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Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 03-02-04
From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>
[01]Tuesday, 04 February 2003 President Clerides: right handlings are
needed to sustain international interest in Cyprus problem
[02] UN-led direct talks continue
[03] House President sends condolences to US over space shuttle explosion
[04] G/C and T/C students demonstrate in New York in favour of reunification
[01] President Clerides: right handlings are needed to sustain international
interest in Cyprus problem
The President of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr. Glafcos Clerides, stressed
that there was an "unprecedented" interest of the international community
as regards the efforts to resolve the Cyprus problem, and right handlings
were essential in order for that interest to be kept alive.
Speaking yesterday at a special ceremony at the Latsia athletic club "The
Parthenon", the President made reference and to the Annan solution plan,
explaining the main reasons why the Greek Cypriot side had accepted it as a
basis for negotiation. Mr. Clerides said that the UN Secretary-General's
plan provided for a single state, sovereignty and international personality,
as well as for the return of 90,000 refugees to their homes under Greek
Cypriot administration and the return of the rest of the refugees under
Turkish Cypriot administration. He added that the plan also provided for
the withdrawal of the Turkish occupation army. Some Greek and Turkish
military presence on the island was foreseen by the plan, Mr. Clerides
noted, but added that the actual size of that force would have to be
discussed between the two motherlands. He underlined that it would wrong
for the Greek Cypriot side not to be discussing the Annan plan, since it
was supported by both the UN Security Council and the European Union.
Refusal to negotiate on the basis of the UN solution plan would lead "to a
terrible isolation, which would have negative repercussions on all, both us
and the Turkish Cypriots", Mr. Clerides added.
[02] UN-led direct talks continue
The President of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr. Glafcos Clerides, and the
Turkish Cypriot leader, Mr. Rauf Denktash, met yesterday in the presence of
the UN Secretary-General's Special Adviser on Cyprus, Mr. Alvaro de Soto.
The meeting took place in the context of the UN-led direct talks for
reaching an agreement on a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem,
on the basis of the revised UN solution plan, submitted by the Secretary-
General on 10 December 2002. The Spokesman for the UN Secretary-General,
Mr. Fred Eckhard, made reference to Cyprus during yesterday's press
briefing, when asked if there were any plans for Mr. Kofi Annan to submit a
second revision of his plan for Cyprus. Mr. Eckhard said that he did not
wish to speculate on that issue. Moreover, the US State Department's
Spokesman, Mr. Richard Boucher, stated yesterday, at the daily press
briefing, that there was a clear opportunity between now and the 28
February to resolve the Cyprus problem, adding that "we look for the
parties on the island, the neighbors, and anybody else who can help out to
try to see that that's achieved." Asked to comment on recent statements by
Under Secretary of State, Mr. Marc Grossman, with regard to the deadline
set by the UN Secretary-General for reaching an agreement in Cyprus, Mr.
Boucher noted that the 28 February deadline was "an important date by which
we think there can be a resolution and we're working very hard to achieve
that." "It's the deadline. It's the moment at which we should have - we
should finish this. That sounds like a deadline to me", he concluded.
[03] House President sends condolences to US over space shuttle explosion
The House President, Mr. Demetris Christofias, sent yesterday a message of
condolence to the President of the US Senate and Vice President, Mr. Dick
Cheney and the President of the House of Representatives, Mr. Dennis
Harstert, expressing his "deep shock and distress" over the loss of the
seven astronauts, killed when the US space shuttle Columbia exploded on its
return to earth last Saturday. The message reads as follows:
"On behalf of all the members of the House of Representatives and on my own
behalf, I should like to express my deep shock and distress for the heavy
toll of innocent lives perished on board the space shuttle Columbia. The
unexpected loss of seven astronauts, who dedicated their lives to space
exploration, has left the international community and more particularly the
scientific world, in a state of profound sadness. Please convey my sincere
condolences to the bereaved families, the government and the people of the
United States."
[04] G/C and T/C students demonstrate in New York in favour of reunification
Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot students, members of the non-governmental
organisation 'Cyprus Action Network', held a demonstration in front of the
UN headquarters building in New York yesterday, calling for the peaceful
resolution of the Cyprus problem on the basis of the revised Annan plan.
The students handed out flyers in which they stated their demand for: a) A
federal solution to the Cyprus problem that satisfies the common and
competing interests of all Cypriots based on the UN resolutions and
principles,
b) Representation of the Turkish Cypriot community in the negotiations by
its NGOs, since the current leadership no longer represents the Turkish
Cypriot community at-large,
c) An urgent, comprehensive population census in northern Cyprus, under the
close scrutiny and monitoring of international observers, to establish the
origins of the citizens living in this part, and
d) The full demilitarization of the island as part of the solution
agreement, thus a schedule for the Turkish army's withdrawal from the
island.
From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/
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