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Athens News Agency: News in English, 08-04-22
CONTENTS
[01] Cyprus FM on upcoming talks
[02] Patriarch receives Plassnik
[01] Cyprus FM on upcoming talks
Direct negotiations between Republic of Cyprus President Demetris
Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat, preceded by
working teams and expert committees from both sides, will be initiated
with differences regarding the thorny issues still pending, Cypriot
Foreign Minister Markos Kyprianou said Tuesday. In an interview with
ANA-MPA, FM Kyprianou underlined that the position, according to which
"the new Cypriot state that will result from a solution should be a
continuation of the Republic of Cyprus" constitutes a "red line" for
the Greek Cypriot side, one that cannot be crossed. The idea of
"parthenogenesis" is categorically rejected, Kyprianou underlined,
warning that an effort to reintroduce the Annan Plan will be a setback
for negotiations. According to the Cypriot FM, the difficult issues in
the negotiation are territorial, security guarantees, property, certain
points in the constitution, settlers and a return of refugees to their
homes. Kyprianou declined to comment on whether the Cyprus government
will accept a solution guaranteed by Turkey and whether the return of
Greek Cypriots to the closed-off area of Famagusta will be a priority
issue in negotiations. However, he stated that it is "unacceptable for
an EU member-state to need guarantees from third countries", adding
that the position according to which "the issue of Famagusta can be
resolved before a comprehensive solution is reached in the Cyprus
issue" still stands. The Cypriot FM also explained that in the March
21 agreement between Christofias and Talat no reference was made to a
solution on the basis of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation because the
agreement text was aimed at opening the negotiation process, pointing
out that the content of negotiations will be shaped in the process,
whereas, "our position on the form of the solution is very clear".
Kyprianou stressed that the March 21 agreement is a follow-up to the
July 8 agreement, adding that the Cypriot position is that the basis of
a solution has to be a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation guaranteeing
political equality as defined by the UN resolutions.
Caption: Cypriot Foreign Minister Markos Kyprianou is shown in a file
photo when he served as European health commissioner in Brussels, 30
May 2007. ANA-MPA/ EPA/OLIVIER HOSLET
[02] Patriarch receives Plassnik
Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik expessed her gratitude to
Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos for his efforts towards protecting
the environment, during a meeting in Istanbul on Tuesday.
Speaking to the press after holding talks with Vartholomeos in the
Fanar district, Plassnik praised the Orthodox prelate for his
"indefatigable contribution towards inter-religious dialogue, mutual
understanding between human beings, the creation of a world where
peoples will live without fear, where they can live with their own
religion, their own faith or even live without faith at all if they
want to."
"This is the meaning of religious freedom," Plassnik noted, adding that
this meaning of freedom is one of the foundations of the European
system of values. And this is an issue we are negotiating on with
states that wish to become European Union members.
During the one-hour meeting, the Austrian foreign minister discussed
with the Patriarch issues relating to the Patriarchate and the ethnic
Greek community.
Caption: Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik seen during a press
conference after her meeting with her Turkish counterpart Ali Babacan
in Ankara, Turkey on 21 April 2008. ANA-MPA/EPA/ATES TUMER
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