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Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 03-06-02
From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>
[01]Monday, 02 June 2003 President Papadopoulos returns from St. Petersburg
[01] President Papadopoulos returns from St. Petersburg
The President of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr Tassos Papadopoulos, returned
yesterday from St. Petersburg, Russia, where he represented Cyprus at the
EU-Russia Summit that took place on the occasion of the celebrations for
the 300th anniversary of St. Petersburg. Addressing the Summit, President
Papadopoulos cited Cyprus' "excellent relations" with Russia and stressed
that the Republic of Cyprus, as an acceding country and later as a full
member state of the European Union, would contribute towards the deepening
of the Union's relations with Russia. "On our part, as a new member state
of the Union, we also look forward to the extension of the EU-Russia
Partnership and Cooperation Agreement to Cyprus, a step that would further
enrich and put on a new track our relations", he added.
In statements to the press after the end of the Summit, Mr Papadopoulos
expressed satisfaction with the outcome of his contacts in St. Petersburg
on the sidelines of the EU-Russia Summit. He pointed out that he had met
the European Council President and Greek Premier, Mr Costas Simitis, three
times on the sidelines of the Summit. He further said that he had the
opportunity to talk briefly with various leaders such as the French
President, Mr Jacques Chirac, the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair,
and the Presidents of the Baltic States, whom he briefed on the latest
developments concerning the Cyprus problem. Mr Papadopoulos noted that both
he and members of the Cypriot delegation held meetings on the sidelines of
the Summit, during which they explained that the Cyprus problem had reached
an impasse mainly due to Turkey's and the Turkish Cypriot side's insistence
on a solution based on two separate states. "We tried to show, in all our
meetings, that this is not a solution, and something like that cannot be
accepted", he added. On the subject matter of the Summit, President
Papadopoulos said that it dealt solely with the EU-Russia cooperation
agreement. Albeit the Cyprus problem was not on the agenda, as Mr
Papadopoulos pointed out, the Greek Prime Minister referred to Cyprus in a
brief statement saying that "the European Union expects Turkey to shift its
policy as regards the Cyprus problem so as to enable the resumption of the
talks on the basis of the Annan plan".
Furthermore, upon his arrival at Larnaca Airport yesterday, the President
was asked to comment on statements by the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mr Rauf
Denktash, who said that the issue of property was the key to a solution of
the Cyprus problem. In reply, President Papadopoulos stressed that the
issue of property was significant to a solution but it did not constitute
the sole element of disagreement. "The return of refugees, the implementation
of human rights, the establishment of a functional and lasting state are
other basic issues which are the obstacles in finding a solution", he
added. On the Turkish Cypriot leader's intention to set up pseudo-courts in
the occupied areas to deal with property disputes, the President stressed
that the Turkish side was trying to set up "not courts but bodies that will
define the amounts of compensation in property issues", in order to prevent
Greek Cypriots from claiming their property through the European Court of
Human Rights. "We have been aware of this issue for a few weeks now and we
have sought expert legal opinion", Mr Papadopoulos told journalists, noting,
"It is the prevailing position that this kind of manoeuvre by Mr Denktash
is neither legally nor practically valid".
He further pointed out that any body created by Mr Denktash in occupied
Cyprus would be "subordinate" to Ankara and therefore invalid, according to
the ruling of the European Court of Human Rights in the Titina Loizidou
case.
From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/
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