Commissie roept Cyprioten op om kans tot hereniging niet te laten glippen (en)

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - Enlargement Commissioner Günter Verhuegen urged the two Cypriot communities to seize what may be their last opportunity to achieve a settlement to the island's 30 year old division.

After UN-led talks between the two Cypriot communities ended yesterday without any deal, the decision on whether Cyprus will join the EU on 1 May as a divided or united island will now depend on the Cypriot people when they vote on a finalised plan by UN secretary general Kofi Annan on 24 April.

Speaking to journalists after his return from the talks in Switzerland, the German Commissioner said that the choice for the Cypriots now is either "to have a settlement or no settlement".

"Nobody believes, neither the UN nor the EU, that another window of opportunity will present itself in the foreseeable future", he said.

"If there is a `now or never situation', then it appears to be the case".

Mr Verheugen said that the different sides were "very, very, close" to an agreement yesterday and in his view the "differences are now, very, very limited".

The Commissioner said that a solution was found which would allow the Turkish Cypriot side a transitional period of 15 years to fully implement EU legislation and reminded that the EU is ready to grant financial support to the north in order to catch up with its wealthier neighbour in the south.

However, he expressed disappointment that after years attempting to reunite the divided island, this opportunity was missed.

Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash, who refused to take part in the last part of the talks and who is blamed for last year's failure to reach agreement on a previous UN peace plan, soured the air when he compared Mr Verheugen to a Nazi officer.

"He [Verheugen] tries to get what he wants by shouting at our people like a Nazi officer", Mr Denktash was quoted as saying.

"He puts unbelievable pressure on the Turkish [Cypriot] side on behalf of the Greek Cypriots. He is making efforts to impress the UN officials".

Mr Verhuegen, who refused to say Mr Denktash's name during today's briefing, said that the Turkish Cypriot leader's absence from the last part of the talks was positive.

"The fact that the previous negotiator wasn't there was positive actually", he said.