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UK cedes land to aid Cyprus unity
LONDON, England (CNN) -- Britain said it was prepared to give up half of its land on Cyprus as part of a United Nations peace plan to reunite the Greek and Turkish sides of the Mediterranean island. The British offer to cede some 45 square miles of sovereign territory on its military bases will not affect British military capability on Cyprus, the foreign office spokeswoman told CNN. The land is mostly farmland and unoccupied by troops. The provision is contained in a second revision of a peace agreement being brokered by U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Annan plans to meet the Turkish president and prime minister Tuesday to discuss Cyprus before travelling on to Greece and Cyprus. The United Nations set a deadline of February 28 for the unification. If the deadline is not met, only the Greek-backed, internationally recognised portion of Cyprus will be able to sign a European Union accession agreement by April 16, when the EU accepts 10 new members. "I devoutly hope the treaty will be signed on behalf of a united Cyprus," Annan said. "This is also the strong preference of the European Union." Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis said on Monday a deal between Greek and Turkish Cypriots by the end of March was almost impossible due to a lack of cooperation from the Turkish Cypriot side. Speaking after talks in Athens with new Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos, Simitis said a deal was only possible if there was cooperation from Turkish Cypriots. "The margins of success within the given frame are very small, almost non-existent," Simitis told Reuters. "When I say margin, I'm talking about the end of March." For unification to occur in Cyprus, both Greek and Turkish Cypriots must approve it in a March referendum. Papadopoulos said the proposal must be changed before his citizens will accept it. One of the key issues, he said, includes the right-of-return of all Greek Cypriot refugees forced from the Turkish-occupied north and full respect of the European Convention of Human Rights. Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash, who is backed by Ankara, also opposes the plan. He wants Turkish Cyprus to be recognised diplomatically as a prelude to establishing the proposed federation. "I wish to do all I can to encourage the leaders to muster the spirit of compromise, courage and leadership, which they are capable of," Annan said. Cyprus, a point of tension between NATO allies Turkey and Greece for decades, has been divided into a Turkish north and Greek south since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded in response to a brief military coup by Greek Cypriots seeking union with Greece. This is "a defining moment for Cyprus," Annan told reporters on Sunday. "I know we are preoccupied with Iraq, but we should not let it detract us from this crucial moment." -- CNN Producer Andy Card contributed to this report.
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