Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 01-09-26

Cyprus Press and Information Office: News Updates in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>

Wednesday, 26 September 2001

CONTENTS

• [01] The President of the House of Representatives addresses the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
• [02] The Government will continue to display the necessary political will for the solution of the Cyprus problem
• [03] Cyprus and Egypt to cooperate in the fields of natural gas, oil and energy

[01] The President of the House of Representatives addresses the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe

Addressing the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, Mr Christofias appealed to all parliamentarians to exercise influence and pressure on Ankara and the Turkish Cypriot leader Mr Denktash to concede to the continuation of the talks and participate with good will.

Mr Christofias underlined that the UN Security Council and General Assembly, the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly, the European Parliament, the European Court of Human Rights and many other international institutions in a number of resolutions and decisions indicate that by the use of force Turkey violates the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Cyprus.

"Implementing a policy of ethnic cleansing and having forced a large part of the population to flee from their homes, Turkey violates the human rights and the fundamental freedoms not only of the Greek Cypriots but also of the Turkish Cypriots" he said, adding that Turkey is also responsible for the destruction of Cyprus' cultural heritage and of altering the country's demographic character as a result of the policy of mass settlement, carried out in the territories occupied by its army.

Mr Christofias stressed that the "UN Security Council calls for the solution of the Cyprus problem on the basis of its resolutions, which provide for the withdrawal of foreign troops, for a single state in Cyprus, with a single sovereignty, single international personality and a single citizenship. It endorses the agreements reached between Presidents Makarios and Kyprianou with the Turkish Cypriot leader Mr. Denktash for the transformation of the Republic of Cyprus from a unitary state into a bizonal, bicommunal federation, within the framework of which the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all Cypriots will be safeguarded".

Honouring the above mentioned agreements and based on the Resolutions of the United Nations, the Government of Cyprus has worked all over these years with sincerity and cooperated with the United Nations for the solution of the Cyprus problem and for seeking a compromise that would be based on the above mentioned principles, he said adding that unfortunately, the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mr. Denktash, having Turkey's support, is acting contrary to the resolutions and the high-level agreements, and persistently supports a solution of two separate sovereign states that would conclude between them a confederation.

"Mr. Denktash's and Ankara's insistence on these positions have led the talks on the Cyprus problem, held at different times, to deadlock. Pursuing the same policy, Mr. Denktash has recently turned down the United Nations Secretary-General's proposal to hold talks in the course of this month. From his part President Clerides has responded positively," he said.

Mr Christofias stressed that a just and lasting settlement would benefit not only Cyprus, but also the entire Eastern Mediterranean region, including Turkey itself and would contribute to peace and stability.

Cyprus' prospective accession to the European Union will pave the way for the start of a new era, he said, and reminded the Assembly members that the EU decision to accept Cyprus as a member should apply, if by the time of accession there is no political solution on the island.

[02] The Government will continue to display the necessary political will for the solution of the Cyprus problem

In his address yesterday before the United Nations General Assembly on the developments of the Cyprus problem, Ambassador Zackheos said that the reality of the situation in Cyprus, as has been repeatedly recognised by the international community, is as follows:

§ The presence of 36,000 Turkish occupation troops.

§ Massive human rights violations by Turkey and its subordinate local administration in the occupied area, as confirmed by the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights, in the Loizidou Vs Turkey case and the more recent decision on the Fourth State Recourse by Cyprus against Turkey.

§ The repression of our Turkish Cypriot compatriots by a regime, which brands everyone objecting to its policies as traitor and has already forced one third of the Turkish Cypriot community into emigration.

§ A deliberate policy to alter the demographic character of the island through the illegal implantation of 120,000 Turkish mainland settlers in the occupied area.

§ Last but not least, the numerous lost opportunities for Cyprus and all its people, particularly the Turkish Cypriot community, stemming from the forced division of the island.

Referring to the official invitation sent on 5 September by the UN Secretary General to President Clerides and Mr Denktash for the resumption of the negotiations, Ambassador Zakcheos pointed out that President Clerides had immediately accepted the invitation and stated his readiness to come to New York. "Mr. Denktash, however, in another outburst of his well-known intransigence, rejected the invitation, something that caused great disappointment and generated public statements of disapproval from many states, the European Union and from Turkish Cypriot political parties and Turkish personalities", he added.

"The Government of Cyprus and President Clerides, will continue to display a constructive approach and the necessary political will for the solution of the Cyprus problem, a solution, which would usher in a new era of peace, prosperity and security for all Cypriots, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots alike," he concluded.

[03] Cyprus and Egypt to cooperate in the fields of natural gas, oil and energy

The Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism Mr Nicos Rolandis said yesterday, after an hour-long meeting with Egyptian Minister of Petroleum Mr Sameh Fahmy, that Cyprus will have to use natural gas in the future instead of oil.

"Cyprus has to comply with European Union directives on the use of natural gas, which is environmentally friendly, " the Minister said, adding that it would take about three to four years before Cyprus is ready to start using natural gas.

He explained that discussions with Egypt and Syria would have to be concluded first and application of natural gas to produce electricity could only take place once an underwater pipeline is constructed, linking Syria with Cyprus.

Mr Rolandis said that the presence of oil and natural gas reserves in the sea between the two countries was also discussed and it was decided to continue the existing cooperation on the basis of the Law of the Sea Convention, which both Cyprus and Egypt signed in 1982.

A technical committee would be set up to work on the details of the Convention with a view to delimitate the area at sea which divides the two countries and the exclusive economic zones and the continental shelf of each country, he added.

Mr Rolandis said that Cyprus has a lot to gain from this endeavour, as Egypt, an observer at the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries(OPEC), has been involved in the oil industry for the past 40 years and has a lot of expertise.

For his part, Mr Fahmey described the meeting as positive and expressed his country's readiness to cooperate with Cyprus in the fields of natural gas, oil and energy.

From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/

Cyprus Press and Information Office: News Updates in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article