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Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 03-12-17

Cyprus Press and Information Office: News Updates in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

  • [01]Wednesday, 17 December 2003 Weston: Turkish Cypriots have voted in favour of solution and EU accession
  • [02] "Elections" should be used to move UN-led peace process forward, says British Premier
  • [03] British MEPs call for settlement following outcome of T/C voting

    [01] Weston: Turkish Cypriots have voted in favour of solution and EU accession

    The US State Department's Special Coordinator for Cyprus, Mr Thomas Weston, noted that at last Sunday's voting in the Turkish-occupied areas of Cyprus, Turkish Cypriots had voted in favour of a solution of the Cyprus problem and EU accession, adding that "a clear majority also voted for the Annan plan and putting the Annan plan to a referendum, despite many reports of pressures being exerted". Speaking yesterday in Athens after a meeting with Greek Foreign Minister Mr George Papandreou, Mr Weston said the voting results constituted a "clear expression by Turkish Cypriots of what they want the future to be" and urged all political parties in the north to take that expression into consideration and move forward with the peace process, by demonstrating the necessary political will that the UN Secretary-General had requested in order to resume his good offices mission in Cyprus. The US envoy referred to his visit to Cyprus, saying he would hold talks with all the participants of the voting process in the north in order to discuss ideas of how to move forward with the efforts for a settlement. Mr Weston also said he had a very useful conversation with the Greek Foreign Minister, during which the "great coincidence of views" was asserted. On his part, Mr Papandreou thanked the US envoy for his involvement and interest in the resolution of the Cyprus problem. He also pointed out that Turkish Cypriots had sent an "optimistic message" in favour of a reunited Cyprus joining the EU, and added that it was now a matter of what that message meant in practice. "We are now looking forward to, as soon as possible, a new phase and that is the resumption of the negotiations and hopefully, again as soon as possible, a solution in Cyprus", Mr Papandreou further noted. Mr Weston arrives in Cyprus today and is expected to have meetings this afternoon with President Papadopoulos and the Foreign Minister, Mr George Iacovou. He will depart on Friday.

    [02] "Elections" should be used to move UN-led peace process forward, says British Premier

    "It is important that we try to use the "elections" to move forward on the terms set out by the United Nations Secretary-General", the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, has noted, replying to a question on Cyprus put forward by MP Mr Roger Gale (Con) during a European Council debate, last Monday at the House of Commons. Mr Blair further said that the UK would work towards a solution of the Cyprus problem on the basis of the terms set out by the UN Secretary-General. He added that no solution would in no way impede Cyprus' accession to the EU, but "undoubtedly it makes life much easier if we can have unity". "I hope very much, on the basis of the "elections" that took place at the weekend, that we are able to make progress", he also noted. In addition, during his speech before the House of Commons on the European Council debate, Mr Blair stressed that despite the current impasse on agreeing on a European Constitution, the EU would continue to function under the existing treaty framework and enlargement would take place as planned, on 1 May 2004, with eight central European states, and Cyprus and Malta.

    [03] British MEPs call for settlement following outcome of T/C voting

    British Euro Parliamentarian Mr Charles Tannock, referring to the result of Sunday's voting in the occupied north of Cyprus, called on the President of the European Parliament, Mr Pat Cox, to appeal to Turkish Cypriot leader Mr Rauf Denktash to resume the UN-led peace negotiations urgently. Speaking on Monday at the European Parliament Plenary, Mr Tannock said the result of the voting was "insufficient to oust Mr Denktash, who actively opposes the generous UN Annan plan to reunify the island in time to join the EU next May". Mr Tannock asked the EP President "to appeal to Mr Denktash to reopen negotiations urgently and accept that the huge swing against him in the "election" indicates a desire by his impoverished people for a settlement on the island". Furthermore, British MEP and member of the EU-Cyprus Joint Parliamentary Committee Mr Chris Davies has issued a news release in which he welcomed the result of the voting in the occupied areas "that saw pro-EU parties increase their share of the vote from 28.8% to 50.29%". Mr Davies said that the opposition parties had scored a remarkable victory "in the face of political intimidation and blatant last-minute rigging of the electoral roll to include thousands more Turkish settlers". He also noted, "Turkish Cypriots feel that the intransigence of Rauf Denktash is leaving them trailing further and further behind their Greek Cypriot neighbours, and at risk of their cultural identity being swamped by Turkish settlers. Against all the odds they have now voted to end the island's division and for the whole of Cyprus to take a step forward together". The British MEP called on Turkey to take practical steps to end the division of the island "as the price to be paid for talks beginning about its own membership of the EU".

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


    Cyprus Press and Information Office: News Updates in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article
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