Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 00-10-05

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From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>

Thursday, 5 October 2000

CONTENTS

• [01] European Parliament calls for greater EU involvement in Cyprus settlement efforts
• [02] Kasoulides: the solution to the Cyprus problem must be a bizonal bicommunal federation

[01] European Parliament calls for greater EU involvement in Cyprus settlement efforts

The European Parliament also adopted a resolution, which calls on the European Union, through its High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, to become more involved in the search for a solution to the Cypriot question and calls for the final political settlement to respect the acquis communautaire.

The resolution welcomes the decisions taken by the European Council at Helsinki not to make a solution to the Cyprus question a precondition for accession and urges the Turkish Cypriots to join the delegation of the legal Government of Cyprus, unconditionally, in negotiating the accession of the island to the European Union, since the Turkish Cypriot community will be able to enjoy the benefits of membership once the political question of Cyprus is resolved.

It deplores the lack of goodwill on the part of the Turkish Cypriot side and Turkey to make progress with the negotiations on the question of Cyprus towards a settlement on the basis of the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, and with the future constitutional arrangements.

It also deplores the action of the Turkish troops in Cyprus who, on the eve of a new round of proximity talks, have been redeployed, occupying a part of the buffer zone.

It notes that the Union is capable of making a vital contribution to the security of the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities within the framework of a peace settlement and the demilitarisation of the island, that the Union can help resolve the problem of the controlled return of refugees and the repatriation of the settlers, and that it can make a dynamic contribution to the development of the northern part of Cyprus, once reunification has taken place.

It also believes that the accession of Cyprus will strengthen the Union's influence in the eastern Mediterranean, thus making for greater security in that region.

[02] Kasoulides: the solution to the Cyprus problem must be a bizonal bicommunal federation

In an interview to London Greek Radio LGR on 3 October, Mr Kasoulides pointed out that negotiations have entered a serious phase now and there was a change of gear in the UN sponsored talks on Cyprus.

Mr Kasoulides said that whereas last summer he advised his compatriots to be very cautious in their aspirations, now he believed there was a 50 per cent chance of a positive outcome to the talks.

He stressed that the solution to the Cyprus problem should be a bizonal bicommunal federation, in accordance with the 1977 and 1979 high level agreements between the two sides.

The Foreign Minister made it absolutely clear that the Cyprus government will never accept a solution that is outside the parameters of the Security Council resolutions. He said that the Cypriot citizen like any other European citizen, has rights which must be safeguarded and that the solution must be in line with the acquis communautaire.

From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/

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