Međutim, Sylvia Tiryaki, zamjenica direktora Centra za globalna politička kretanja iz Istambula, smatra da Ban nema ni blizu onoliko utjecaja koliko je imao njegov prethodnik Kofi Annan 2004. godine, kad su dvije zajednice održale referendum o ujedinjenju otoka, koji je završio tako što su kiparski Grci glasali protiv.
However, Sylvia Tiryaki, the Istanbul-based Global Political Trends Centre's deputy director, thinks that Ban doesn’t have nearly as much leverage as his predecessor Kofi Annan had back in 2004, when the two communities held a referendum to unite the island, only to have the Greek Cypriots vote against.