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Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 03-02-26
From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>
[01]Wednesday, 26 February 2003 President-elect satisfied with contacts in
Athens
[02] Annan: Postponing agreement beyond early March would mean 'no' to EU
accession of united Cyprus
[03] Straw urges both sides not to let historic opportunity for settlement
slip away
[04] Prodi calls all parties concerned to step up efforts for solution
[05] Bush and Simitis note their strong support for UN Secretary-General's
settlement plan
[06] Pat Cox welcomes UN Chief's visit to Cyprus
[07] US Spokesman reiterates Washington' support to UN peace efforts
[08] US Democratic Congressman Frank Pallone condemns human rights
violations by Turkey in Cyprus
[01] President-elect satisfied with contacts in Athens
The President-elect, Mr Tassos Papadopoulos, who returned from Athens
yesterday, said that he was satisfied with his meetings in the Greek
capital. Speaking upon arrival, at Larnaca airport, Mr Papadopoulos noted
that he had discussed with the Greek Premier, the Greek House President and
the political party leaders, the present phase of the Cyprus problem as
well as possible developments in the near future, adding, "They all
reconfirmed their firm support to the positions of the Greek Cypriots side,
and assured me that they will stand by the Cyprus people."
"We have agreed on handling tactics and our positions, and we reviewed the
new Memorandum that Mr de Soto handed to me, which might constitute a part
of the third Annan plan", he said referring to his meeting with Mr Simitis.
With regard to Cyprus' EU accession course, Mr Papadopoulos stressed that
from his meetings he was assured that no problem would arise in that
respect. "I have the assurances of the Greek government and the political
parties, and of all in general, about Greece's firm support in the joint
course towards the achievement of common goals. I am generally satisfied,
and I feel stronger and with greater confidence to handle the developments
to follow", the new Cyprus President said.
Asked by reporters to say if the memorandum that had been presented by the
UN fell within the acceptable framework of the Secretary-General's previous
plans and could constitute a basis for negotiation, Mr Papadopoulos
emphasised that the memorandum was not the Annan plan, but "a summary of
what we had talked about, what the United Nations believe could be possible
solutions". He further said, "Some points of the memorandum, I believe,
will be incorporated in the third plan to be submitted." Invited to comment
on the British government's offer to return part of the Sovereign Base
Areas in the framework of a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem,
he said that it was "an encouraging development, which we must welcome."
"Let's hope that gradually all the Bases' territory will be returned either
to the Republic of Cyprus or the new state that will be created", he added,
pointing out, at the same time, that the British offer was made on two
conditions, that there would be a solution and that the solution would be
found within the timeframe set by Mr Kofi Annan.
[02] Annan: Postponing agreement beyond early March would mean 'no' to EU
accession of united Cyprus
The UN Secretary-General, Mr Kofi Annan, said that a few days delay to the
February deadline for reaching an agreement on a settlement would be
acceptable, but warned that "postponing agreement beyond early March would
amount to saying no to EU accession by a united Cyprus." Speaking upon his
arrival to Athens yesterday, after a trip to Turkey, Mr Annan stressed that
his "paramount interest this week" was the Cyprus problem, despite the
international deliberations on Iraq. "There is an extraordinary opportunity
at hand to solve it [the Cyprus issue], and I wish to make every effort in
my power to see that the opportunity is not missed", he said, adding that
"if this opportunity is missed, it is not clear whether another will occur
any time soon." The Secretary-General further noted that he provided all
parties concerned - the Greek Cypriot side, the Turkish Cypriot side,
Greece and Turkey - with a memorandum entailing a preview of the elements
of what he hoped would be the final revision of his plan, which would be
handed to the two sides "shortly", during his visit to the island.
"The revisions I have in mind will not come as a surprise to the parties.
They are the culmination of the most intensive process of negotiations that
has ever occurred on the Cyprus problem", Mr Annan said. He also said that
his revised plan represented "a best effort by the United Nations to help
the parties reach an agreement", adding that the rest was up to them, "to
Greece and Turkey, and ultimately, to the people on both sides." Asked by
reporters to say what message he would convey to Cyprus if there was no
agreement by the first week of March, the UN Chief replied, "We'll jump the
bridge when we get there. I think that I have indicated that it is in their
interest to work with us to find an agreement urgently and I hope we will.
Don't give up before the fight is over." On his recent trip to Turkey and
his consultations with government officials, he said that he was "encouraged
and heartened", as the officials "understand and accept the urgency and the
need to make progress and they do accept the fact that they would want to
see a united Cyprus in the European Union and they are going to do whatever
they can to assist me in my efforts." Moreover, speaking after his meeting
with the Greek Prime Minister and European Council President, Mr Costas
Simitis, yesterday evening, the UN Secretary-General expressed the belief
that his revised plan would be "very helpful" in leading the two sides
towards a negotiated settlement. He stressed, replying to a question, that
"the timeframe is important, it is a real one, it is not an artificial
deadline given the fact that you need to have referenda by 30 March and if
you went backwards you realise that you do have a timeframe within which
you operate and we have been discussing this issue…"
He also said that he was looking forward to working with the new Cyprus
President and interlocutor of the Greek Cypriot side, Mr Tassos Papadopoulos,
and expressed hope that in the not too distant future there would be
"something to celebrate" in Cyprus. The UN Secretary-General is expected to
the island at 2:00 p.m. today for a three-day visit. According to UNFICYP
sources, he will meet with the outgoing Cyprus President, Mr Glafcos
Clerides, the President-elect, Mr Tassos Papadopoulos, and the Turkish
Cypriot leader, Mr Rauf Denktash.
[03] Straw urges both sides not to let historic opportunity for settlement
slip away
The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Mr Jack Straw,
urged both sides in Cyprus "not to let this historic opportunity to heal
the division of Cyprus slip away and to go the last mile to conclude
negotiations and secure the settlement." In a written statement, the
Foreign Secretary underlined that the British Government's aim remained a
comprehensive settlement in time for a reunited Cyprus to accede to the
European Union on 16 April. For this to happen, "the UN has set 28 February
as the deadline for a decision on the Secretary-General's proposals", he
said. Mr Straw pointed out that on Sunday, 23 February, the UN Secretary
General "put forward ideas to the two sides on how he might revise his 10
December proposals, and is consulting the governments in Ankara and Athens
before his historic visit to Nicosia". President-elect Mr Tassos Papadopoulos
"has made clear that the change of government underway in Cyprus will not
impede the UN timetable," he added.
Noting that the United Kingdom had "supported the UN throughout this
process, and has welcomed the balanced and comprehensive settlement
proposals tabled by the Secretary-General", he urged "both sides now to
secure a settlement." Referring to the intensive negotiations that followed
the Copenhagen European Council, the British Secretary said that it became
clear that the issue of territorial adjustment was "a key one" needing to
be resolved if there was going to be a settlement. The British government,
therefore, "gave urgent consideration to whether it could in some way help
to bridge the remaining gap" and "a decision was reached to inform the UN
Secretary-General that Britain would be prepared to cede part of the UK's
Sovereign Base Areas and this offer has now been included in the UN
Secretary-General's ideas of 23 February," he said. The Foreign Secretary
explained that the offer consisted of 45 square miles, just under half of
the total area of the Sovereign Base Areas, which "makes up 1.2% of the
area of the new state of affairs in Cyprus". "The areas involved would
bring a number of Cypriots living near Limassol, and in Dhekelia SBA,
within the administration of their respective constituent state", he said,
adding that it would also open up areas of coastline for possible
development.
Concluding, Mr Straw made it clear that the offer "would only become valid
if there were agreement by both sides to the UN proposals", adding that in
the event Cyprus rejected the proposals or the proposals were rejected in a
referendum by either side in Cyprus, the offer, along with the rest of the
UN proposals, would become "null and void."
[04] Prodi calls all parties concerned to step up efforts for solution
The President of the European Commission, Mr Romano Prodi, expressed
yesterday his strong preference for the accession of a united Cyprus to the
European Union" and "called all parties concerned to step up efforts to
reach a solution of the Cyprus problem". The statement issued by the
European Commission reads as follows: "President Prodi expresses strong
preference for accession of a united Cyprus to the EU.
President Prodi repeated today his strong preference for the accession of a
united Cyprus to the EU. In view of the imminence of 28th February, he
gives full support to the final push of the UN and calls all parties
concerned to step up their efforts to reach a solution of the Cyprus
problem. Respect of this date would allow sufficient time for the planned
referendum to be held on 30 March. It would also allow the united Cyprus to
meet the imperative deadline of 16 April as regards the signature of the
Accession Treaty. President Prodi reiterated that the acquis should not be
an obstacle to a settlement. The Union is ready to accommodate the terms of
a settlement in the Treaty of Accession in line with the principals on
which the European Union is founded.
President Prodi recalled the Commission's willingness to organize an
international Donor Conference to secure financial means for the implementation
of the UN Plan."
[05] Bush and Simitis note their strong support for UN Secretary-General's
settlement plan
White House Spokesman Mr Ari Fleischer stated during his regular briefing
yesterday that US President George Bush and Greek Prime Minister Costas
Simitis discussed the Cyprus problem during a telephone conversation in the
morning The Spokesman said that the two leaders "noted their strong support
for UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan's settlement plan dealing with the
situation in Cyprus", and "pledged to do everything possible to foster
settlement, as outlined in the Secretary-General's plan."
[06] Pat Cox welcomes UN Chief's visit to Cyprus
The President of the European Parliament, Mr Pat Cox, welcomed the UN
Secretary-General's visit to Cyprus and reiterated the EU's preference for
the accession of a reunited Cyprus to the Union. In a press statement,
issued last Monday, Mr Cox noted the following: "On the eve of the visit of
the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr Kofi Annan, to Cyprus, and
in the context of the convincing electoral victory of President-elect
Tassos Papadopoulos, whom I warmly congratulated on election-night, I would
urge all the authorities on the island of Cyprus, in a spirit of give-and-
take within the parameters of the Annan Plan, to seize this opportunity for
reconciliation and lasting peace. The prospect of a reconciled Cyprus
joining a reconciling Europe is one earnestly still to be desired."
[07] US Spokesman reiterates Washington' support to UN peace efforts
The US State Department's Deputy Spokesman, Mr Philip Reeker, reiterated
Washington's support to the efforts by the UN Secretary-General in
resolving the Cyprus problem, urging the parties concerned not to let the
historic opportunity for a solution slip away. Speaking during yesterday's
press briefing, Mr Reeker said, in reply to a question on Cyprus, "We think
there's a historic opportunity to find a solution to this long-standing
problem in Cyprus, and we're urging the Turkish Cypriots, the Greek
Cypriots, Greece and Turkey to take this opportunity to work as hard as
possible, as we are, to find a way to that solution that I think stands
before us all, and that's what we'll continue to encourage." He added that
the State Department's Special Coordinator on Cyprus, Mr Thomas Weston, had
been very active in helping to support the UN Secretary-General's peace
efforts in Cyprus. Moreover, a large part of yesterday's press briefing was
naturally spent on answering questions regarding the Iraqi crisis. One
particular question referred to the right of a post-war Iraqi government to
order the withdrawal of all Turkish troops stationed on its soil. After
some evasive replies by the Spokesman, the reporter making that question
wondered whether the Iraqi government would be facing the same problem as
the Cyprus government had since 1974.
[08] US Democratic Congressman Frank Pallone condemns human rights
violations by Turkey in Cyprus
The US Democratic Congressman for New Jersey, Mr Frank Pallone, referring
to the Cyprus problem in a letter to the US Secretary of State, Mr Colin
Powel, on 24 February 2003, condemned the continuation of the illegal
military occupation of the northern part of Cyprus by Turkey: "Presently
the Turkish armed forces continue their twenty-nine year illegal occupation
of Northern Cyprus, making 200,000 Greek Cypriots refugees in their own
country after falling victim of a policy of ethnic cleansing and being
forcibly evicted from their homes. If the US allows Turkey to establish the
occupation of Northern Iraq, the democratic ideals that President Bush
touts so regularly to justify this war will be left on the side of the road
to Baghdad."
From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/
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