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Friday, 29 November 2024
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Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 06-11-01Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org.cy>CONTENTS
[01] CYPRUS FM - FINNISH INITIATIVEThe Cyprus government has replied in writing to an initiative, by the European Union Finnish presidency, on Turkeys EU accession negotiations, Foreign Minister George Lillikas said on Tuesday.In a speech during a dinner hosted by the Greek Cypriot Brotherhood in London, Lillikas said that Cyprus supports Turkeys accession to the EU but it is not willing to undertake the cost of obligations Ankara has to meet. He said that whereas the government has replied in writing to the Finnish presidency, messages from Turkey continue to be unclear. He pointed out that Turkeys handling of the issue with a view to end the so-called isolation of the Turkish Cypriots aims at creating the preconditions for the recognition of the illegal Turkish Cypriot regime, in occupied Cyprus. The Turkish side, he said, basically torpedoes the implementation of the 8 July agreement which provides for setting up committees to examine issues that affect the day to day life of the people and concurrently those that concern substantive issues. Lillikas said that while Turkey is delaying promoting the agreement, it is asking for full negotiations without any preparation, something, which the Cypriot government and the UN Secretary-General believe will not succeed. We do not have the luxury of a new failure, the Foreign Minister said. He pointed out the governments wish to improve relations with Britain. We expect from our EU partners, and especially the UK with its strategic interests and long-standing special relations with Cyprus, to understand that our common interest lies in cooperation which will extend to an orthodox procedure of negotiations for Turkey by avoiding any action which might be interpreted as recognition of the illegal regime in occuied Cyprus, Lillikas added. He said the priority of the government remains the reunification of Cyprus on the basis of a bizonal, bicommunal federation. Cyprus been divided since 1974 when Turkish troops invaded and occupied the islands northern third. [02] HOUSE PRESIDENT - FINNISH AMBASSADOR - TURKEY - EU - CYPRUSCyprus House President Demetris Christofias has said the EU Finnish Presidency has made it clear that Helsinki had never made a proposal for a four-party meeting to include the Republic of Cyprus, Turkish Cypriots, Greece and Turkey in relation to an initiative aiming to avert a crisis between EU and Turkey.Christofias was speaking after a meeting here with Finnish Ambassador in Nicosia Risto Pipponen with whom he discussed the unflagging, as he described them, efforts of the Presidency and Pipponen himself to find solutions to the issues concerning the fulfillment of Turkeys obligations towards the EU, including Cyprus. Pipponen said that we see a possibility of finding a compromise. I have said several times that if we didnt see a chance of a compromise, we would not be doing this work we are doing at the moment. [03] BORRELL - TURKEY - EU - CYPRUSPresident of the European Parliament Josep Borrell Fontelles has called on Turkey to open its ports and airports to Cypriot ships and planes and to observe the engagements it has undertaken towards the European Union, recalling that Ankara continues to refuse to extend its customs union to Cyprus.Speaking before the Committees of European and Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Parliament, Borrel said the European Parliament will not make any concessions as regards the respect of criteria and fundamental principles, part of which is the relations of good neighbourhood and the respect of international law. He noted that it is not possible to accept the accession of a country that will not fulfill these obligations and this has been made clear to Turkey. Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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