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Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 03-03-11
From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>
[01]Tuesday, 11 March 2003 The UN efforts to reach a Cyprus settlement end
in deadlock
[02] President Papadopoulos expresses sadness and disappointment for
failure of negotiations
[03] Statement by President Tassos Papadopoulos on Commonwealth Day
[01] The UN efforts to reach a Cyprus settlement end in deadlock
The United Nations Secretary General Mr Kofi Annan expressed today his
"deep sense of sadness" for the failure of recent intensive efforts to
reach a negotiated settlement in Cyprus. In a statement issued after a
series of long meetings, consultations and negotiations with the Greek and
Turkish Cypriot sides and with Greece, Turkey and Britain at The Hague, the
UN Secretary General said: "We have reached the end of the road. The two
leaders have expressed their willingness to continue talks. But without a
firm commitment to proceed energetically to a conclusion according to a
strict work programme culminating in separate simultaneous referenda, it
will clearly not be possible to achieve a comprehensive settlement before
the accession of Cyprus to the European Union on 16 April." "That
commitment is not in place at this time. I have therefore asked Mr de Soto
to proceed to New York to prepare a detailed report to the Security Council,
" Mr Annan said, adding that Mr de Soto's office in Cyprus would be brought
to a close in the following weeks. Outlining the position adopted by the
Greek Cypriot side during the negotiations at The Hague, the UN Secretary
General pointed out that Mr Papadopoulos was prepared to submit the Plan to
approval at a referendum on 30 March, so long as the people knew what they
were being asked to vote on and "to that end he wished to be sure that the
gaps regarding federal legislation as well as constituent state constitutions
would be filled." Mr Papadopoulos also "underlined the importance of Greece
and Turkey agreeing and committing to the security of the provisions in the
plan" Mr Annan said, adding that the Cyprus President was also ready not to
reopen the plan's substantive provisions if the other side was prepared to
do likewise. Referring to the position adopted by the Turkish Cypriot side,
the Secretary General stated that Mr Denktash was not prepared to agree to
a referendum on the UN plan and raised fundamental objections to it on
basic points. "'He believed that further negotiations were only likely to
be successful if they began from a new starting point" and said that
"Turkey was not in a position to sign a statement requested of the
guarantors because this first required the authorisation of parliament."
The Secretary General stressed that "regrettably" his efforts to salvage
the process and keep open the prospect of a reunited Cyprus acceding to the
EU were not successful, even though he had also suggested that negotiations
could continue until 28 March with a view to holding the referenda one week
later on 6 April. Concluding Mr Annan said his peace plan remained on the
table, ready for the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots to "pick it up
and carry it forward to a solution if they summon the will to do so."
"If I see that there is a clear and realistic prospect of finalising
negotiations, with the full backing of the motherlands, I will be ready to
assist. Let us hope that that day is much closer than it seems this morning,
'' he added.
Click here for the full text of the UN Secretary General's
statement.
[02] President Papadopoulos expresses sadness and disappointment for
failure of negotiations
"I would like to express my sadness and disappointment that the efforts of
many months and the intensive negotiations of the last two days have ended
in failure,'' the President of the Republic Mr Tassos Papadopoulos stated
this morning. Speaking at a press conference at the Peace Palace in The
Hague at the end of the meeting with the UN Secretary General and the
Turkish Cypriot leader Mr Denktash, Mr Papadopoulos said that the Secretary
General was very explicit, very specific as to what actually happened and
the positions that had been adopted by the two sides.
President Papadopoulos pointed out from the very first day the Greek
Cypriot side's position was clear with respect to the question of the
Secretary General as to whether it was willing to put his Plan to a
referendum and to reply with a "yes" or "no". "Our reply was "yes" we are
ready to do that, as long as the documents required for the whole package
were ready in time and in particular the legislation which related to the
functioning of the government of the common state," Mr Papadopoulos
said. The President underlined that the governments of Greece and Turkey
should reach an agreement on the important issue of security and that the
referendum could be submitted to the people for approval so long as the
people clearly knew what they were being asked to vote on.
Mr Papadopoulos also stated that one of the issues that the Greek Cypriot
side had raised was the issue of security, which was within the parameters
of the Annan Plan. By contrast Mr Denktash, he said, had stated that he
wanted to bring about radical changes to the whole philosophy and the
foundation of the plan. ''I want to express our sincere belief and hope
that the negotiations will continue one way or another, and to give our
assurances that despite today's setback, we will continue our efforts for
reaching a solution to the Cyprus question in the framework of the Annan
plan, irrespective of whether Cyprus accedes to the EU or not", he
said. Addressing himself to the Turkish Cypriots, he expressed the hope
that second thoughts would prevail and that soon enough ''we would both
build the foundation which will allow us to have a viable solution so that
a unified Cyprus would be able to enjoy the benefits and the advantages
which the accession will produce."
Finally President Papadopoulos thanked the UN team which worked hard and
intensively for many months in Cyprus and more specifically the UN
Secretary General Mr Kofi Annan for his unfailing efforts, patience and
wisdom in trying to promote a solution to the Cyprus problem. He also
thanked the Greek delegation to the talks and Greek Prime Minister Costas
Simitis for their support.
[03] Statement by President Tassos Papadopoulos on Commonwealth Day
On the occasion of Commonwealth day on Monday, the President of the
Republic, Mr Tassos Papadopoulos, reiterated the firm commitment of the
Government and the people of Cyprus to the ideals of the Commonwealth.
Mr Papadopoulos stated that the theme of this year's Commonwealth Day
"Partners in development" was of primary importance: "promoting cooperation,
sustainable development and social progress has always been at the top of
our Association's aim and objectives", he said. Mr Papadopoulos, pointed
out that the world in which we now live is complicated and full of risks,
uncertainties and challenges: "In order to deal most effectively with these
challenges we are all called upon to intensify our efforts through
increased levels of cooperation, mutual respect and mutual understanding"
adding that the Commonwealth, as a link between fifty-four sovereign states
had both a say and a role to play. Mr Papadopoulos emphasized that the
Republic of Cyprus would actively contribute to creating those conditions
for the eventual prevalence of peace and security and expressed the
gratitude of the people of Cyprus "for the consistent, full and continuous
support of the Commonwealth in their struggle to achieve a functional and
viable solution to the Cyprus problem."
From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/
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