Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, Cyprus will join the European Union on 1 May. We always hoped that the accession process could serve as a catalyst to end the division of Cyprus. In three days' time, the Cypriots themselves must decide whether they wish to live in a unified state after almost 30 years of division, and whether after almost 30 years, they wish to join the European Union as a unified state. Since the Green Line was opened for Cypriots on 23 April last year, we have seen very clearly that Cypriots from both communities are willing and able to coexist peacefully. The Annan Plan which will be voted on by both communities on 24 April is a compromise between the wishes and legitimate demands of both sides. The plan may not be totally balanced; perhaps it does have weaknesses as regards the power of central government, and perhaps the guarantees for the implementation of individual measures are not clear enough. Are these doubts really a reason to reject the plan? Are the undoubted weaknesses an adequate reason to reject the opportunities that the proposal offers? My twenty years of experience in working towards a solution for Cyprus, for its accession and for unity, tell me that the opportunities far outweigh the risks. We are not the ones who have to decide on 24 April. Even if we hope for a positive outcome, we will accept the democratic decision of the people of Cyprus. What the European Parliament can say with certainty, however, is that this year is 2004, not 1964 or 1974. A united Cyprus will become a Member State of the European Union, and as a Member State, it will not only enjoy the full protection afforded by membership. It will also see that the responsibility of the European Union as a whole for ensuring the successful implementation of the Annan Plan guarantees this opportunity for peaceful coexistence. Today, the European Parliament will commit itself to monitoring the entire implementation process through its committee work. We are currently witnessing many fears, especially on the part of Greek Cypriots who look back at the past. However, looking forward to the future is the better option. Turkey in 2004 is a country with a European perspective. It is no longer the Turkey of 1974. The Turkish Cypriots showed back in December that they have largely thrown off the legacy of Rauf Denktash. New opportunities are unlikely to present themselves soon. The only alternative to the plan is the ongoing and entrenched division of the island. This plan offers an opportunity and should not be gambled away due to false or inadequate information. As Members of the European Parliament, we are today sending a message to our soon-to-be fellow citizens in the European Union. Statements by a European Commissioner, by the European Parliament or by individual Members do not constitute interference in Cyprus's domestic affairs or pressure from outside. They are well-intentioned advice. They are information which is being passed around within the family in which we must shape Europe's future from 1 May. I hope that accession day on 1 May will be a genuine celebration of reunification in Cyprus – the unification of all Cypriots with almost 450 million people in the European Union.

Political group: PSE