An evaluation of the final situation

YBH Youth has evaluated the negotiations for the settlement of the Cyprus Problem, recently taken place in Burgenstock and the final version of Annan Plan[1] concluded as a result of these negotiations and decided to support the plan. 

YBH Youth decided to support the plan and to struggle for a YES vote in referenda on the 24^th of April based on the following facts the plan possesses:

• The island will be reunified;
• A better way of co-struggling will be possible;
• The plan is accepted by the International Community;
• The plan includes integration with the European Union;
• The plan removes the cease-fire conditions;
• A more democratic regime will be built in the north of the island.

YBH Youth reminds that the negotiations have started based on the UN Security Council Resolution 649(1990)[2] and were concluded within this framework. YBH Youth also underlines that Security Council Resolution 1475(2003)[3], appreciates the goodwill mission of Annan and his team in addition to the full support to his report of 1^st April 2003 (S/2003/398)[4]. Similarly we would also like to remind that in its Security Council Resolution 1250(1999)[5] demanded that the involved parties start negotiations on all issues without any preconditions and full consideration of relevant United Nations resolutions and treaties. In other words UN fully supports the plan and the efforts of the Secretary General and his team.

Similarly the Council of Europe and a number of EU institutions and members have supported the negotiations and contributed to the process. European Enlargement Commissioner Guenter Verheugen and EU officials were also present at the final talks in Burgenstock and contributed with their proposals.

On top of all these we would also like to remind that:

o        The settlement is a framework;

o        The interior functions will be compatible with the Acquis communautaire due to EU membership;

o        Some discriminating factors will be automatically removed with inter-communal  trust and cooperation;

o        Other negative aspects will be changed to the extend that the communities can build cooperation and overcome the dividing and nationalistic aspects.

In addition we would like to emphasize that after the settlement, together with other progressive youth organizations, we will continue to be against any kind of discrimination based on religion, language, ethnicity, gender, color, sexual orientation, etc… whether in Cyprus or in the EU. We would also like to underline that we will continue our struggle against such discriminatory aspects within the plan.

We call upon all progressive youth organizations to actively support this plan which:

• Is prepared based on the UN resolutions;
• Is supported by the Council of Europe and the EU institutions and is internationally accepted;
• Will allow the possibility of the reunification and will give the common struggle  chance to the two communities for their future;
• Will eliminate the 30-yeared cease fire conditions;
• Will greatly decrease Turkey’s dominance on the north with 30 thousand army force. 

YBH Youth underlines that if this possibility for a settlement is missed the life conditions in the north will get even worse and as a result Turkish Cypriot youth will immigrate even more, the occupation conditions with 30 thousand army forces will be more official and will mean more pressures on the ones struggling for a settlement in the northern part of the island. 

Under these conditions YBH Youth calls upon all progressive youth organizations to promote international solidarity and to actively contribute to this process.

YBH Youth

09/04/04