Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 02-02-28

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

Thursday, 28 February 2002

CONTENTS

• [01] Papandreou: Turkish side needs to display the political will for a Cyprus settlement
• [02] Weston reiterates the need to find a just and lasting solution to the Cyprus problem
• [03] President Bush submits to US Congress his bimonthly report on Cyprus

[01] Papandreou: Turkish side needs to display the political will for a Cyprus settlement

In his remarks after the meeting, Mr Papandreou said that Turkey's dilemma would be to decide whether it wants the Turkish Cypriots in the EU - the Greek and Greek Cypriot sides undoubtedly want them and hence wish for a solution to be found - or Cyprus to accede to the European Union without the Turkish Cypriot community.

"We want to have the Turkish Cypriots together in the EU and this of course means that there should be political will from both sides to solve the Cyprus problem", he said. He pointed out that the Greek Cypriot side has shown a strong political will to reach a settlement, and underlined the need for the other side to do the same.

For his part, Mr Omirou stressed it was time for Turkey to make great decisions over the next months, if it really wanted a solution to the Cyprus problem and a new period of relations between Cyprus and Turkey and between Greece and Turkey.

Mr Omirou also said that the Greek Cypriot side will enter the new round of talks with the sincere political will to find a solution to the Cyprus problem, but even if no solution was found, Cyprus would still accede to the European Union.

[02] Weston reiterates the need to find a just and lasting solution to the Cyprus problem

In his remarks to the press after the talks, Mr Weston reiterated the need to find a just and lasting settlement of the Cyprus problem. Referring to the statement by the President of the UN Security Council on Cyprus, he said that it quite favourable for the future and noted that this is the first time that the representatives of the countries of the Security Council recognise the importance of reaching a settlement in the very near future.

Asked to comment on the position of the US regarding the form of the solution, the US envoy stressed that the United States as a member of the Security Council, which has voted for all the resolutions on Cyprus, believe that the solution to the Cyprus issue is a bizonal, bicommunal federation.

In his statement Mr Papandreou said that the presence of Mr Weston in Athens reaffirms the interest and importance the US place to finding a solution of the Cyprus problem, which will contribute to the upgrading of relations between Greece and Turkey.

[03] President Bush submits to US Congress his bimonthly report on Cyprus

In his letter to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, President Bush states the following:

"On January 16, the Greek Cypriot leader Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash began direct talks on the island under the auspices of the United Nations. As in past reporting periods, Special Cyprus Coordinator Thomas G. Weston and US Ambassador to Cyprus Donald K. Bandler continued to provide diplomatic support to the process. The United States remains committed to the United Nations effort to find a just and lasting settlement to the Cyprus problem."

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

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