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Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 03-11-28
From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>
[01]Friday, 28 November 2003 President Papadopoulos returns from Athens
visit
[02] Cyprus strongly protests to UN against persecution of Turkish Cypriot
journalists
[03] Cyprus' new Ambassador to The Netherlands presents credentials
[01] President Papadopoulos returns from Athens visit
The President of the Republic, Mr Tassos Papadopoulos, returned yesterday
to Cyprus after a three-day official visit to Athens, which he described as
"fruitful and useful". Speaking to the press upon his arrival at Larnaca
Airport, President Papadopoulos noted that he was "completely satisfied"
with his contacts in the Greek capital.
Replying to questions, Mr Papadopoulos reiterated the readiness of the
Greek Cypriot side to resume peace talks on the basis of the Annan Plan
whenever called for by the UN Secretary-General and added that the
Government was pursuing the accession of a reunited Cyprus to the European
Union, on 1 May 2004, so as to avoid "serious practical problems" from
arising. However, he noted that none of those problems would be insurmountable.
Furthermore, speaking at a press conference in Athens at the end of his
visit, President Papadopoulos stressed that the Cyprus Republic and the
Greek Cypriot community pursued a solution of the Cyprus problem only
through bicommunal talks on the basis of the Annan Plan. He also pointed
out that right after the so-called elections in the Turkish-occupied areas,
on 14 December 2003, the Greek Cypriot side would ask the UN Secretary-
General to take on a new initiative for resuming the peace talks. Mr
Papadopoulos added that that would happen regardless of the outcome of the
"elections". Invited to say whether he had any assurances by the Secretary-
General that he was willing to put his plan to further talks, Mr Papadopoulos
noted that Mr Annan expected both sides to say they accepted his plan as a
basis for negotiation.
"Our position has been from the outset that the Annan Plan needed changes
to become functional. I must also stress that there is the decision of the
UN, taken in April, which states that all the observations and remarks of
the Greek Cypriot side, submitted in writing to the Secretary-General on 28
February, fell within the parameters of his Plan", he added. The President
pointed out that a functional solution of the Cyprus problem would be in
the interest of both Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, and said that
discussions in good faith with the other side could yield the proper
arrangements that would constitute a possible solution functional. Mr
Papadopoulos further expressed certainty that no solution on the basis of
the Annan Plan was possible with Mr Rauf Denktash remaining as the
interlocutor of the Turkish Cypriot community, and said the possibility of
the opposition parties winning the "elections" provided, at least, the
prospect for resuming peace talks. He also said that the Greek Cypriot side
had realised the difficulty of achieving an ideal and just solution of the
Cyprus issue, and that was why it insisted that a possible solution would
have to be at least functional, because Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots
could not endure a new clash in Cyprus. Referring to the possible
repercussions from Cyprus' accession to the European Union without a prior
solution, Mr Papadopoulos noted, "Our effort is to find practical solutions
so that the dividing line which exists today will not become a European
border, preventing the movement of people, ideas, and goods", and added
that in the last three months, an effort was being made towards that
direction with positive results. As regards Turkey's EU membership bid, the
President said that Cyprus supported Turkey's EU accession course, provided
that Ankara complied with the Copenhagen criteria and behaved like a
European state. "It is inconceivable for a European state to have forces in
an EU member state", he stressed.
President Papadopoulos added that he fully agreed with the statement by EU
Enlargement Commissioner Mr Gunter Verheugen, who said the EU was
sympathetic to Turkey's blow following the terrorist attacks in Istanbul
but stressed that "no discounts can be made to European principles" as far
as setting a date for beginning accession talks with Ankara. On the Titina
Loizidou case, he said the efforts of the Committee of Ministers to come to
a compromise agreement, which involved securing the payment by Turkey
without restoring the right of Ms Loizidou to use her property in the
occupied areas until 2005, were "unacceptable". Mr Papadopoulos emphasised
that the Cyprus Government was not willing to get involved in any procedure
to negotiate the Court's ruling, but was only interested in observing how
the Committee of Ministers would supervise the implementation of the
decision. He further expressed hope that the decision would not be
disobeyed for the sake of political expediency. On the issue of the Euro-
elections of next June, the President said the Republic of Cyprus was
obliged to grant Turkish Cypriots equal rights for taking part in the
voting process. He also said that Cyprus was entitled to six seats in the
European Parliament and it would fill them all, noting the example of
Germany which constituted a legal precedent.
[02] Cyprus strongly protests to UN against persecution of Turkish Cypriot
journalists
The Permanent Representative of the Republic of Cyprus to the United
Nations Ambassador Andreas Mavroyiannis has strongly protested to the
United Nations against the persecution of the press in the Turkish occupied
areas, citing information which shows the Turkish army's involvement in the
daily lives of Turkish Cypriots and its efforts to curb the will of the
Turkish Cypriot community. In his letter to the UN Secretary General, Mr
Mavroyiannis stressed that he had repeatedly raised the whole issue of the
persecution of the press with the UN in writing, and in particular the
attacks against "Africa" newspaper and its journalists, stressing that the
one and only crime of those who were persecuted by the Turkish army and the
occupying regime was their courage to challenge with their pens the
policies of Ankara and Mr Denktash on the Cyprus problem. The Ambassador
underlined that Turkey and the illegal regime, instead of listening to the
increasing appeals of Turkish Cypriots for a peaceful solution of the
Cyprus problem and for reunification, had escalated their policy of
intimidation and harassment against the Turkish Cypriot press. He also
pointed out that the acts of persecution of the press had recently
increased in the light of the massive demonstrations by the Turkish
Cypriots demanding a change in the anachronistic policy of Turkey in Cyprus,
and due to the increasing number of editorials and articles criticising
Turkey and Denktash for their irrational and divisive policies in relation
to the Cyprus problem and the EU accession. Concluding, the Cyprus
Ambassador called on the UN Secretary-General "as the leader of an
Organisation that places protection of human rights at the centre of its
agenda, to impress upon the Turkish government the need to terminate the
persecution of the press and respect the fundamental right of freedom of
speech of the Turkish Cypriot community".
[03] Cyprus' new Ambassador to The Netherlands presents credentials
Mrs Ioanna Mallioti presented yesterday in The Hague, her credentials to
Queen Beatrice as Cyprus' new Ambassador to The Netherlands. After the
official ceremony at Noordeinde royal palace, the new Cyprus Ambassador had
a meeting with Queen Beatrice whom she briefed on the Cyprus problem, the
forthcoming accession of Cyprus to the EU and on the harmonisation course
with the Acquis Communautaire. The Queen showed great interest in the
Cyprus problem and asked to be briefed on the latest developments. She also
expressed the wish for a speedy solution of the political problem.
From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/
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