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Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 08-02-04
CONTENTS
[01] PRESIDENT SOLUTION NEW STATE
[02] CYPRUS EU KOSOVO DECISION - ABSTENTION
[01] PRESIDENT SOLUTION NEW STATE
The new state which will emerge from an agreed negotiated settlement
will be a development from the present state and not a new state,
Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos stressed here Monday.
His comments came in response to remarks by the Turkish Cypriot leader
Mehmet Ali Talat that the new state in Cyprus must not be a
continuation of the Republic of Cyprus and must comply with the
provisions of a UN-proposed solution plan (the Annan plan) which the
Greek Cypriots rejected in their overwhelming majority and the Turkish
Cypriots approved by majority vote.
Papadopoulos reiterated that the new state to be established in Cyprus
after a negotiated settlement, to reunite the country which has been
divided since the 1974 Turkish invasion, must evolve from the Republic
of Cyprus and must not be the virgin birth of a new state.
[02] CYPRUS EU KOSOVO DECISION - ABSTENTION
The Republic of Cyprus will not participate in a European Union police
mission to Kosovo, following its constructive abstention stance on the
matter.
Cyprus quoted article 23 of the Treaty of Lisbon to support its
abstention, which allows an EU member state to declare constructive
abstention from an EU decision. Cyprus is not bound by this EU
decision.
The other 26 member states approved Monday, with a written procedure,
joint action in the framework of Common Foreign Policy and Policy of
Security and Defence. This decision will allow the dispatch of a police
force to Kosovo, code-named Rule of Law. Cyprus deposited a statement
explaining the reasoning behind its decision. This is the first time an
EU member state quoted article 23. The main reason Cyprus abstained was
the fact that there was no decision/invitation by the UN Security
Council for a mission, Nicosia said.
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