AHI Statement in Response to White House Press Secretary’s Statement on the Annan Plan

WASHINGTON, DC—Gene Rossides, AHI President, made the following statement in response to the White House Press Secretary’s statement on the Annan Plan.

The statement issued by the White House Press Secretary on April 21, 2004 on the Annan plan contains false and misleading statements.

The Annan Plan is not, as claimed, "fair and balanced." It is utterly unfair and unbalanced and decidedly anti- Greek Cypriot. It rewards Turkey's aggression and punishes the Greek Cypriot victims.

The Annan Plan does not, as claimed, offer a "hopeful vision of a peaceful and prosperous future for all Cypriots." It would bring economic disaster to the Greek Cypriots, the victims, who are required to make huge payments to the Turkish Cypriots, while Turkey, the aggressor, pays nothing.

The Annan Plan does not, as claimed, outline " an equitable compromise…which satisfies the fundamental requirements of all parties." It is, on the contrary, so clearly one-sided on its face in favor of Turkey as to be ludicrous.

The Annan Plan does not, as claimed, create a state " with workable governing institutions." It is, on the contrary, an unworkable plan which would lead to repeated stalemates and which perpetuates and hardens ethnic divisions instead of unifying all Cypriots.

In addition, the White House Press Secretary statement fails to state that the Annan Plan:

• is undemocratic;
  
  
• subverts property rights;
  
  
• does not provide for full demilitarization of Cyprus;
  
  
• allows 100,000 illegal settlers to remain;
  
  
• does not allow all of the 200,000 Greek Cypriot refugees to return to their homes and property; and
  
  
• gives the 18% Turkish minority 28.5% of the territory of Cyprus;

The statement is an Orwellian appeasement of Turkey and a rank interference in the internal affairs of the Greek Cypriots. Whoever drafted the statement for the White House Press Secretary did him and the Administration a serious disservice.

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For additional information, please contact Vivian Basdekis at (202) 785-8430 or at vivian@ahiworld.org. For general information on AHI, see our Web site at www.ahiworld.org.

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