CYPRUS: The UN Secretary-General, Mr Kofi Annan, yesterday presented to Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders the third version of his plan to reunify the divided island.
Speaking on arrival, he said: "I pray that the leaders in their wisdom will come to an agreement in the coming few days," asserting he is not prepared to wait longer than a week.
The final deadline set for acceptance of his plan, tabled last November, was February 28th.
The extension leaves just enough time for the communities to hold simultaneous referendums ahead of Cyprus's signing of the European Union accession accord on April 16th.
"Let the word go out to Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots alike: you have a rendezvous with destiny," Mr Annan said.
If they fail to reach agreement, the majority Greek Cypriot republic will join the EU in May 2004 and the Turkish Cypriot bid will be shelved.
Mr Annan's first meeting was with the outgoing Cypriot President, Mr Glafkos Clerides, who has been taking part in intensive UN-brokered negotiations with the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mr Rauf Denktash, over the past 13 months. Mr Annan's second encounter was with president-elect, Mr Tassos Papadopoulos, who takes office tomorrow.
His third meeting was with Mr Denktash.
The Annan plan calls for the establishment of a bizonal, bicommunal federation comprising two states linked by a weak central authority. Although Mr Annan characterised the latest version of his proposal as "fair and balanced", each side says it favours the other.
The strongest criticism came from Mr Denktash, who said the plan had been drawn up by people unfamiliar with the island and its problems.
He dismissed the time-frame as an "artificial deadline imposed on the secretary-general and on Cyprus just because \ Greek Cypriots chose to apply unilaterally for EU membership". He reiterated his complaint that the Greek Cypriot government is treated as the legitimate government of the whole of Cyprus.
Today Mr Annan will be mediating talks involving all three leaders and hosting the heads of Greek and Turkish Cypriot political parties for lunch.
Tens of thousands of Turkish Cypriots demanding a settlement are set to demonstrate in the centre of northern Nicosia, where a general strike is slated to shut down schools, shops and businesses.