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Thursday, 21 November 2024 | ||
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Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 07-05-17Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org.cy>CONTENTS
[01] US - CYPRUS QUESTIONThe US has expressed its wish to be part of any fresh effort, under UN leadership, to renew the stalled talks on Cyprus with a view to finding a negotiated settlement, according to US Undersecretary at the State Department Nicholas Burns.In his remarks to participants of the annual meeting of the International Coordinating Committee Justice for Cyprus, underway in Washington, Burns dismissed any suggestions to bring back a UN-proposed solution plan, which the overwhelming majority of the Greek Cypriots rejected in a referendum in April 2004 and the Turkish Cypriots approved. The US cannot give up its efforts to find a solution in Cyprus, he said, noting that both the US Secretary of State and himself have raised this issue with the UN Secretary General, whom they urged to appoint an emissary of the UN to Cyprus. Burns met with delegates of the PSEKA conference at the State Department. We want the United States to be part of an effort to renew the talks aiming at the settlement. We probably might have disagreement with some people with the Annan Plan a couple of years ago. We can write a new chapter, we dont have to go back to something that was tried and fail, Burns added. He said the US should be in the center of this effort along with the United Kingdom as the two countries have played a leading role for three decades now and added I can pledge to you we can make that attempt under the leadership of the United Nation. The US official reiterated that Washington does not recognise any other entity or state but the Republic of Cyprus and its government in Nicosia and it stands for the unification of the island. Burns referred to the assistance Cyprus offered last year to 15.000 Americans evacuees from Lebanon. [02] CYPRUS TALKS - NO PROGRESS YETRepresentatives of the leaders of the two communities will continue to meet under UN auspices in a bid to overcome problems, created by an attempt of the Turkish Cypriot side to sideline a UN-brokered agreement in July last year to help prepare the ground for substantive negotiations towards a solution. Diplomatic sources have told CNA that Wednesdays meeting did not produce any result, adding that the two representatives exchanged views in the light of a letter by the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community Mehmet Ali Talat to the Secretary General in which he essentially relinquishes his commitment to the July agreement between himself and Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos.At the meeting, between the Director of Papadopoulos Diplomatic Office Ambassador Tasos Tzionis and Talats advisor Rashit Pertev, in the presence of UN Secretary Generals special representative in Cyprus Michael Moller, the two sides exchanged ideas on how to break the current impasse, without however any optimistic indications so far, the same sources have said. The Turkish Cypriot side insists on bringing back a UN-proposed solution plan, the Annan plan, which it approved in a referendum in April 2004 and which the overwhelming majority of the Greek Cypriots rejected saying it did not lead to the reunification of the country, divided since the 1974 Turkish invasion and continuing occupation of the islands northern part. Tzionis and Pertev are scheduled to meet again on Tuesday. Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |