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Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 03-06-20
From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>
[01]Friday, 20 June 2003 G/C side ready to resume talks unconditionally,
says President Papadopoulos
[02] Simitis: Cyprus settlement must be reached if Turkey wants to join
EU
[03] New Cyprus High Commissioner to Namibia presents credentials
[01] G/C side ready to resume talks unconditionally, says President
Papadopoulos
The President of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr Tassos Papadopoulos, has noted
that the Greek Cypriot side was ready to return to the negotiating table
for reaching a settlement on the basis of the Annan plan, without any
reservation or precondition and whenever asked by the UN Secretary-
General. Speaking yesterday at Larnaca Airport prior to his departure
for Thessaloniki, President Papadopoulos also noted that he was flying to
the Greek city to attend the European Council meeting, which would focus on
immigration issues, the draft Constitution of the EU, and issues pertaining
to the accession of ten new member states to the Union.
"Decisions will be made on all of these issues, which will then be referred
to the Intergovernmental Conference in order to be finalised", he added.
Invited to say if he would ask the EU to assist Cyprus - as the eastern
border of the Union - in combating illegal immigration, the President
replied, "This is our obligation from the moment we become an EU member
state, and we must fully comply with the Schengen Agreement provisions". He
added that by undergoing the expenses and arrangements for tackling illegal
immigration, Cyprus was protecting Europe's eastern borders, and it would
require financial or any other kind of assistance in order to perform that
task in a satisfactory manner.
[02] Simitis: Cyprus settlement must be reached if Turkey wants to join
EU
The European Council President and Greek Prime Minister, Mr Costas Simitis,
has underlined that if Turkey wished to accede to the European Union it had
to search for a settlement of the Cyprus problem on the basis of the Annan
plan. Speaking to reporters yesterday during a visit to the press centre of
the Thessaloniki European Council, Mr Simitis noted, "According to the
existing agreements with Turkey and the Road Map drafted by the EU, all
candidate states - and that applies to Turkey of course - must resolve all
differences and problems with their neighbours in the framework of
international law and the international community. Consequently, if Turkey
wants to join the EU it must try to reach a settlement based on the plan of
the UN Secretary-General, the Annan plan".
[03] New Cyprus High Commissioner to Namibia presents credentials
Cyprus' High Commissioner to South Africa, Mr Costas Leontiou, presented on
Wednesday his credentials to the President of Namibia, Mr Sam Nujoma, as
the new High Commissioner of the Republic of Cyprus to Namibia. Mr Leontiou
will be based in Pretoria. Presenting his credentials, the Cypriot High
Commissioner briefed his interlocutors on the latest developments regarding
the Cyprus issue, discussed issues of mutual interest and exchanged views
with them on ways to enhance bilateral cooperation on economic and trade
issues.
From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/
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