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Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 03-09-05
From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>
[01]Friday, 05 September 2003 Foreign Minister departs for Rome to attend
informal EU General Affairs Council
[02] Italian EU Presidency pledges to investigate Rizokarpaso school
issue
[01] Foreign Minister departs for Rome to attend informal EU General
Affairs Council
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Georgios Iacovou, has said that there
would be a chance to resume negotiations for a settlement of the Cyprus
problem in the first three months of 2004. He added that if the negotiations
failed to produce a positive result it was possible that efforts for a
solution would be deferred until after Cyprus' accession to the EU. Mr
Iacovou, who was speaking at Larnaca Airport yesterday before his departure
for Rome to attend an Informal General Affairs and External Relations
Council, further expressed the position that the start of EU accession
negotiations would constitute a powerful motive for Turkey, possibly
leading it to engage in a dialogue for the solution of the Cyprus issue. He
also welcomed the position expressed by the US State Department's Special
Coordinator for Cyprus, Mr Thomas Weston, that the US could not imagine the
start of Turkey's accession talks with the EU without a prior Cyprus
settlement, noting that the statement was sending a clear message to
Ankara. Mr Iacovou compared the US Envoy's statement with a similar one
made in the past by EU Enlargement Commissioner Gunter Verheugen. Referring
to his trip to Italy and his participation in the informal meeting of EU
Foreign Ministers, Mr Iacovou noted that serious issues would be discussed
there such as the next Intergovernmental Conference which would deal with
the EU Constitution. The informal meetings of the EU Ministers of Foreign
Affairs, commonly called "Gymnich", constitute a traditional occasion for
exchanging views on important issues concerning the Union's activities, in
particular in the sector of institutional reforms and treaty modifications
as well as EU foreign policy. The particular "Gymnich" meeting, held under
the Italian Presidency of the EU, will take place on 5-6 September in Riva
del Garda and will be presided by the Italian Foreign Minister, Mr Franco
Frattini. Foreign Minister Georgios Iacovou will return to Cyprus on Sunday,
7 September.
[02] Italian EU Presidency pledges to investigate Rizokarpaso school
issue
The Italian Presidency of the European Union will investigate the expulsion
of the Greek Cypriot teachers from the occupied village of Rizokarpaso and
the refusal by the illegal regime in Turkish-occupied Cyprus to allow the
reopening of the Rizokarpaso High School. Italy's Undersecretary for
Foreign Affairs and Acting President of the Council, Mr Roberto Antonione,
made the aforementioned statement yesterday during a plenary session of the
European Parliament examining human rights issues.
Replying to an intervention by Greek MEP Mr Alecos Alavanos condemning the
situation in Rizokarpaso and requesting the immediate involvement of the
Council, Mr Antonione took the stand and said that the Italian Presidency
would look into the matter and if necessary inform the European Parliament
about any action to be taken.
From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/
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