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Cyprus PIO: Government Spokesman on Cyprus-EU dialogue, 97-02-25
From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>
The Government Spokesman on the decision of the EU General Affairs Council regarding the Cyprus-EU structured dialogue
25/02/97
The Government Spokesman, Mr Yiannakis Cassoulides, today made the following
statement regarding the decision of the EU General Affairs Council to postpone
the Ministerial Meeting that was to have been held today in the framework of
the Cyprus-EU structured dialogue:
The 15 EU Foreign Ministers failed to adopt a common position which was to be
reflected in the communique that would follow the political dialogue scheduled
to take place today.
As a result, it was decided to postpone the political dialogue for a more
suitable time so that deliberations might continue to reach agreement on a
text acceptable to all the member-states.
Our position is that the proposed text could not be accepted. Greece very
rightly did not accept the proposed wording because such wording would be
subject to a number of interpretations some of which would be contrary to the
spirit of the decision of 6 March 1995. As the alternative phrases proposed by
Greece, which were within the spirit of this decision, were not accepted,
Greece naturally could not accept the text of the joint statement as proposed
by the Dutch presidency.
We consider that the German, British and French stand was not clear because it
was subject to various interpretations. Should anyone want to take advantage
of the proposed wording in the future, it would complicate the question of
Cyprus' accession in a manner which would facilitate neither Cyprus' course
towards accession nor the solution of the Cyprus problem. It would, at the
same time, complicate in general the question of EU enlargement.
The above-mentioned countries say that what they want is merely to express
their desire for all the Cypriot people to participate in the accession
process. However, when they refused to accept the alternative phrases that
were proposed, which could have addressed their own concern and at the same
time reaffirmed the decision of 6 March 1995, this raises certain question
marks and gives Greece the right not to agree.
25/02/1997
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