Stefanos Kouratzis
The Gaze Is Not Innocent

Cyprus, 2002 to 2004. On 11 November 2002, UN envoy Álvaro de Soto presented the first version of a plan to solve the Cyprus problem. Five revisions and seventeen months of negotiation followed, ending in a referendum on 24 April 2004.

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The plan proposed a so-called federal republic of two constituent states, Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot, joined under a single government. The suggested final plan would formalize the island's division rather than end it. Turkish Cypriots voted to accept it, nearly 65 percent in favor. Greek Cypriots rejected it, more than 76 percent against. The plan never took effect.

The Republic of Cyprus joined the European Union a week later. Almost 37 percent of the island remained under Turkish military occupation, the acquis communautaire suspended there.