Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 09-10-11

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From: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org.cy>

CONTENTS

[01] PRESIDENT TURKEY EU

[01] PRESIDENT TURKEY EU

Addressing Sunday the anti-occupation march of the Morfou Municipality, President Christofias also referred to the UN led direct negotiations, which began a year ago with a view to reach a solution of the Cyprus problem, saying that the expectations of the Greek Cypriot side had been greater at the beginning of the talks.

Some progress has been achieved in the negotiations but it is the kind of progress that does not allow me to tell you today that we have reached an advanced stage and, what is more, to tell you that we are close to a final solution of the problem, he said.

The Cypriot President pointed out that this is so because, despite our sincere efforts, the Turkish Cypriot side with the support of Turkey, continues to put forward positions and proposals that fall outside the framework of the UN resolutions on Cyprus, the High-Level Agreements and the values and principles of the European Union.

He noted that the Greek Cypriot side has repeatedly stressed to our Turkish Cypriot compatriots and to the international community that positions such as these are unacceptable.

A potential adoption of such positions would lead to the acceptance of the consequences of the occupation, to the violation of international Treaties on human rights and fundamental freedoms and to a solution that would be neither viable nor functional, the President underlined.

Referring to Turkeys accession to the European Union, he said that Cyprus believes that Ankaras harmonization with the acquis communautaire and its final accession will help the country modernize its institutions and society, which undoubtedly will be advantageous to the region and to Cyprus itself.

This support, however, is not unconditional. To this end, we regard indispensable the involvement of the international factor and especially the European Union and the exercise of influence on the Turkish leadership so that Ankara demonstrates the necessary conciliatory and positive approach and proceed to the implementation of its obligations, he stressed.

Otherwise, the Cypriot President noted, Cyprus and Greece cannot but examine together possible reactions. Besides all the above, we hope the official visit of the Prime Minister of Greece George Papandreou to Cyprus is constructive, productive, and fruitful in this respect as well.

He reiterated that the goal is to achieve a just, viable and functional settlement leading to a United Federal Cyprus Republic, with a single sovereignty, a single international personality and citizenship.

The solution, he said, will ensure the peaceful coexistence of all Cypriots, Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, Maronites, Armenians and Latins on the island, as well as the prosperity and progress of future generations and will also ensure political equality between the two communities, as this is described in the relevant resolutions of the United Nations Security Council.

I would like to assert, once again, that our Turkish Cypriot compatriots are Cypriot citizens and that I will continue to fight with consistency for their rights and best interests. However, these rights cannot be applied at the expense of the rights of the larger community, the Greek Cypriot community. There must be mutual respect and understanding, President Christofias went on to say.

He expressed the wish that during the second round of talks, the Turkish positions will be reviewed so that we may be able to reach as soon as possible, without arbitration and without pressures through artificial time frames, the much desired solution to the problem, an agreed solution which will be the result of negotiations between the two communities and which will be presented to the people of Cyprus for approval in separate and simultaneous referenda. We will not accept given solutions.

President Christofias pointed out that the success of our efforts for a solution to the problem depends on Turkeys will and policies.

Turkey, he said, has an obligation to contribute to the efforts towards reaching a solution.

The withdrawal of the Turkish troops, the end of the policy of colonization and the settlement of the issue of security, depend on Turkey. The solution to the Cyprus problem serves the very interests of the Turkish people. Though in theory Turkey declares that it supports the talks, in practice it continues to refuse to implement the resolutions of the United Nations on Cyprus and the resolutions of the Council of the European Union calling upon Turkey to fulfill its obligations towards the European Union and the Republic of Cyprus, he continued.

President Christofias said that in addition to its refusal to implement the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions, to this day, it stubbornly refuses to proceed to the normalization of its relations with the Republic of Cyprus and its recognition, as envisaged in its commitments towards the European Union and its member-states.

At the same time, he added, Turkey continues efforts to undermine the unity and the territorial integrity of the Republic of Cyprus through the continuous upgrading of the occupational regime.

On the other hand, we have repeatedly expressed our readiness for a dialogue with Turkey, in parallel to the on-going talks with the Turkish Cypriot leader, in order to strengthen the possibilities for a positive outcome of the negotiations, he said.

President Christofias reassured that the obstacles and difficulties we find in our way and the stance of the occupying power do not dishearten us.

With patience, consistency and decisiveness, we will continue our struggle return to the lemon blossomed arms of Morfou, to the picturesque harbour of Kyrenia, the golden sands of Famagusta and to all our occupied towns and villages, so that our children and grandchildren are able to live peacefully with our Turkish Cypriot compatriots in a united, free, independent and prosperous homeland, he said.

Referring to the anti-occupation march, he said that the event sends out the powerful message that the refugees, the relatives of our missing persons and the Cyprus people in general do not forget.

Anti-occupation events like this one prove that our people will not compromise with the faits accomplis of the Turkish occupation and they will continue to fight and demand the respect and safeguard of their human rights, including the right of all refugees to voluntarily return to their homes and properties, the Cypriot President concluded.

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