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Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 03-08-26
From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>
[01]Tuesday, 26 August 2003 President Papadopoulos: "Ankara has always been
our interlocutor at the peace talks
[02] "We remain committed to the solution of the Cyprus problem and Cyprus'
accession to the EU regardless of Turkish plots", says Greek Deputy
FM
[01] President Papadopoulos: "Ankara has always been our interlocutor at
the peace talks
The President of the Republic, Mr Tassos Papadopoulos, has expressed the
position that the outcome of the so called "elections" in the occupied
areas would have no significant bearing on the efforts to find a solution
to the Cyprus problem as Turkey had always been dictating the stance of the
Turkish Cypriot side at the peace talks. Nevertheless, the President hoped
that a change in the Turkish Cypriot leadership might help Ankara adopt a
different policy on Cyprus. Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the
13th World Conference of Overseas Cypriots in Nicosia yesterday, Mr
Papadopoulos noted that as long as the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mr Rauf
Denktash, remained in power he would stick to his "vision" for the
establishment of two separate and sovereign entities on the island,
something that would prevent a political settlement. Invited to say whether
the forthcoming "elections" in the north might bring any changes to the
Turkish Cypriot side's approach on the Cyprus issue, the President replied,
"It is my impression that basically Ankara has always been our interlocutor".
"All indications and formal statements are that Turkey's current government
supports Denktash's policy. The words used may be different, but in essence
- and you have heard it too when Mr Erdogan was here - Ankara fully
supports Mr Denktash", he added. Replying to a question on the issue of
property, Mr Papadopoulos underlined that the Government would be
committing a grave tactical and political error, should it restrict
citizens' rights to dispose of their property in the occupied areas in any
way they like. In other statements, Mr Papadopoulos said that for the past
three months a group of experts in Cyprus had been studying the financial
aspects of the Cyprus issue with the assistance of other experts from
Greece.
[02] "We remain committed to the solution of the Cyprus problem and Cyprus'
accession to the EU regardless of Turkish plots", says Greek Deputy
FM
The key goals of both the Cyprus and Greek Governments are the successful
completion of Cyprus' EU accession course, on 1 May 2004, and the solution
of the Cyprus problem on the basis of the Annan plan and the EU acquis
communautaire. The above statement was made yesterday by the Greek Deputy
Foreign Minister, Mr Ioannis Mangriotis, after being received by the
President of the Republic, Mr Tassos Papadopoulos.
Mr Mangriotis noted that the two aforementioned goals would be pursued with
great vigour and determination by the Greek side. "We have a difficult road
ahead but we will not move away from these goals regardless of any plots
and tactics that Denktash and Ankara might employ", the Greek official said
and added that the Cyprus and Greek Governments were working jointly and
with confidence to achieve their goals. With regard to Turkey, Mr
Mangriotis said that the deadline of December 2004 - when the progress of
Turkey's EU course would be assessed - was approaching, and underlined that
for EU-Turkish relations to remain on the right track Ankara would have to
fulfil certain commitments such as contribute to a solution of the Cyprus
problem and the improvement of its relations with Greece. The Greek Deputy
Foreign Minister also met yesterday with the Cypriot Foreign Minister, Mr
Georgios Iacovou and the Minister of Interior, Mr Andreas Christou, with
whom he discussed, inter alia, ways of coordinating the action of overseas
Cypriots and Hellenes in promoting the Cyprus issue and Cypriot civilisation
abroad. Mr Mangriotis is on an official visit to the island representing
the Greek Government to the 13th World Conference of Overseas Cypriots,
which is currently taking place in Nicosia.
From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/
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