Question of the Week: Do you think the Cyprus referenda should be postponed?

Date: 15/04/04

THE 24 April referenda on reunifying Cyprus suffered a setback this week when the largest Greek Cypriot party AKEL unexpectedly decided to urge a 'No' vote unless the polls are postponed. Mehmet Ali Talat, the Turkish Cypriot prime minister, is the most prominent figure on the 'Yes' side. We asked him:

Do you think the referenda should be postponed?

Talat: It would be unacceptable for us to postpone the referenda. That would mean that Cyprus would become a member of the EU on 1 May with only the Greek Cypriots representing the island. That is something we could not accept.

I am not sure if the referenda are doomed. If the parties worked hard for a 'Yes' vote, I don't think the results would be negative.

We don't know yet what the consequences of a 'No' vote in 'Greek Cyprus' and a 'Yes' vote in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus would be.

The Turkish Cypriot community has done its best over the past two years to get rid of the obstacles to a solution.

The Turkish Cypriots have struggled a lot. And we want our people's efforts to be praised and recognized.

The question is answered by Mehmet Ali Talat, the Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister.