Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 02-03-21

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

Thursday, 21 March 2002

CONTENTS

• [01] President Clerides meets with Thomas Weston
• [02] Foreign Minister departs for Sofia
• [03] Cyprus ratifies the Convention on the Protection of Human Rights and Dignity
• [04] Exhibition in France entitled "Human Rights in Cyprus"

[01] President Clerides meets with Thomas Weston

After the meeting the Government Spokesman Mr Michalis Papapetrou made the following statement:

"The President of the Republic briefed Mr Weston in detail regarding the course of the talks and exchanged views with him on the Cyprus problem.

Mr Weston reiterated that the time factor is essential, that the international community and the United Nations would expect these talks to move at a faster pace and that time is running out. It is precisely for this reason that he expressed the view that the process should be accelerated and be made more effective.

The President of the Republic repeated his position that this process should not be used as a podium from which the two sides would reiterate their long-standing well-known positions but as a forum for substantive negotiations on the aspects of the Cyprus problem, within the parameters defined by the Security Council resolutions."

On his part, the US State Department Special Coordinator for Cyprus Mr Thomas Weston said in his statement that he had an excellent discussion with President Clerides on the course of the talks.

Replying to a question on whether there were optimistic indications for a positive outcome of the talks by June, Mr Weston underlined the expressed position of the UN Security Council that it was feasible to reach an agreement by June.

[02] Foreign Minister departs for Sofia

In a statement to the press, prior to his departure Mr Kasoulides said that he and his Maltese counterpart Dr Joe Borg, would address the conference on the prospects for enlarging the EU in the Mediterranean. He would also have the opportunity to have a meeting with the Bulgarian Foreign Minister Mr Solomon Passi.

Asked to comment on the visit of the US State Department Special Coordinator to Cyprus, Mr Kasoulides said that Mr Weston came to the island to be briefed not only by Mr De Soto, but also by the two sides about the state of the negotiations on the Cyprus problem. The Foreign Minister expressed the view that once Mr Weston is briefed, he should then direct his attention to the Turkish side, if there is really a wish for progress in the talks.

Replying to other questions, Mr Kasoulides reiterated that June still remains a landmark timetable, pointing out that this is the first time that the negotiations on the Cyprus problem have a window of opportunity, which however is slowly closing. Logically, there should be results by June, he said.

Invited to comment on the UN Secretary General's move that he would be reviewing the progress in the Cyprus talks in April, Mr Kasoulides said that it is obvious that the United Nations are taking these negotiations very seriously and consider that they have an obligation to apply all their weight in order to see some results from these talks.

Asked if the Greek Cypriot side feels any kind of pressure by this move, Mr Kasoulides stressed that the Greek Cypriot side participates in the talks in a constructive spirit and with a political will to find a solution. If there is no progress, the responsibility should be sought elsewhere, he said. Moreover, he expressed the hope that, in any future intervention, the UN Secretary General would take seriously into consideration the attitude of each side and would not act in the way he acted in September 2000, bribing the side that causes difficulties at the expense of the side that does its job.

Mr Kasoulides said that Mr Annan's recent statement on the direct talks, was an encouragement to both sides to make some progress in the negotiations in the remaining two or three meetings, before the Members of the UN Security Council are briefed by Mr Alvaro de Soto.

Finally, commenting on Mr de Soto's visits to Athens and Ankara, Mr Kasoulides pointed out that there were some keys, especially in Ankara, which were still not in place on the keyhole.

[03] Cyprus ratifies the Convention on the Protection of Human Rights and Dignity

The Convention aims at protecting the dignity and identity of human beings and the protection of human rights in general in relation to biological and medical developments.

The Additional Protocol bans cloning and any intervention aimed at creating human beings genetically identical to other human beings, alive or dead.

In Cyprus, the Convention and the Additional Protocol will come into force on July 1, 2002.

The Convention is already in force in the Czech Republic, Denmark, Georgia, Greece, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain, while the Additional Protocol is in force in the Czech Republic, Georgia, Greece, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain.

[04] Exhibition in France entitled "Human Rights in Cyprus"

A number of French personalities including Euro MP Mr Gerard Caudron, French Member of Parliament Mr Alain Cachaeux, the Mayor of Ville d'Asq Mr Jean Michel Stievenard as well as members of the Greek and Cypriot Communities in France attended the exhibition.

After the inauguration, speaking at an event organised the Press Office of the Cyprus Embassy in cooperation with the Greek Community of North France and the Municipality of Mons-en Baroeul, Euro MP Mr Gerard Caudron stated that he was optimistic that Cyprus would accede to the European Union by 2004. He expressed the hope that the accession of Cyprus would terminate the Turkish occupation because the European Union would not, in the long term, tolerate the occupation of one of its parts. Moreover, Europe would guarantee the Turkish Cypriots their political and cultural rights, he said.

On his part, the Cyprus Ambassador Mr Andreas Mavroyiannis spoke on the latest developments in the Cyprus problem and briefly reviewed Cyprus's EU accession course. He underlined the willingness of the Cyprus Government to find a solution to the political problem based on the respect of the human rights of all Cypriots, the UN resolutions and the acquis communautaire.

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

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