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Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 03-09-26
From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>
[01]Friday, 26 September 2003 President Papadopoulos addresses 58th Session
of UN General Assembly
[02] Kofi Annan not willing to resume peace efforts with Denktash remaining
as T/C leader, says President Papadopoulos
[03] President notes, "Everybody awaits change in Turkish stance for
resumption of talks"
[04] Turkish Foreign Minister says Ankara accepts Annan plan with
modifications
[01] President Papadopoulos addresses 58th Session of UN General Assembly
"The continuing and longstanding Turkish intransigence has a few months ago
thwarted what was probably the strongest ever initiative of the United
Nations for finding a solution in Cyprus", the President of the Republic Mr
Tassos Papadopoulos noted in his address at the 58th Session of the UN
General Assembly, yesterday, at UN headquarters in New York. President
Papadopoulos expressed Cyprus' gratitude for the UN Secretary-General's
involvement and efforts in reaching a settlement of the Cyprus issue and
assured Mr Kofi Annan and the UN that the Greek Cypriot side was always
ready to engage in serious negotiations on the basis of the Annan plan in
order to reach a comprehensive solution the soonest possible. He further
said that a solution was urgently needed in Cyprus, "a functional and
viable solution that will embrace all Cypriots and allow our country to
take its stride and assume fully its place and role within the European
family", and expressed hope that the Turkish side would soon realise the
need to return to the negotiating table and demonstrate the necessary
political will to yield a settlement. On Turkish intransigence in the
efforts for a settlement, Mr Papadopoulos said "it is at variance with the
will and the wish of the overwhelming majority of the Turkish Cypriots
themselves who are persistently asking for a solution and participation in
the accession of Cyprus to the European Union". Referring to the Ottawa
Convention and the international effort against mine proliferation,
President Papadopoulos announced the Cyprus Government's decision to
"unilaterally start, within the next two months, in cooperation with the
United Nations and the financial support of the European Union, demining in
the buffer zone and to unilaterally proceed with the destruction of an
appreciable amount of stockpiled anti-personnel mines during the month of
November this year". Mr Papadopoulos also made extensive reference to the
issue of human rights, saying that, "While working hard for the promotion
and protection of human rights of all its citizens under the harsh
circumstances imposed by the invasion and occupation of a significant part
of its territory, Cyprus never loses sight of the universal dimension of
human rights and remains active and resolutely watches over the protection
of human rights throughout the world". Regarding the issue of terrorism, he
noted that "terrorist acts around the globe serve as a painful reminder
that terrorism transcends borders and it attacks universal values" and that
"freedom, democracy, human rights and humanity itself have to be defended
by the international community with persistence and determination".
He further stressed that "Cyprus is playing its part fully in this
concerted effort and is also among the countries that have ratified all
twelve of the International Conventions pertaining to terrorism".
"Furthermore, it [Cyprus] has recently ratified the Convention on the
Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel of 1994", he added.
[02] Kofi Annan not willing to resume peace efforts with Denktash remaining
as T/C leader, says President Papadopoulos
President Tassos Papadopoulos has noted that the UN Secretary-General, Mr
Kofi Annan, was not willing to take on a new initiative in Cyprus as long
as the Turkish Cypriot leadership remained the same. Speaking to reporters
after a half-hour meeting with the UN Secretary-General yesterday in New
York, Mr Papadopoulos said that Mr Annan had not expressed any concern on
the possibility of changing some provisions of his peace plan. "Nor did the
Secretary-General speak or exert pressure for referenda and the resumption
of the talks at the time being, having doubts even on whether after the
'elections' in the Turkish-occupied areas the conditions would be in place
for a speedy resumption of the talks", the President added. "I have had a
very useful meeting with the UN Secretary-General, in an excellent
atmosphere, during which we reviewed the present situation and the
possibility to start a new effort for negotiations", Mr Papadopoulos told
reporters. Asked to say if the Secretary-General had any plans for the next
three months, he replied negatively.
The meeting was attended by the Foreign Minister, Mr Georgios Iacovou,
Cyprus' Permanent Representative to the UN, Mr Andreas Mavroyiannis, and
the Director of the President's Diplomatic Office, Mr Tasos Tzionis.
[03] President notes, "Everybody awaits change in Turkish stance for
resumption of talks"
"Everybody seems to be waiting for some change in the attitude of Turkey
and consequentially of the Turkish Cypriots for the resumption of the
talks", President Tassos Papadopoulos has noted. Speaking at a press
conference in New York yesterday following his address before the UN
General Assembly, Mr Papadopoulos said that the decisions of the Turkish
side on the Cyprus problem were taken by Ankara, including the matter of
who would represent the Turkish Cypriot community at the peace talks. On
the forthcoming "elections" in the occupied areas, he pointed out that they
were not held to decide who would be the Turkish Cypriot "president" or the
interlocutor at the negotiations. "With Mr Denktash there is no hope of an
agreement because he says the [Annan] plan not only is not on the table,
but he says it's dead and buried and not even a basis for talks", Mr
Papadopoulos stressed, adding that "with somebody else, at least, there may
be hope that we will meet with a different attitude both by Ankara and by
the local people". Replying to a question about the various measures the
Turkish Cypriot leader had announced, the President underlined that the
only measure was the partial lifting of restrictions on movement along the
two sides of the divide, a restriction imposed by Mr Denktash in the first
place. On the issue of the fenced-off area of Famagusta, Mr Papadopoulos
said a lot of announcements had been made but nothing happened that
far. He further noted that the Cyprus Government wanted a solution prior to
EU accession, but added that the 1st of May 2004 was not a "catastrophic
deadline", since Protocol 10 of the EU Accession Treaty said that whenever
there would be a solution, that solution would be accommodated in the
Treaty by unanimous decision of the Council without a need for a new round
of ratifications of the Treaty by the member states.
Regarding the Annan plan and the Greek Cypriot side's proposed amendments
to it, Mr Papadopoulos explained that the amendments aimed at making the
plan more functional and thus viable. "It is in the interests of all for
the solution to be viable. Not just to sign a piece of paper that will
breakdown before it is even implemented. The UN also see the rationale of
this thinking", he added.
Asked to elaborate on the Cyprus Government's initiative concerning the
demining of the buffer zone, which the President had announced earlier in
his speech before the General Assembly, he said that the Government had
already lifted eleven of the minefields that were in the areas under its
control and that it needed the assistance of the UN to proceed with the
demining of the buffer zone. "I don't know what will be the attitude of Mr
Denktash, but even if he says 'no' we intend to proceed unilaterally", Mr
Papadopoulos noted.
[04] Turkish Foreign Minister says Ankara accepts Annan plan with
modifications
Turkey's Foreign Minister, Mr Abdullah Gul, has said that his government
accepted the UN Secretary-General's peace plan on Cyprus as a basis for
negotiations on the condition that modifications would be made it,
acceptable to both sides. Speaking yesterday after a meeting with his Greek
counterpart Mr George Papandreou, on the sidelines of the UN General
Assembly, Mr Gul noted that there was a need for modifying the Annan plan
in a way that was acceptable to both sides involved in order for the peace
talks to resume. Asked to say whether Ankara was willing to put pressure on
Mr Denktash to return to the negotiating table, Mr Gul replied, "Of course
it is up to them [Turkish Cypriot leadership] but we are encouraging a
lasting peace, so let's see their election as I am sure that after the
elections the negotiations will start again."
He added that for a solution to be a lasting one it should be satisfactory
to both sides.
From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/
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