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Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 11-02-22
CONTENTS
[01] LONDON - CYPRUS ISSUE
[01] LONDON - CYPRUS ISSUE
The Head of the Cyprus Team at the British Foreign Office, Christine
Lufkin, has underlined that the British government remains committed
and is firmly supporting the current settlement talks, seeking to end
the continued division of the island. In a reply letter to the
President of the National Federation of Cypriots in the UK, in which he
raised issues concerning the current peace talks in Cyprus, she said,
on behalf of the British Prime Minister, that this is a process by
Cypriots and for Cypriots, where the onus is on both leaders to agree
on the shape of a future bizonal, bicommunal federation.
The settlement process still represents the best chance there has ever
been to deal with the wide range of issues affecting all Cypriots, she
added. Lufkin noted that the UK is doing all that it can to help both
sides reach a deal, adding that our relationship with Turkey allows us
to discuss challenging topics, including ending the division of Cyprus,
and we will continue to underline the need for progress.
Furthermore the Head of the Cyprus Team at the British Foreign Office
stressed that Turkey has a crucial role to play in the success of this
process, particularly in encouraging Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis
Eroglu to engage fully in the negotiations. She pointed out that the UK
continues to urge the Turkish government to be flexible in its approach
to the Cyprus talks. Turkeys accession criteria requires full,
non-discriminatory implementation of the Additional Ankara Protocol,
including allowing access to its ports for Cypriot shipping. We
continue to press Turkey to do this, she pointed out.
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