Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 07-11-27

Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org.cy>

CONTENTS

[01] GREEK PRIME MINISTER - CYPRUS PRESIDENT - TALKS

[01] GREEK PRIME MINISTER - CYPRUS PRESIDENT - TALKS

The solution of the Cyprus problem should be consistent with the relevant UN resolutions and EU principles. The solution should allow all EU benefits to be extended throughout the whole island. Unfortunately this is not possible today due to the Turkish invasion and continuous occupation of Cyprus, the Greek Prime Minister said.

He reiterated his governments support for the implementation of the July 8th agreement, which was agreed in 2006 between the leaders of both communities in Cyprus in the presence of the former UN Undersecretary General Ibrahim Gambari.

In order to push the process forward, we support the immediate implementation of the July agreement as well as the implementation of confidence building measures proposed by the government of Cyprus, Karamanlis said.

He pointed out that the Republic of Cyprus has demonstrated once more its resolve to reach a comprehensive, just and viable solution and said that the Turkish side should now also show cooperative spirit to help implement what was agreed.

We discussed in depth the Cyprus issue and the current situation as well as coordination of our moves and prospects to intensify our efforts towards a settlement, Karamanlis said.

The Greek Prime Minister added that during their meeting they also discussed EU Turkey relations and more specifically Ankaras compliance with the acquis communautaire.

Turkeys obligations, Karamanlis noted, are specific and explicit.

The EU can satisfy Turkeys European aspirations only when Ankara fully meets its EU obligations, he stressed.

In his statements, President Papadopoulos described the meeting as constructive and useful, adding that these consultations are part of regular meetings to exchange information and coordinate our efforts in order to achieve a viable solution of the Cyprus issue.

A viable Cyprus solution should be functional and in line with UN resolutions and the EU acquis communautaire. Once again we established that our positions, our planning and our assessments coincide, he stressed.

Answering questions by Cypriot journalists after the meeting, President Papadopoulos said his meeting with Karamanlis took place in the light of the December UNSG report for the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), the December European Council conclusions, the EU Turkey Partnership Agreement as well as Turkish Foreign Ministers forthcoming visit to Greece.

President Papadopoulos said that neither Cyprus, nor Greece have any official information about a possible initiative by the UN Secretary General Ban Ki moon after Februarys presidential elections in Cyprus.

But he said that Ban Ki moon and other officials have expressed the view that in 2008 there would be a window of opportunity.

He reiterated that the Cyprus government would like to see a UN initiative the soonest possible.

The Cypriot President noted that the Turkish side understands that any new initiative should be based on a UN-proposed solution plan to reunite Cyprus (the Annan plan) which was rejected in April 2004 by the overwhelming majority of the Greek Cypriots and approved by the Turkish Cypriots.

Our position is that a new effort should be made on the basis on the process agreed in July last year which provides for well prepared discussions so that constructive negotiations can follow, he stressed.

He said there are no planned meetings with Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat before the end of the year. During the meeting, Greek Premier congratulated President Papadopoulos on Cyprus accession to the Eurozone on January 1st, 2008, saying that ``this development brings Cyprus closer to the European family.

Karamanlis also expressed the gratitude of the Greek government to Cyprus for its unreserved support during the recent disastrous fires in Greece as well as for Cyprus decision to undertake the rebuilding of the Greek village of Artemida, which suffered extensive damage during the summer fires and lost 14 of its 100 inhabitants to the flames.

On July 8 2006, Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat in the presence of the then UN Undersecretary-General for Political Affairs Ibrahim Gambari signed an agreement, involving bicommunal discussions by technical committees of issues affecting the day-to-day life of the people and, concurrently, consideration by expert working groups of substantive issues of the Cyprus problem.

Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article