Q&A: Cyprus peace talks collapse

The Greek Cypriots had doubts too. In particular, they felt that not enough Greek Cypriot refugees were being given the right to return to the homes they were forced to leave in the 1974 partition of the island.
The Greek Cypriots wanted more clearly defined powers for the united island’s central government.
The Greek side also wanted an agreement on “security issues” – meaning the number of troops from Greece and Turkey that could be stationed on the island.
What happens next?
Kofi Annan repeatedly warned during the talks process that another chance for peace would not come along any time soon.
Now he has announced the closure of the UN’s peace mission to Cyprus, and there are no plans for further talks – although his plan will remain on the table.
The European Union may now have a last stab at finding a deal, but it seems unlikely to succeed where the UN failed.
Greece and Turkey also insisted they are not giving up on peace.
So what happens when Cyprus joins the European Union?
Pressure on the recent talks was intense because of the looming deadline of Cyprus’ admission to the European Union.
The government will sign a treaty on 16 April taking Cyprus into the EU next year.
The UN and the EU were desperate to reach a settlement before the April deadline, so that a united Cyprus could take its place in the EU.
Under the tight timetable, a peace deal would have been put to a public vote in both halves of the island on 30 March, and a united island could have signed the accession treaty just over two weeks later.
Now, it looks almost certain that EU membership will, in effect, apply only in the southern Greek-Cypriot-run part of the island.
Where does that leave the Turkish Cypriots?
Turkish Cypriots had taken to the streets in their tens of thousands, urging Mr Denktash to make peace.
Economic conditions are harsher in the north, and people are keen to receive the benefits of EU membership, as well as to resolve the island’s divisions.
Living standards would be expected to rise if the north joined the south in benefiting from EU membership.
Public disappointment at the outcome of the talks is likely to be considerable.
What about Turkey itself?
Turkey had a lot to gain from a successful peace process.
A deal would have boosted its own EU membership chances, which it is struggling to improve after a very slow start.
Now, Turkey remains technically an occupying power in a section of what will be an EU country – hardly the best credentials for any candidate.
The Turkish Government also has other pressing issues on its hands – including the vexed question of whether to allow US troops to be deployed there for any war with Iraq.
Some observers believe that Cyprus is, in effect, the first casualty of the conflict with Iraq. They believe that if the government had not been so engrossed in dealing with the US crisis, more time and effort might have gone into solving the Cyprus conflict.
What about Greek Cypriot opinion?
Greek Cypriots are, like their Turkish counterparts, generally keen to end the island’s long and bitter division.
However, in recent elections they dumped veteran leader Glafcos Clerides in favour of Tassos Papadopoulos, who was adopting a much harder line on the issue of a settlement.
In particular, Greek Cypriots were unhappy at the number of refugees who would not have got their pre-1974 homes back, and thought Mr Clerides was giving too much away in talks.
When it came to the crunch, however, Mr Papadopoulos did at least agree to keep talking, while Mr Denktash refused to.
What was in the Annan peace plan?
The plan was to reunite Cyprus formally, but run it as two separate Swiss-style cantons for most practical purposes.
The deal would have meant the Turkish community giving up some of the land it holds and many – but not all – Greek Cypriots returning to the homes they had to flee in the 1970s.
The largely symbolic presidency of the united Cyprus would switch back and forth between the two communities and large-scale demilitarisation would take place.
How did the peace process start?
Hopes of peace were raised dramatically at the start of 2002, when Mr Clerides agreed to dine with Mr Denktash in the Turkish-occupied north. It was the first time since partition that such a journey had been made.
But despite such a promising start, the breakthrough never came, despite the best efforts of heavyweights like Mr Annan and the EU.
How long has the island been divided?
Cyprus has been partitioned since 1974, when a Greek-inspired coup prompted a Turkish invasion of the northern third of the island.
Thousands of people were displaced from their homes and many have never returned.
The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus was declared in 1983, but has been recognised only by Turkey itself.
Since 1974 Greek and Turkish Cypriots have been living separately, divided by a so-called “green line”, patrolled by the United Nations.
More than 30,000 Turkish troops are still stationed on the island.