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Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 02-04-03
From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>
Wednesday, 3 April 2002
CONTENTS
- [01] Statement by the Government Spokesman on the situation in the Middle
East
- [02] Foreign Minister comments on the forthcoming UN Security Council
statement on the Cyprus problem
[01] Statement by the Government Spokesman on the situation in the Middle
East
The Government Spokesman Mr Michalis Papapetrou made the following
statement yesterday on the situation in the Middle East:
"The Government expresses its great concern for the turn of developments in
the Middle East. It also expresses its full solidarity and support for
President Yaser Arafat and calls upon the Israeli forces to withdraw
immediately from Ramallah and the other territories of the Palestinian
Authority. We call upon the Israeli Government to abandon its refusal to
talk with Arafat, because it is the Cyprus Government's conviction that
only a dialogue with the most reliable negotiators of each side, can lead
to a way out of the crisis and revive the peaceful process. The Government
condemns the actions of violence both by the Israeli and the Palestinian
extremist organisations and underlines that the vicious circle of blood
does not serve at all either the interests of the Israeli or the Palestinian
people. The Government calls upon the international community to intervene
immediately in the Middle East and declares itself ready to play its own
role to the best of its ability."
On his part, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Ioannis Kasoulides,
replying to a question on whether he has received any proposal for
mediation in the Middle East problem, as a result of his good relations
with both sides, said: "I have not received any proposal to this effect.
The present situation has reached such a point that I do not know how it
could be a matter of mediation. I think that I have placed the whole issue
on the correct basis from the very beginning. At any rate, the Israeli
troops have to withdraw from Ramallah immediately, if there is going to be
any negotiation or understanding".
[02] Foreign Minister comments on the forthcoming UN Security Council
statement on the Cyprus problem
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Ioannis Kasoulides, invited to comment
on the forthcoming statement by the UN Security Council on the Cyprus
problem, said that the contents of this statement would depend on the
briefing of the Security Council members by the UN Secretary General's
Special Adviser for Cyprus, Mr Alvaro de Soto. Before Mr de Soto's
departure to Ankara, the picture regarding the positions and the behaviour
of each side at the direct talks was well known, he said and added: "If, in
Ankara, they did not try to present a different picture to Mr de Soto about
the future intentions of the Turkish Cypriot side, I believe that the
Security Council, in the way it will express itself, should not put on
equal terms the side which cooperates with the side that does not
cooperate". "However, this is a matter to be judged by the members of the
Security Council", Mr Kasoulides concluded.
From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/
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