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Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 99-12-10Cyprus Press and Information Office: News Updates in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>Friday, 10 December 1999[01]The UN Secretary General had brief separate meetings yesterday with President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash before their respective delegations joined the sessions, the Secretary General's Spokesman Fred Eckhard stated yesterday.Mr Eckhard said that the Secretary General Kofi Annan had been out of town the previous day and he wanted to meet with the parties "to catch up on what had happened during the day that he was away when they had met with his special advisor Alvaro de Soto and to see that things were still on track". On the sidelines of the talks President Clerides had a working lunch with the US Presidential Emissary for Cyprus Mr Alfred Moses, with the US State Department Coordinator Mr Thomas Weston and with the American Ambassador to Cyprus Mr Donald Bundler. [02]Guarantees for Cyprus' unhindered progress towards Union membership, referral of Turkey's differences with Greece in the Aegean to The Hague and a so-called "road map" clearly identifying Ankara's obligations, still stood as conditions for Greece's endorsement of Turkey's EU candidacy, according to an Athens News agency report.Speaking in Helsinki yesterday after meeting with his Finnish counterpart Paavo Lipponen, the Greek Prime Minister Mr Costas Simitis described the issues involved as "quite difficult" because of differing views. "We are continuing negotiations and discussions with the Finnish presidency and the other governments of member-states to achieve what we believe is correct," he said. The Greek Premier also said that efforts are being made to find "a solution to the enlargement problems; a solution that would safeguard the interests of both Greece and the EU." [03]The Finnish European Union Presidency has said that the European Council will try to find language and solutions supportive to the need of reaching a political settlement in Cyprus, in a reference expected to be included in the conclusions."When it comes to Cyprus I'm sure that the EU will take into account the ongoing negotiations in New York and try to find language and solutions which would support the need to find a political solution. No doubt the Council will welcome all possible progress", the State Secretary for EU Affairs at the Finnish Prime Minister's office Mr Alec Aalto said at a press conference yesterday. In relation to Turkey's candidacy Mr Aalto said that the meetings continue in order to find a formula that is acceptable by all EU countries including Greece. He also said that if Turkey manages to secure a candidate status it would have the same rights and obligations as other candidate countries. [04]In an interview to the correspondent of "Le Figaro" newspaper yesterday, the EU Commissioner on enlargement Mr Gunther Verheugen, replying to a question on whether the EU would be ready to accept Cyprus joining the EU while the Cyprus problem remains unresolved, said the following:"It is obvious that the Union does not have the intention to import a conflict or a war. The acceptance of Cyprus' candidacy had from the beginning corresponded to the hope that the accession negotiations could contribute positively to a solution of the conflict between the two communities. Our attempts to include both communities into the process have indeed failed. But I don't abandon the hope". [05]The United States Vice President and Democratic Party candidate for the US Presidency Mr Al Gore reiterated a commitment to promote a solution to the Cyprus problem.In an interview to the New York Greek newspaper "Proini" yesterday, Mr Gore stated that he understands the frustration on Cyprus and added: "The talks are in a delicate stage right now and I don't want to do anything that risks upsetting them. But I can tell you, we are focused intently on trying to produce progress. I think that everybody knows what eventually has to happen and the only disagreement is really how to get there. I am committed to the progress we all know it is necessary. I have a commitment to resolve the Cyprus issue and I will give it my first attention." 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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