When asked to clarify on Mr. Verheugen's statements on Cyprus' accession yesterday, the Press Spokesperson stressed that the EU and specifically the European Commission does not get involved in the ways in which candidate countries decide to confirm thei r accession, that is, whether they decide to hold referendums and how those will be formulated.

At the same time, he pointed out that the European Commission cannot say that the two communities of Cyprus have accepted the Annan proposal. Therefore, any possible complication from carrying out a simultaneous referendum on the accession and the soluti on is still something for the two communities to negotiate.

In a telephone communication with the Head of PASOK's EuroMPs, Giorgos Katiforis, Mr. Verheugen rejected the political exploitation of his words, and stated that the point of what he told the plenary session, was that both communities are responsible to judge, by means of a referendum, only if they want the terms their representatives agree on, to come into effect in the new state regime to arise from the agreement.

"Neither the communities nor their populations are the ones to judge the accession of the Cypriot Republic to the European Union. That will be decided on only through the procedures foreseen by the Constitution of the Cypriot Republic", stated Mr. Katifo ris.

Initially, the heated discussions had been spurred by Mr. Verheugen's response to a question by Coalition MP, Alekos Alavanos, in which he had asked: "Let us suppose that the two parts of Cyprus reach a compromise based on the Annan proposal by February 28, as is the wish of the European Council. Based on the Annan plan there will be a referendum on accepting the political solution as well as the EU accession. If one of the two communities, i.e. the Greek Cypriot community, rejects the referendum, what w ill happen as far as the accession is concerned? Will we go back to the Copenhagen provisions which foresee only the accession of the Cypriot Republic?"

After pointing out that the EuroMP's question was hypothetical, Mr. Verheugen answered: "The UN peace plan includes a time chart. And this time chart foresees that at the end of the procedure, on the same day, the G/C and T/C communities will hold refer endums, in which the two questions will be connected, meaning the question on accepting the resolving of the dispute and the question on accepting accession to the EU. Therefore, there cannot be someone in favor of EU accession but against a political sol ution to the Cyprus issue. Basically, when in a democratic proceeding the people decide against accession to the EU, we will be saddened, but as a democratic institution, we will respect it", concluded the Commissioner.

The Greek Foreign Ministry pointed out that the referendum foreseeing the Annan proposal does not concern Cyprus' accession to the EU.

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Panos Beglitis pointed out that referendums will be carried out in certain candidate countries, as is foreseen by their legislature.

"On the specific case of Cyprus, the referendum foreseen in the Annan proposal will only be carried out if no solution can be found. It is a referendum for the resolving of the Cyprus issue, not for the accession of Cyprus to the EU. The question raised in the Annan proposal concerns the terms and preconditions according to which accession will take place, if a solution is found", he mentioned.

The Opposition responded with ND Press Spokesperson Thodoris Roussopoulos: "During yesterday's pre agenda discussion in parliament, the PM reassured the parties and the Greek people, that Cyprus' EU accession is not in danger, by a possible negative outc ome of the March 30 referendum on the approval of the solution plan. In the European Parliament today, Commissioner Verheugen, in response to a related question, directly connected the accession of Cyprus to the resolving of Cyprus' political problem.

This position creates a serious issue. The Prime Minister should immediately clarify it. Otherwise, his commitment in Parliament, yesterday, will fall into doubt. The response of the Foreign Ministry Press Spokesperson does not clarify the issue. Because

the issue is not what will happen if there is no solution. The issue is, if a solution is agreed upon, do solution and accession come together in the referendum", he added.

Head of PASOK's EuroMPs Giorgos Katiforis accused Coalition MP Alekos Alavanos of trying to stain the national success of Cyprus' accession to the EU, by politically exploiting the Commissioner's statements.

Mr. Katiforis expressed his sorrow that a fighter such as Mr. Alavanos would, for minor political gain, fall to the level of prevoking questions, in order to mar this great national success.

"I think that the essential answer is the decision of Copenhagen Summit for Cyprus' accession to the EU", stated Foreign Minister Giorgos Papandreou, commenting on the announcement of the Turkish Foreign Ministry, according to which the decision of the C openhagen Summit on Cyprus, is characterized as "legally and politically" unacceptable.

This programme concerns the modification of 35 aircraft of this type and gives them multiple operational capabilities. The main contractor of the programme is the German EADS. EAV undertook the production of the Group-A Kits used in the modification and the final installation and testing of the new system.

Israeli Elbit Systems participated in the programme and produced may of the parts, including the mission computer and the related software, as did many Greek companies that were responsible for the construction or modification of the system's parts.

Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash stated that they would continue good will discussions on Cyprus until February 28.

At a press conference Mr. Dentkash stated that Turkey's consent was given in every decision concerning the Cyprus issue. "The EU wants the whole of Cyprus to be incorporated bur is aware that it has admitted only half", he said.

Mr. Denktash noted that the EU was aware that its acquis could not be implemented in the northern half of the island. The EU seems to be obeying the guarantorship agreements foreseeing that Cyprus cannot be a member of any organization that does not incl ude Turkey.

Mr. Denktash underlined that "we will continue good will discussions with Cyprus until the end of February. We hope that we will have recorded some progress till that day. This is our hope and what we will work towards. Getting a result depends on the go od will of both sides".

Mr. Denktash stated that they were prepared to negotiate an agreement, even if they ran the risk of the Greek Cypriots representing the whole of the island in the EU.

In a press conference on Tuesday, Rauf Denktash stated that the atmosphere was as if he had left Turkey in a very difficult position by sending representatives to Copenhagen and not signing the Annan proposal, while he stressed that Glafkos Cleridis had been invited to Copenhagen as the President of the Cypriot Republic, thus ignoring the Turkish Cypriot side completely; nevertheless Mr. Denktash was prepared to negotiate a solution, but, as he says, he was not given the opportunity.

"They wanted us to sign the document fait accompli. The atmosphere created in Turkey was that only Denktash would not sign the agreement. I would like to stress that Cleridis did not sign the document either".

According to Mr. Denktash, the membership of the Greek Cypriot administration had been decided regardless of whether the T/C side signed or not. Mr. Annan had told him to overcome the small differences between him and Mr. Cleridis and to sign the documen ts. The idea was to place such pressure on Denktash, by exchanging Turkey's accession with the signing of the agreement, that he would sign it fait accompli, solving the Cyprus solution. But the T/C side would lose one third of its territories, thus not r ealizing sovereignty. This would have as a consequence that T/C would be a privileged minority in the Cypriot Republic, but all Turkish Cypriots would be forced off the island within 5-10 years. After this evaluation the document was rejected.

Denktash stated that they wanted to adjust certain points on the document through discussions and their approach had been approved. But since the EU wants the whole of Cyprus the G/C side insisted that the agreement be within Security Council resolutions . One such resolution of 1964 prevents the solution of the Cyprus issue on the T/C side, because it had recognized the "bloody handed Makarius" government, accepted and supported terrorism on Cyprus for 11 years, and after enforcing embargoes proposed tha t the T/C economy could recover if they accepted the G/C government. Mr. Denktash stated that they would continue until February 28 and wished that the EU and Mr. De Soto be more fair and just after seeing that the T/C side will not submit to being pressu red and realize that accepting the G/C side is membership to only half the island.

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