Thousands Rally for Cyprus Peace Plan

Many stores in the city were closed and the teachers’ union declared a strike, shutting schools. Police estimated the protest drew more than a quarter of the Turkish Cypriot population. “For years we have seen war. We want our future to be peaceful,” said Civan Ozkilic, 38, a printer in the crowd. Smaller protests opposing the U.N. plan took place on both sides of the divided capital Nicosia.
Police with plastic riot shields lined the city’s Turkish border to prevent people from crossing to the Greek side. They also guarded Denktash’s residence.
Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan earlier this month came out in opposition to Turkey’s long-standing support of a divided Cyprus, criticizing Denktash for dragging his feet in reunification talks. Until then, Denktash had taken Ankara’s support for granted. The influential Turkish military, however, has expressed reservations about the U.N. plan, saying that Cyprus is strategically important for Turkey.
Cyprus has been divided since Turkey invaded in 1974 after a short-lived coup by supporters of union with Greece. The self-declared breakaway Turkish Cypriot administration is recognized only by Turkey, which maintains some 40,000 troops there. The plan by U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan envisages unifying the island into a single country consisting of two component states linked by a weak central government with a rotating presidency.