Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 02-07-22

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

Monday, 22 July 2002

CONTENTS

• [01] President Clerides' message on coup and invasion anniversaries
• [02] Cyprus and Lebanon sign cooperation agreements
• [03] House President meets with Greek officials
• [04] Kasoulides: Cyprus' sovereignty is indivisible and indissoluble

[01] President Clerides' message on coup and invasion anniversaries

Mr Clerides pointed out that the Governments of the Republic of Cyprus have shown good will and have accepted even the most painful compromises in an effort to support the various initiatives of the UN Secretary-General for reaching a solution.

"Unfortunately, however, the leadership of the Turkish side has always been intransigent, as the international community has ascertained from time to time. Our side has always dealt with the negotiations for the Cyprus problem constructively and will continue to do so", he added.

Referring to Cyprus' EU accession course, President Clerides described Cyprus' forthcoming accession to the European family as "our greatest achievement after the declaration of the Cyprus Republic".

"In the case of accession before finding a solution we shall treat our Turkish Cypriot compatriots as citizens of the Cyprus Republic in the fields where it will be practically possible for us to apply the acquis communautaire as far as they are concerned," President Clerides added, and reiterated Cyprus' repeated calls upon the Turkish Cypriots to join their forces in the accession negotiations. "Unfortunately we have had no response", he said.

President Clerides expressed, Cyprus/ thanks and gratitude for the invaluable assistance offered by the Greek Government, the whole of the political leadership of Greece and the brotherly Greek people in our struggle and especially in the diplomatic efforts for the accession of Cyprus to the EU and in the sector of defence.

Mr Clerides referred to the emphasis the Governments place on the humanitarian issues of the enclaved and the missing. "The relatives of the missing are witnesses of our hard endeavours we are making for the ascertainment of the fate of their loved ones", he said.

Concluding, the President assured "all those who suffer from the consequences of the coup, the invasion and occupation that the Government will continue to stand by their side and struggle for their deliverance from their suffering".

[02] Cyprus and Lebanon sign cooperation agreements

Following the official reception ceremony, the two Presidents had talks at the head of their delegations. The talks resulted in the signing of three agreements, which aim at enhancing and promoting even more the cooperation between Cyprus and Lebanon.

The agreements are the following:

Agreement on Cultural, Educational and Scientific cooperation between the Republic of Cyprus and the Republic of Lebanon.

Agreement on the Readmission of persons residing without authorization between the Republic of Cyprus and the Republic of Lebanon.

Agreement on Cooperation in Combating the illicit use and trafficking of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances and organized crime between the Republic of Cyprus and the Republic of Lebanon.

After the talks and the signing, President Clerides referred to the "very constructive meeting" that he and General Lahoud had had, during which they reviewed international developments, the Middle Eastern problem and other problems of the region, as well as the Cyprus problem, and they "reached common conclusions".

Giving an example of the bonds of friendship and cooperation between the two countries, President Clerides referred to the arrivals to Cyprus of thousands of Lebanese citizens during the many tragic events that took place in Lebanon in the recent past.

Finally, President Clerides stressed that the two countries had agreed to support the efforts for the implementation of UN Resolutions and for the solution of their problems.

For his part, General Lahoud expressed Lebanon's full support of Cyprus' application for accession to the EU.

Replying to a press question on how Cyprus' accession to the EU would affect Lebanon, General Lahoud said:

"As I have said, we are very happy that Cyprus will become a member of the European Union for many reasons. One of them is that Lebanon will have easy access to the EU through Cyprus. Obtaining a visa to Cyprus will be the same as obtaining a visa to all of the European Union. At the same time, I assume that when Europeans visit Cyprus, they will extend their visits to Lebanon. Cyprus' accession to the EU will have positive effects on both countries."

[03] House President meets with Greek officials

The Deputy Vice-President of the Greek Parliament, Mr. Panayiotis Sgourides, made the above statement after his meeting with the President of the Cypriot House of Representatives, Mr. Demetris Christofias, on Saturday. Mr. Christofias thanked the Greek Parliament for its support and added that the goal is not to block the enlargement process as such, but for the process to be concluded with Cyprus becoming a full member of the EU.

Mr. Sgourides, who was heading a Greek parliamentary delegation visiting Cyprus, also commented on the Cyprus problem saying, "We have assured the Cypriot House President that Greece does not forget that the Cyprus issue is an issue of invasion and occupation".

Mr. Christofias also met with the Greek Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Tassos Yiannitsis. Commenting on the latest developments with regard to Cyprus' accession course and efforts to find a solution to the Cyprus problem, Mr. Yiannitsis made the following statement:

"We are striving and giving a battle for Cyprus to make the final step needed to join the European Union, and we are also striving for a viable, just and dynamic, as far as prospects are concerned, solution of the Cyprus problem. This phase is probably the most delicate phase of the entire process. We need composure, total unity, calmness and careful handling so that we achieve our final goals, and I think that both sides and each side separately, but also in close cooperation, can reach the required result."

[04] Kasoulides: Cyprus' sovereignty is indivisible and indissoluble

These were the words of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Ioannis Kasoulides, referring to the many Britons that, along with the citizens of the U.K. of Cypriot descent, attended the rally of UK citizens of Cypriot descent in London's Trafalgar Square on the occasion of the 28th anniversary of the Turkish invasion on 21 July 2002.

"They are here", he continued, "year after year because they side with international law, they side with the adherence to the principles of justice, respect of human rights and basic freedoms, they side with the necessity to observe the decisions and resolutions of the Security Council, of the Council of Europe and with the relevant communiques of the Commonwealth. They are here with us today conscious of the bonds and responsibilities of the United Kingdom towards Cyprus. The responsibilities of the UK as guarantor power, which undertook to protect the independence, unity and territorial integrity of the Republic of Cyprus. The Republic of Cyprus that was established by the Treaty of Establishment through which the U.K. relinquished its sovereignty to it and to its people as a whole. This sovereignty is indivisible and certainly indissoluble. This has been reiterated year after year in all Security Council Resolutions calling for a state of Cyprus with a single sovereignty, single international personality and single citizenship".

"If Turkey, for designs of her own, or for reasons made publicly known by Bulent Ecevit and Sukru Sina Gurel, still considers the present status quo as the solution to the problem of Cyprus, then we will have no other alternative but to cross the last remaining step leading us to the European Union" Mr Kasoulides stated:

Finally, Mr Kasoulides said: "The way we envisage our country in the near future, is connected both with our vision for a prosperous and developing in peace and security Cyprus, and with the way in which we vision the momentum that this development will create for all the Cypriots, G/C and T/C alike. Such a development will increase the pressure from both sides of the divide, thus causing its collapse."

The rally was also addressed by British MPs.

The Labour MP Mr. Tom Cox said: "There are two issues which concern us the most. On the one hand, it is the issue of Cyprus' accession to the European Union, something that we are optimistic will succeed, and on the other hand, there is the issue of the continuing occupation of a part of Cyprus by Turkey". With regard to the second, Mr. Cox stressed: "We will never forget the continuing occupation, the expulsion of thousands of Cypriots from their cities and villages and the violation of their human rights. We will never forget these issues until the Cyprus problem is settled in a just and viable manner".

Referring to the recent statements made by British Special Envoy for the Cyprus problem, Lord Hannay, Mr. Cox said: "We will never accept two separate, sovereign states in Cyprus". Mr. Cox then encouraged the Cypriot Foreign Minister to find out exactly what Lord Hannay meant when he made the infamous statements, as well as whether these statements represented the positions of the British Government on the Cyprus issue. Concluding, Mr. Cox said that himself and several friends of Cyprus in the British House of Commons would continue their efforts for the promotion of a solution based on the basis of one sovereign state that will provide for the rights and fundamental freedoms of all its citizens.

The Conservative MP and Vice-President of the Conservative Party Mr. Roger Gale said: "I will continue to work, no matter how long it takes, until all refugees return to their homes under safety conditions and within the framework of a permanent solution of the problem. The message I send to our own Prime Minister, Mr. Tony Blair, as well as the American President, Mr. George Bush, is to do everything it takes so that this goal is accomplished."

The Labour MP Mr. Andrew Dismore, who spoke in Greek, said: "The positions expressed by Lord Hannay are wrong and the British Government policy has not changed since it still supports the solution of the Cyprus problem on the basis of a federal, sovereign state. The majority of Turkish Cypriots agrees with this position, as was demonstrated in the recent municipal 'elections' in the occupied areas", Mr. Dismore added.

"It is very difficult to be optimistic about the talks, given Denktash's intransigence. What is certain though, is that Cyprus will join the European Union regardless of whether or not a solution is found", he concluded.

The Conservative MP Ms. Theresa Villiers said that she was at Trafalgar Square to unite her voice with so many others calling for a united and free Cyprus. "Twenty-eight years since the invasion is indeed a long time and it is time for the Turkish occupation army to withdraw from Cyprus. It is time for a settlement but within the framework of one sovereign state", Ms. Villiers added.

Referring to the infamous statements made by Lord Hannay she said that the Deputy Foreign Minister, Mr. Peter Hain, had not done enough to separate his stance from what had been said by Lord Hannay. The positive thing though, she continued, was that Cyprus is moving steadily toward EU accession, and that she as well as her colleagues would continue to work until the realization of that goal.

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

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