[01]

In a written statement issued at the end of today's meeting in Geneva with the UN Secretary General's Special Advisor, Mr Alvaro de Soto, President Clerides said he felt the need to break the news blackout on the talks in view of recent statements made recently by the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mr Denktash.

President Clerides underlines that the aim is not to create a new state but to amend the constitution of the Republic of Cyprus from a unitary to a federal state and ruled out the possibility of a confederation of two states demanded by Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash.

"I wish to make it abundantly clear that the Greek Cypriot side would never recognise the reality of the Turkish aggression and occupation of the territory of the Republic, the ethnic cleansing which took place by the Turkish forces of the Greek Cypriots living in the north, which resulted in one third of the population being refugees in their own country, the importation of illegal settlers from Turkey, who have been installed in the Greek properties, the change of the demographic character of the island contrary to the Security Council resolutions", he added.

[02]

In a letter addressed to Mrs Nicole Fontaine, President of the European Parliament dated 27 January, Mrs Teresa Villiers, Member of the European Parliament for London, urges the European Parliament to devote the maximum possible political will and energy to help bring about an end to the continued division of Cyprus".

Mrs Villiers asks for support for a forthcoming European Parliament petition, expressing deep regret for the continuing division of Cyprus, urging all parties to give their very best efforts to finding a solution and calling for a swift settlement of the island's long running problems".

In a similar letter addressed to the British Prime Minister Mr Tony Blair, Mrs Villiers asks the British government to use its political will and determination to facilitate a solution to the Cyprus problem.

"In particular I urge you to exert as much influence as you can on Mr Denktash to persuade him to accept the frequently stated United Nations position that no settlement is possible except one where Cyprus remains one single sovereign state. No recognition of any separate Turkish Cypriot state will be made" she says.

Reminding that Labour promised to deliver real progress on the Cyprus issue, Mrs Villiers calls on the Prime Minister, on behalf of the thousands of her constituents, to honour those promises.

From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/

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