposal to repeat the referendum as unrealistic. The proposal presupposes a radical change of position by President Tassos Papadopoulos, Turkey’s acceptance, and the willingness of the international community to push for a revote without solid guarantees of success, explained Cassoulides.
According to reports, one way of bypassing any obstruction from the government would be for House President Christofias to push a request for a second referendum through parliament.
Government Spokesman Kypros Chrysostomides refused to comment on the prospect of a second referendum, saying that the matter would be decided in the next National Council meeting. President Papadopoulos has previously expressed his desire to renegotiate certain points of the plan before returning it to the people for a second vote.
Asked what plans the UN had for the future, UN Special Envoy Alvaro de Soto said yesterday: “We are not talking about the near future, not in a couple of weeks’ time.” He added: “We will step back and reflect on what has transpired over the past four years.” Asked if there was a chance of a second referendum, De Soto said: “We will reflect on that and many other things.”
According to one diplomatic source, the international community would expect a real change in the negative climate surrounding the plan before committing to a second referendum. The source said it was a question of the mechanisms of internal politics up to the crucial date of December, when the EU will decide on Turkey’s EU accession path.
“It would have to be absolutely clear that the people are ready to vote again and it has to happen quickly because December is the crucial date. There is a long way to go to convincing 76 per cent of the population and also a long way to go politically,” he said.
Another diplomat said the responsibility lay with the political leadership on the island whether to push for a second vote or not. The EU has not ruled out the prospect of a revote but the general feeling is that it is too early to discuss that possibility, given the resounding ‘no’ and Papadopoulos’ opposition to the idea.
