Greek Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos has recommended that voters reject a UN reunification plan in a referendum later this month.
"I cannot accept or sign the plan," an emotional Mr Papadopoulos said in a televised speech tonight. "I call on you to reject the Annan plan. I call on you to say a strong 'no'."
The Turkish Cypriot leader, Mr Rauf Denktash said earlier today he would seek a 'no' vote in the April 24th referendum on an accord to reunite Cyprus.
Mr Denktash made clear he believed the power-sharing plan would spell the end of his Turkish Cypriot statelet in the north of the island, which only Turkey recognises.
Cyprus is due to enter the European Union on May 1st, but if either side votes 'No' in the referendum, only the internationally recognised Greek Cypriot government will join and will be considered to represent the whole island.
This would deepen the Turkish Cypriots' isolation and could damage Turkey's own hopes of starting EU entry talks next year.
For this reason, Mr Denktash has been under heavy pressure from Turkey to at least stay silent during the referendum campaign. But Mr Denktash fears Turkish Cypriots will be swamped by the majority Greek Cypriots over time in a reunited Cyprus, despite guarantees contained within the UN blueprint which would allow both communities broad autonomy over their own affairs.
Cyprus has been split on ethnic lines since 1974, when Turkey invaded the north after a brief Greek Cypriot coup backed by the military then ruling Greece.