Cyprus PIO: Cyprus FM on the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership, 96-10-25

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From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>

"Keeping the Mediterranean safe and prosperous for Europe: The Euro- Mediterranean partnership"

Address by the Minister of Foreign Affairs to a gathering organised by the Young European Movement (25/10/1996)

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is with pleasure that I have accepted your kind invitation to address this gathering on one of the most endearing issues to me, that of the Euro- Mediterranean Partnership.

The topic you have chosen is of great importance and certainly deserves greater attention and publicity. I feel particular pleasure that the Young European Movement is the forum which organises this event and would like to congratulate them. It is, indeed, very encouraging to see so many young Cypriots interested in this area, eager to learn but also to involve themselves in European issues and especially the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership, one of the main pillars of the European Union's external relations. Events like this, are instrumental, in promoting one of the Union's noble targets, which is, bringing EU affairs and particularly its Mediterranean policy closer to the citizen.

I wish to welcome Ambassador Courtois to Cyprus, who, I am certain, judging from our earlier meeting today, will provide us, in his address, with an interesting and useful insight of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The Barcelona Conference, which took place a little less than a year ago, on 27 November, 1995 has been an historic event, one whose positive impact will be felt for decades to come. The Euro-Mediterranean Partnership launched officially on that day, has laid the foundations upon which the European Union and the Mediterranean Partners will be linked together in a common effort to make the Mediterranean Basin an area of peace, stability, security, prosperity and most of all, constructive co-operation on all facets of international relations.

Geography and history had brought us close to each other. The Mediterranean provides the connecting link leading to interdependence. The realisation of this commonality of interests and challenges, whether strategic or political, economic or social, demanded a comprehensive and co-ordinated approach which could only be achieved through dialogue and co-operation among the partners. This was in fact the essence of the message emanating from the Corfu European Council which first launched the concept of a Euro- Mediterranean Partnership and became a reality in Barcelona during the Spanish Presidency.

The dynamism of this process is such that, within less than a year, we are witnessing the expansion of the Partnership through a multitude of meetings, contacts, conferences and seminars that are vigorously preparing the ground for the full blossoming of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership. The European Union, through the provision of the financial means and specifically the adoption of the MEDA Regulation with more than 4 billion ECU for the period 1995-99, is laying the ground for the full implementation of the many projects adopted at various meetings, making the Partnership a tangible achievement.

Cyprus, as a Mediterranean country and a prospective member of the European Union, has adopted from the very beginning a clear position in favour of this new venture in the relations between Europe and the Third Mediterranean Countries. As soon as the European Commission approved the relevant communication to the Council in October 1994, that is from the moment of the inception of this ambitious enterprise, the Government of Cyprus declared its full support to it and committed itself to work for its success.

The favourable position of Cyprus towards the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership took shape with the active participation and the substantial contribution of the Cyprus delegation in the discussions which took place during the preparatory stages of the Barcelona Conference.

In order to assist in the implementation of the decisions taken at Barcelona, Cyprus drawing from its experience, is willing to act as a focal point for a number of the activities agreed upon in Barcelona. In this respect, the Cyprus delegation at the first meeting of the "Euro-Mediterranean Committee" submitted in writing comments and suggestions covering all three baskets of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership.

With respect to the "economic & financial" and the "social & human" chapters, Cyprus' suggestions cover the areas of research, tourism, the environment, agriculture, transport, combating of drug trafficking, organised crime, illegal immigration, xenophobia and racism.

One of our proposals has already been realised with the organisation of a workshop on the implementation of the Euro-Mediterranean Multi-Annual Rolling Work Programme For Maritime Transport, which took place earlier this month in Larnaca while another event, the Third Meeting of the Monitoring Committee on Science and Technology will also take place in Cyprus this December.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The Government of Cyprus is fully aware that the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership is not a new forum for resolving conflicts and that it is not intended to replace other activities and initiatives undertaken in the interest of peace, stability and development in the region. Fully respecting this approach, which has been accepted by all participating countries. Cyprus has refrained from raising directly the Question of Cyprus at the various meetings of the Barcelona Process in order to allow their deliberations to proceed without complications.

Naturally, this cannot be taken as wavering in our determination to achieve a just and viable solution to this twenty two years old problem.

Our position regarding the Euro-Mediterranean partnership is based on the firm belief that we must first lay strong foundations for this new venue, recognising the need to communicate and cooperate rather than seeking our differences.

The moment this Forum becomes a platform of differences, then the great scope and the vision for the role of this partnership will be doomed.

It is for this reason that we believe that we should seek areas of common interest to become the subject matter of dialogue, whether in the political, economic, or cultural area. The broader the scope of our communication, the greater our contribution to the foundation of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership.

The spirit of consensus must naturally predominate in our approach to this partnership.

The stability pact envisioned as the logical continuation of the Barcelona Process, constitutes a conscious decision to expand the political aspect of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership as we are preparing for Barcelona II.

Any attempt to reach consensus on this issue is welcome. One thing we should not do is shelve it.

Let us now turn to our links with the European Union.

I wish to underline that we aspire and hope that Cyprus becomes a member of the Union.

But, regardless of how much we are committed to this goal, let me make it clear that our priority is finding a solution to the Cyprus problem. Our deep concern, agony and wish is to see an end to the division of our country and our people. An end to the presence of occupation troops and settlers on the island. Our ambition is when we enter the accession process, all the people of Cyprus, in a united Cyprus, will march together for the new prospect and the new challenge that lies ahead of us.

It is for this reason that we consider that the best timing for the solution of the Cyprus problem is now. We have more than one year before we start accession negotiations. This is ample time to solve the problem provided, of course, the Turkish side abandons its intransigence and sees the opportunities that lie ahead of us. We appeal to all who have expressed interest in seeing an end to the Cyprus problem to substantially increase their engagement through concerted efforts.

At the same time, I wish to make clear that, while aspiring to seeing an end to the Cyprus problem, we cannot accept that Turkey has the right to veto our future accession to the European Union. Who become members of the E.U. are those considered eligible for accession and those the members of the E.U. wish to accept.

We always believed that the accession process will become a catalyst for the solution of the Cyprus problem because Turkey will face the dilemma either to compromise and allow a solution so that the TC will participate in the benefits of accession or, if they continue their policy of blocking every effort for a solution, this will result in depriving the TC of these benefits.

This is why we always emphasised that the clarity of the signals to Turkey would allow the accession process to become a real catalyst for a solution to the Cyprus problem. The decisions of the Council are clear and firm enough.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

We believe strongly in the maxim. "when there is a will, there is a way". The Mediterranean can become a sea of peace and stability, prosperity and co- operation if we vigorously pursue the noble goals enshrined in the Barcelona Declaration. The Euro-Mediterranean Partnership provides the framework for this. It is up to us all to seize the moment and make it happen.

Thank you.

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