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Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 02-12-19Cyprus Press and Information Office: News Updates in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>Thursday, 19 December 2002CONTENTS
[01] UN Chief sends letters to two sides on next steps in peace efforts"The Secretary-General has written to the two leaders today [yesterday] as well as the leaders in Greece and Turkey, setting out the road ahead as he sees it and the work he thinks that needs to be done and drawing their attention on the need to move very quickly on a number of issues that are pending".Mr. Alvaro de Soto, the UN Secretary-General's Special Adviser on Cyprus, made the above statement yesterday upon his encounter with the press, after his briefing to the UN Security Council on the Cyprus talks. He emphasised that a lot of work was to be done in the ten weeks ahead, adding: "My colleagues are on the island and we hope that we will achieve success in the time remaining". Asked by reporters what the next deadline was, Mr. de Soto replied that the UN did not like to talk about deadlines. "We are hoping for work to take place in this week, at least some preliminary work, and work to take place by each of the two sides separately in preparation of a very intensive effort that should take place in January particularly", he noted, clarifying that the two technical ad hoc committees consisted one of the areas in which work needed to be done. [02] UN Security Council members call for intensified talks on solutionThe UN Security Council members were briefed yesterday, behind closed doors, by Mr. Alvaro de Soto, on the latest developments regarding efforts to resolve the Cyprus problem.Following the briefing, the Security Council President, Mr. Alfonso Valdivieso of Colombia, read out a press statement on Cyprus, in which the Council members commended the Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, for his initiatives, expressing the view that "the proposal put forward on 11 November as revised on 10 December offered an unique opportunity to reach a settlement in the coming weeks". They also urged the two sides to continue negotiations so that a full agreement could be reached before 28 February 2003. The Council members voiced "regret that the Turkish Cypriot leadership has not responded in a timely way" to Mr. Annan's initiatives, and called for "its constructive efforts to reach a settlement in conformity with the timetable proposed by the Secretary-General". The full text of the press statement reads as follows: "On 18 December, the members of the Security Council, in the presence of the Secretary-General, heard a report from the Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Cyprus on the negotiations that have taken place in recent months, in pursuance of the mission entrusted to the Secretary- General by the Security Council in its resolution 1250, aimed at achieving agreement on a comprehensive settlement to the Cyprus problem which takes full account of relevant Security Council resolutions. The members of the Council commended the Secretary-General for the initiatives he had taken in November and December 2002 to bridge the gaps between the two sides and to enable them to reach an agreement. They expressed the view that the proposal put forward on 11 November as revised on 10 December offered a unique opportunity to reach a settlement in the coming weeks. They regretted that the Turkish Cypriot leadership had not responded in a timely way to the initiatives of the Secretary-General; and they called for its constructive efforts to reach a settlement in conformity with the timetable proposed by the Secretary-General. They welcomed the willingness of both sides to continue the negotiations in the period ahead. They underlined the importance of intensifying the negotiations so that full agreement could be reached before 28 February 2003, in conformity with the timetable proposed by the Secretary-General in his proposals. They urged both sides to work on the basis of the Secretary- General's revised proposals of 10 December. The members of the Council drew attention to the unique opportunity that existed for the settlement of this long-running problem; and to the benefits for all concerned from so doing, so that all Cypriots can benefit from Cyprus's accession to the European Union. They urged all concerned to seize the historic opportunity to bring a peaceful, just and lasting settlement to the Cyprus problem to the benefit of all its people and the wider region. The members of the Council expressed their full support for the continuation of the Secretary-General's mission of good offices and his efforts to bring about a settlement in the first two months of 2003." [03] Cyprus House President meets Simitis and Papandreou in AthensThe House President, Mr. Dimitris Christofias, had meetings on Tuesday in Athens with the Greek Prime Minister, Mr. Costas Simitis, and the Foreign Minister, Mr. George Papandreou, with whom he discussed the Cyprus problem and prospects for reaching a comprehensive settlement, especially after the Copenhagen European Council decision inviting Cyprus to accede to the EU as a full member state by 1st May 2004.Speaking after his meeting with the Greek Foreign Minister, Mr. Christofias pledged that the Greek Cypriot side would not rest assured of Cyprus' EU accession, but it would continue "the efforts for resolving the Cyprus problem with the same consistency and good will ". He reiterated that "the main strategic goal was and still is the solution of the Cyprus problem on the basis of the UN Resolutions and the High Level Agreements for a bizonal, bicommunal federation, functional and viable." "We will continue to reach out to the Turkish Cypriot community and coordinate our efforts with them, so as to have a solution of the Cyprus problem the soonest possible, if and as long as there is a will by the Turkish Cypriot leadership and Turkey." On his turn, the Greek Foreign Minister Mr. George Papandreou expressed the view, in reply to a press question, that the "momentum" for reaching a settlement remained, especially after the Copenhagen European Council and its Presidency Conclusion on Cyprus. He added that there was the will, both by the Greek Cypriot side - as had been expressed by Mr. Christofias - and the political leadership in Turkey, to continue talks for reaching a settlement by 28 February 2003. "We, as a country that is involved in an indirect and direct way, but also as a country holding the EU Presidency, will support this dynamic in every way that would contribute to a just solution of the Cyprus problem", Mr. Papandreou noted. [04] Danish Premier urges all parties to use "unique opportunity" for settlementThe Danish Prime Minister and President of the European Council, Mr. Anders Fogh Rasmussen, urged all the parties involved in Cyprus to use the "unique opportunity" for resolving the Cyprus problem, noting that everyone would benefit from a solution, especially the people of Cyprus.Speaking yesterday before the plenary of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, which convened to assess the deliberations of the Copenhagen European Council, Mr. Rasmussen made reference inter alia to Cyprus, stressing that it would accede to the EU divided, but noting "the real possibility that the parties will be able to find a comprehensive settlement to the Cyprus problem before 28 February 2003, on the basis of the UN Secretary-General's proposal". "I urge all the parties involved to use this unique opportunity to resolve this tragic conflict", he said, adding that "we will all gain from an immediate settlement of the Cyprus problem, and no one will gain more than the people of Cyprus". [05] Cyprus discussed at US-EU foreign ministers meeting in Washington DCCyprus was among the issues discussed during the meeting, yesterday in Washington DC, between the US Secretary of State, Mr. Colin Powell, his Danish counterpart, Mr. Per Stig Moeller, the EU High Representative, Mr. Javier Solana, and the EU Commissioner for External Affairs, Mr. Chris Patten, within the framework of the semiannual US-EU meeting of foreign ministers.Speaking after the meeting, Mr. Powell informed the press that their conversation on European issues included Cyprus as well, stating: "We agreed on our strong support for the United Nations Good Offices, Good Offices Mission and its efforts to reach a settlement by the end of February." Asked by reporters whether the resolution of the Cyprus problem ranked high in the US administration's priorities and if he was willing to travel to Athens, Ankara and Nicosia to achieve a solution, the US Secretary of State expressed the view that a solution was still possible and that his administration would work hard for it. "We are supporting Kofi Annan's efforts. We are in close contact with our European Union colleagues. If it involves travel and that could serve some purpose, always ready, willing and able", Mr. Powell said, urging all parties involved to view Mr. Annan's proposal "with seriousness" and to "try to find a way to use this historic opportunity to resolve this longstanding problem". In reply to the same question, the Danish Foreign Minister, Mr. Moeller, expressed hope that an agreement would be reached by 28 February 2003, so that a reunited Cyprus could become an EU member state. "The two communities really want to unite. That's clear from the reactions from the last days", he noted, adding that if the "historic moment" was not used to reach a settlement, then it could take a very long time for another opportunity to arise. He also made reference to President Clerides' statement at the Copenhagen European Council, pledging to work hard to reunite the island as soon as possible, and said that it was a "very, very beautiful declaration". Mr. Moeller said that the EU was willing to provide financial assistance to the Turkish Cypriot community, in order to help the Turkish Cypriots "arrive at the same level as the Greek Cypriots as soon as possible, as quickly as before". 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 |
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