[02] Cyprus accredited to Mongolia
British Euro-MP Pauline Green has said that the European Union (EU)
Helsinki summit should make it clear that Cyprus will join its ranks
without preconditions.
Speaking after a meeting with President Glafcos Clerides yesterday, Ms
Green expressed the view that even if Turkey is given a candidate status in
the December summit, it can only open negotiations if it meets the Union's
human rights criteria, including ending its 25-year occupation of part of
Cyprus.
Ms Green, who is the European Parliament's rapporteur on Cyprus' accession
to the EU, said that "in the next few weeks we'll be looking on what the
European Parliament will say in advance of the Helsinki summit meeting
where enlargement will be a major issue on the agenda."
"We have to make it clear that Cyprus is set to become a member of the EU,
there are no preconditions and nobody has a veto, and that I think is the
critical element as far as Cyprus is concerned for Helsinki."
Cyprus' ambassador to China, Loria Markides, last week presented her
credentials to the President of Mongolia, Natsagiin Bagabandi.
Speaking at the meeting, Mr Bagabandi assured Cyprus of Mongolia's support
for the island's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/
