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Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 03-04-09
From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>
[01]Wednesday, 09 April 2003 Government continues to support Turkish
Cypriots, says Interior Minister
[02] Foreign Minister: UN resolution on Cyprus will be outcome of
compromise
[03] MacShane expresses regret that Denktash did not "seize" opportunity
for solution
[01] Government continues to support Turkish Cypriots, says Interior
Minister
The Minister of Interior, Mr Andreas Christou, stated yesterday that the
Government continued to provide Turkish Cypriots with benefits enjoyed by
all Cypriot citizens, adding that the support measures, to be announced by
the Government, would be additional to the existing policy. Asked by
journalists to say if the Interior Ministry was prepared to implement the
new measures for Turkish Cypriots when these would be announced, Mr
Christou said, "With regard to the existing services, surely we are ready",
but noted that new mechanisms were required for implementation purposes.
Once specific decisions were made on these new mechanisms, he added, the
Interior Ministry would be able to act promptly to implement the new
measures. Meanwhile, the Government Spokesman, Mr Kypros Chrysostomides,
also commenting on the impending measures for Turkish Cypriots during
yesterday's press briefing, stated the following:
"As it has already been announced, the National Council discussed yesterday
policy issues regarding the Turkish Cypriots on the basis of the wish that
our Turkish Cypriot co citizens should enjoy all the benefits that the rest
of the citizens of the Republic of Cyprus enjoy, to the greatest degree
possible. The measures are not a substitute for a solution. They are
temporary measures for the transitional period until a solution. The
untimely and unofficial publication of the measures created discussions and
reactions on the part of the Turkish Cypriot opposition, which in our
opinion, are unjustified. It is in this light that we must also judge the
reports that refer, not to decisions, but to draft documents and studies
under discussion. The reactions on the part of the Turkish Cypriot
opposition are not justified and some are perhaps due to internal policy
processes in the Turkish Cypriot community. Let us have that in mind, so
that when we take decisions, we publish the decisions and not any studies
in advance."
[02] Foreign Minister: UN resolution on Cyprus will be outcome of
compromise
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Georgios Iacovou, expressed his belief
that the forthcoming resolution on Cyprus by the UN Security Council would
be the outcome of compromise between the five permanent members of the
Council.
Replying to press questions yesterday, Mr Iacovou said he could not guess
the exact content of the resolution, noting that the Government was trying
to obtain the "best possible resolution for our side". He further noted
that the five permanent members expressed different views on the matter
during Monday's consultations on Cyprus, adding that "there are rumours
that Russia will submit her own resolution". In addition, asked to comment
on information about explosions in the sea near the British Base Area in
Akrotiri, Limassol, the Foreign Minister pointed out that the British Base
authorities had been contacted and their spokesman denied the information.
He added that the Government would look further into the matter.
[03] MacShane expresses regret that Denktash did not "seize" opportunity
for solution
The British Minister of State for Europe, Mr Denis MacShane, expressed
regret that the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mr Rauf Denktash, "did not seize
the opportunity offered to him of the Kofi Annan plan", but said that he
still kept his fingers crossed about Cyprus. Speaking last week before the
Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Commons, Mr MacShane was asked to
comment on the likelihood of a divided Cyprus joining the EU, especially
following the collapse of the UN-led peace talks in The Hague. He said that
he was optimistic about a solution in Cyprus, but "those hopes have had to
be put on hold". He further noted, "I think people now reflecting in Ankara
may consider that more pressure should have been put on Mr Denktash",
adding that he would continue to "make clear to the Turkish Government, in
a friendly way, that we believe the entry of a united Cyprus is good for
the EU, good for Cyprus, good for Turkey, good for Greece, good for the
Eastern Mediterranean." Asked a series of questions on how a divided island
would join the EU, Mr MacShane explained - with the aid of Mr Kim Darroch,
Director for EU Affairs at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office - that
Cyprus would accede to the European Union as the Republic of Cyprus, and
that the acquis communautaire would apply to the whole of the island but
suspended in the north. On the status of Turkish Cypriots after accession,
Mr MacShane referred to the massive demonstrations in the occupied areas,
saying that "we have not seen such pro-EU demonstrations for some time, and
I hope the politics will change and that their elected leaders will
understand that it is the obvious wish of the citizens in northern Cyprus
to accede as a united island to the EU".
From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/
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