Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 06-06-10

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

CONTENTS

[01] CYPRUS - EU - TURKEY

[01] CYPRUS - EU - TURKEY

Commenting on the absence of an agreement on a common position by the 25 on the matter, the minister said consultations will take place on Sunday night in Luxembourg with the Austrian EU presidency and our European partners and our position on this issue will be drafted on Monday morning.

Replying to questions about Fridays meeting of EU ambassadors in Brussels, ahead of Mondays ministerial council, Iacovou said Nicosia wanted the EU to call on Turkey, in its common position, to meet its EU obligations.

We had grave reservations as to whether the chapter on research and science, as part of Turkeys accession negotiations, should open and close within a day, as had been suggested, he said.

Such a move, he explained, would have sent the wrong signal to Turkey in that Ankara migh have been led to believe that it can close a chapter even when it does not fulfill its obligations to Brussels.

Asked if a Cyprus veto is on the cards at Mondays meeting, the minister replied everything is open.

Replying to questions, Iacovou explained that at Fridays meeting the Austrian rotating EU presidency put forward a comprise proposal which Britain rejected. This, he added, led to an end to discussions on a common position and the matter was referred to Mondays Ministerial Council.

We did not air our views on the Austrian proposal and we are not going to disclose them in public either, he noted.

The Minister also said that Turkey has not only refused to meet its commitments to the EU, including opening its ports and air space to Cypriot vessels and aircraft, but in a provocative manner it warns that it will not do it.

Ankara has vetoed the Republic of Cyprus at several international fora even though it has committed itself to stop raising obstacles of this type, he said.

The Minister flies to Luxembourg later today for the EU meeting on Monday.

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