Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 10-03-01

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

CONTENTS

[01] FM - CYPRUS - GUARANTEES

[02] HOUSE PRESIDENT - CYPRUS QUESTION

[01] FM - CYPRUS - GUARANTEES

Any such international meeting which concerns Cyprus, he pointed out, must provide for the participation of the Republic of Cyprus.

Speaking at Larnaka airport, Kyprianou underlined that the position of the Republic of Cyprus is clear: we do not agree with this kind of meetings which undermine and downgrade the Republic of Cyprus.

On the issue of guarantees, Kyprianou said that the Republic of Cyprus is party to the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee between the UK, Greece, Turkey and the Republic of Cyprus.

The other three countries may very well be the guarantor powers; however, in an international convention there are contracting parties, and the Republic of Cyprus is a party to that international convention. Therefore, any kind of discussion on an international level, especially an official one, should include the Republic of Cyprus, he stressed.

The UK, Greece and Turkey, according to the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee, agreed to recognise and guarantee the independence, territorial integrity and security of the Republic of Cyprus. They undertake to prohibit, so far as concerns them, any activity aimed at promoting, directly or indirectly, either union of Cyprus with any other state or partition of the island, the Treaty says.

Turkey invaded Cyprus in the summer of 1974. Its troops continue to occupy the islands northern part, in spite of repeated calls by the UN to withdraw its troops. Ankara does not recognise the legal government of the Republic of Cyprus.

Referring to his visit to Brussels, Kyprianou said on Monday he will meet the new members of the European Commission, such as the Commissioner for Enlargement.

The Turkeys EU accession course will be one the main issues he will discuss with the Commissioner for the Enlargement, he said, noting that it is an opportunity to present the position of the Republic of Cyprus towards Turkeys EU route.

He also will hold a meeting with Maria Damanaki, the new Commissioner from Greece. As he said, during that meeting, he will brief her on issues that the European Commission deals with, in which the Republic of Cyprus has a special interest and particularly in matters relating to the Law of the Sea Convention.

From Brussels, Kyprianou will fly to Berlin, where he will have a meeting with his German counterpart. Issues of bilateral relations, Turkeys EU accession course, the ongoing direct negotiating process for a Cyprus settlement, as well as regional issues, such as the Middle East issue, will be discussed at the meeting, Kyprianou said.

[02] HOUSE PRESIDENT - CYPRUS QUESTION

Garoyian stressed that we refuse to accept a settlement that will not restore the just cause and the rights of our country and our people. He added that we are ready to reach an honest and fair compromise, but we do not accept illegitimate solutions and closing of the Cyprus question in a way that will not allocate justice, terminate the occupation, restore the unity of state, people and institutions and will not terminate illegal settling.

Furthermore, he underlined that we do not accept a settlement that will be the result of a virgin birth or will provide Turkey guarantor or intervention rights. We are ready for a historic compromise, a bicommunal, bizonal federal settlement. We reject a settlement providing for a confederation and two states, he said.

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