Athens News Agency: News in English, 06-07-10

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Athens and Nicosia confer on latest bid for Cyprus solution

[01] Athens and Nicosia confer on latest bid for Cyprus solution

In a statement after a series of meetings between Greek and Cypriot officials, Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis said that an agreement to launch talks on day-to-day confidence boosting issues between technical committees representing the two communities on Cyprus was "a positive step, in the framework of the Annan-Papadopoulos decisions in Paris".

On Saturday, the Greek and Turkish-Cypriot communities agreed to a U.N. formula presented by U.N. Undersecretary General Ibrahim Gambari, who outlined a five-point framework for resuming negotiations on two levels - one focusing on day-to-day issues and the other on the intractable long-term political problems.

The meetings held in Athens on Monday began with two hours of closed-door talks between Karamanlis and Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos, which were later extended to include Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis, her Cyprus counterpart George Lillikas, Deputy Foreign Minister Yiannis Valinakis, Greek government spokesman Theodoros Roussopoulos and Cyprus government spokesman Christodoulos Pashiardis, and concluded with the participation of lower-level officials from both countries.

The talks also continued over a working dinner held by Karamanlis for the Cyprus President and the members of the Cypriot delegation.

In statements afterward, Karamanlis said there had been an in-depth discussion on the new prospects for a solution to the Cyprus problem arising through the recent tour undertaken UN Undersecretary-General Ibrahim Gambari, as well as developments within the European Union concerning Turkey's progress toward accession.

The Greek prime minister also reiterated Greece's steadfast position concerning the need for "a carefully prepared process without arbitration and pressing deadlines" that ultimately aimed at "achieving a solution that is based on the resolutions and decisions of the United Nations, taking into account the new situation arising from Cyprus' participation in the European Union".

On Turkey's accession progress, meanwhile, Karamanlis repeated the Greek position that called on Turkey to fully comply with the criteria and conditions that were outlined both in the accession framework documents and in the statement adopted by the EU on September 21, 2005.

The Cyprus President expressed hope that "this first positive step that was taken through the agreements achieved on Saturday" would be followed by other steps that aimed at a comprehensive solution to the Cyprus problem.

He also underlined the very good cooperation between Athens and Nicosia, noting that his meeting with Karamanlis had been useful and constructive and that he had briefed him in depth on the discussions held with Gambari in Cyprus.

Asked whether Nicosia would veto the opening of new chapters in Turkey's accession talks if Ankara had not opened its ports and airports to Cyprus ships and planes by the end of the year, Papadopoulos underlined that the efforts being made aimed chiefly at avoiding such a crisis.

"At this moment, the issue of a veto does not arise because we are waiting for the European Commission's report and the recommendations it will make," he added, while noting that use of a veto was not a decision announced in advance.

On this issue, Karamanlis repeated that Turkey had undertaken to meet specific obligations and requirements in its agreements with the EU and said that the Greek government, in collaboration with the government of Cyprus, was waiting to see the contents of the Commission's report before it decided on the next steps.

The Greek premier once again underlined there was close cooperation between the Greek and Cyprus governments on a long-term basis when asked if Athens and Nicosia have common goals.

"Exactly the same is happening now and everything else is just stories," he added.

He also ruled out any possibility of postponing Turkey's obligation to fully implement the customs union protocol for Cyprus ships and planes because of the resumption of talks on the Cyprus issue, stressing that the Cyprus solution process and Turkey's EU accession were two separate issues.

Prior to his meeting with Karamanlis, Papadopoulos was received by President of the Hellenic Republic Karolos Papoulias on Monday morning.

Papadopoulos and Papoulias initially held a private discussion for about 15 minutes, and were then joined by Greek and Cypriot foreign ministers for another 20 minutes, followed by an expanded meeting of the delegations of the two countries, chaired by the Presidents.

The talks between Greek and Cypriot governments come on the heels of a five-point agreement reached Saturday in Nicosia by President Papadopoulos and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat, during a three-hour meeting with Gambari, that provides for the immediate commencement of talks at technical level on day-to-day issues, essential aspects of the Cyprus problem, and confidence-building measures (CBMs).

Papadopoulos and Talat agreed during the meeting with Gambari that the technical committees on the Cyprus problem should begin their work by the end of July and that the leaders themselves would meet from time to time to review the process.

Gambari, who had previously visited Ankara and Athens, told reporters after the three-hour meeting on Saturday that a number of very important issues were discussed and that the two leaders expressed their commitment to the unification of Cyprus based on a bizonal bicommunal federation and political equality.

He added that there was recognition of the fact that the status quo is unacceptable and its prolongation will have negative consequences, and that a comprehensive settlement is desirable and should not be further delayed. Gambari said there was agreement that the process should begin immediately involving bicommunal discussions on issues affecting everyday life and comparatively substantive issues. He also noted that there was commitment to ensure that the right atmosphere prevails for this process to be successful.

Pictured are Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos (L) and Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis (R), in an ANA-MPA photo of the joint statements made by Papadopoulos and Karamanlis on Monday (ANA-MPA/P. Saitas)

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