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Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 03-10-13
From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>
[01]Monday, 13 October 2003 President Papadopoulos reiterates commitment to
solution based on Annan plan
[02] Foreign Minister concludes Hungary visit and departs for Luxembourg
[03] Washington welcomes cancellation of military exercises
[01] President Papadopoulos reiterates commitment to solution based on
Annan plan
The President of the Republic, Mr Tassos Papadopoulos, has reiterated
yesterday the Greek Cypriot side's "sincere intention" to reach a
functional and viable solution of the Cyprus problem through negotiations
on the basis of the Annan plan. In an address at an anti-occupation rally
of the Morphou municipality, read by the Finance Minister, the President
expressed hope that through negotiations, without any preconditions,
improvements would be introduced to the peace plan which would render the
solution functional and thus viable, "a solution that would stand the test
of time, in the framework of a big European family". He further said that
the Greek Cypriot side did not seek to overturn the framework, philosophy
and parameters of the plan, or to extract rights and privileges that the
plan offered to the Turkish Cypriots, and added that a functional plan
would serve better the interests of both Greek Cypriots and Turkish
Cypriots. President Papadopoulos pledged that the Government would not
accept the fait-accompli of the 1974 Turkish invasion and occupation, and
promised to continue in good faith his efforts to reunite the island.
[02] Foreign Minister concludes Hungary visit and departs for Luxembourg
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Georgios Iacovou, concluded yesterday
his official visit to Budapest with a lengthy meeting with the Rapporteur
on Cyprus of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE),
Hungarian MP Matyas Eorsi, whom he briefed on the current situation of the
Cyprus problem. On Saturday, Mr Iacovou participated in a conference
organised by the Hungarian Parliament on the ratification of the Accession
Treaties. The conference was also attended by representatives of the
Parliaments of the 15 EU member states, the ten acceding states and the
three candidate countries. The Foreign Minister departed yesterday for
Luxembourg to attend the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council
as well as the second session of the Intergovernmental Conference.
Tomorrow, he will sign, on behalf of the Republic of Cyprus, the Agreement
of Accession to the European Economic Area (EEA). He will then accompany
President Papadopoulos during his visit to Luxembourg, on 14 and 15 October,
and to the European Council in Brussels, on 16 and 17 October.
[03] Washington welcomes cancellation of military exercises
The US State Department's Spokesman, Mr Richard Boucher, said that
Washington welcomed the decision by Cyprus, Greece and Turkey to cancel
their planned military exercises, noting that the decision would contribute
towards reaching a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem and
stability in the Aegean. Commenting on the aforementioned decision during
the regular press briefing last Friday, Mr Boucher noted, "We have always
encouraged all the parties to forego these military exercises".
"We see this as having come about because of the kind of mutual trust
that's been established between Turkey and Greece over the past few years,
and the foreign ministers on both sides had a lot to do with that", the US
Spokesman concluded.
From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/
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