If a U.N. reunification plan is accepted by both Greek and Turkish residents in referendums later this month, the island will be reunited, ending four decades of ethnic conflict. If it is rejected, the people of Cyprus will have missed a historic opportunity for both peaceful reconciliation and to join the European Union as a single state next month. If the Cypriots throw away this chance, they may never get another for a long time.

The peace plan should be approved by both sides. It provides a mutually acceptable blueprint for reunification, as U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan points out. Yet many on both sides, particularly Greek Cypriots, appear to be deeply dissatisfied. Polls indicate that a large majority of them believe the plan favors Turkish Cypriot positions and ignores Greek Cypriot concerns. As things now stand, the outcome of the voting, scheduled for April 24, looks uncertain.

The differences should and can be bridged for the sake of a united Cyprus. The merits of a reunion far outweigh the demerits. A resolution of the Cypriot conflict -- a powder keg in the Mediterranean region -- will greatly improve relations between Greece and Turkey and contribute significantly to European security. Peaceful coexistence is the only and the best choice for the two ethnic communities. The alternative will be more of the same: continued mutual hostility.