Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 04-04-01

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From: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org.cy>

CONTENTS

[01] Cyprus President says new Turkish demands included in Cyprus blueprint

[02] CoE Secretary General supports Annan plan for Cyprus

[03] US says Annan solution plan meets interests of Cypriots

[01] Cyprus President says new Turkish demands included in Cyprus blueprint

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Cyprus President says new Turkish demands included in Cyprus blueprint

Larnaca, Apr 1 (CNA) -- The Greek Cypriot side went to Burgenstock, Switzerland, for the UN-led talks on the Cyprus problem with goodwill to achieve an honourable compromise but stumbled on the Turkish side's stance, Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos said tonight, noting that additional Turkish demands were submitted and included in part or fully in the final solution plan presented to the sides by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.

Speaking at Larnaca Airport on his return from Switzerland, accompanied by the island's political leaders and other officials, President Papadopoulos said the final plan would be put to separate simultaneous referenda on April 24 and until then the government and the political leadership of the Greek Cypriot side will study the plan and take a position on it.

He assured the people of Cyprus that he met the commitment he made not to surrender any of their rights in Switzerland on the altar of any pressure or timeframes in the interest of foreign parties, noting that with a full understanding of their responsibility, the political leaders and himself made every effort to achieve a solution that would allow Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots to live in peace and security, sharing the benefits from the island's accession to the EU next month.

''I am aware of and share the anxiety and feelings of the people of Cyprus, who for some many days watched with hope and concern the developments in the negotiations in Switzerland. Their anxiety and concern are justified because the developments were related not only to the existence and survival of the Republic of Cyprus but also to the future of our country and the generations to come,'' he said.

He added that ''we went to Switzerland in good faith and with political will to proceed to a compromise, even a painful one, an historical but dignified compromise.''

''We went to Switzerland with proposals of consensus that establish and safeguard a functional and viable solution of the Cyprus problem, that would safeguard peace, the termination of the invasion and that would establish welfare and benefits for both Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots'', he noted.

President Papadopoulos said ''we sought with sincerity, honour and stability the minimum but very important, that is the reunification of our country and its people.''

''However, despite the good faith and political will we showed, it was not possible to reach an agreement, which led the UN Secretary General to resort to the procedure provided for to form himself, as a mediator, the final text of a solution plan, which he handed us last night, not long before midnight,'' the President added.

He noted that ''according to the commitment we undertook in New York, now the final solution plan will be put before the people in simultaneous and separate referenda on April 24.''

The Cypriot President said that on his departure for Switzerland, he had undertaken ''a commitment that I would not sacrifice the rights of our people on the altar of any pressure or for any timeframes that are set to serve foreign expediency.''

''Today, I can assure our people that I have met the commitment I had undertaken. With full conscience of the responsibility and our debt before our history and people, the National Council and I made every effort and exhausted all permitted margins of consensus stance to achieve a solution that would allow Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots to live peacefully and in security, and share the benefits to emerge from the accession of a reunited Cyprus to the EU,'' he said.

He added that ''unfortunately, our effort did not produce,'' noting that ''not only did the negative stance and intransigent positions of the Turkish Cypriot side continue throughout the process but 11 new additional demands were added by Turkey, with a main aim to serve largely the interests and aims of Turkey through Cyprus, and which through the mediation of the UN Secretary General found response either fully or to some degree.''

President Papadopoulos noted that ''it is not the time nor would it be right to make an analysis of the basic provisions of the plan and to make a comparative evaluation of the positive and negative results of the negotiations in Switzerland.''

''This will be done over the next few days and my positions and views will be placed before the people,'' he said.

He added that, ''as is natural and also necessary, the political parties and I will carefully and with a feeling of responsibility assess the full text and express our positions.''

''I personally, and I believe all the parties, movements and organised groups, will make known my decisions in a public statement before the people, with clarity and sincerity,'' the Cypriot President said.

He also noted that ''now is the time of discretion, sobriety and prudence,'' adding that ''the historical moments we are going through and the seriousness of the consequences of any decision demand serious speculation and avoiding tension and juxtaposition.''

He said ''extreme statements and characterisations have no place at this time, do not help the constructive dialogue and downgrade even the seriousness of the issue.''

''At this crucial time I call on the people, the political leaderships, the press and the mass media to adopt these terms and regulations of speculation and expression of views to prove all together our political civilisation,'' he said.

The Cypriot President thanked Greece's Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis and other Greek officials for their ''continuous, warm and close cooperation and support''.

He thanked the members of the National Council, top advisory body to the President on the handling of the Cyprus problem, ''for their valuable contribution to the difficult task we had collectively undertaken,'' as well as all the government officials ''who for many long hours worked intensively and effectively for the Cyprus cause.''

[02] CoE Secretary General supports Annan plan for Cyprus

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CoE Secretary General supports Annan plan for Cyprus

by Nicos Bellos

Brussels, Apr 1 (CNA) - The Secretary General of the Council of Europe Walter Schwimmer has expressed his support to the UN Secretary General's final plan for a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus issue and to his appeal for both sides to seize the chance for peace at the referendum set for 24 April 2004.

[03] US says Annan solution plan meets interests of Cypriots

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US says Annan solution plan meets interests of Cypriots

by Demetris Apokis

Washington, Apr 1 (CNA) - US State Department Deputy Spokesman Adam Ereli said today that it was up to the people of Cyprus to decide on their future in referenda on a solution plan presented by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, which the US believes is a fair compromise that meets the core interests of all Cypriots and provides them a secure framework for a common future.

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