|
|
|
Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 03-11-20
From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>
[01]Thursday, 20 November 2003 Cyprus will not accept compromise on Titina
Loizidou case, says Foreign Minister
[02] Weston expresses concern over impact of Erdogan's visit in occupied
Cyprus
[03] US State Department Spokesman urges all Cyprus parties to resume UN-
led peace talks
[01] Cyprus will not accept compromise on Titina Loizidou case, says
Foreign Minister
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Georgios Iacovou, has stressed that
Cyprus would not accept a compromise deal concerning the implementation of
the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruling on the case of Titina
Loizidou against Turkey. Referring to yesterday's decision of the Council
of Europe (CoE) Committee of Ministers to extend for another week a
deadline for Turkey to compensate Greek Cypriot Titina Loizidou for loss of
use of her property in the Turkish-occupied areas of Cyprus, Mr Iacovou
noted that efforts had been made by some member states to come up with a
compromise arrangement. "Mr Gul [Turkish Foreign Minister] had stated that
Turkey was willing to pay compensation under certain conditions and some
people assumed the task of finding compromising formulas. We, as we have
said, do not accept compromising formulas", Mr Iacovou said, adding that
the decision of the CoE Committee was to examine possible retaliatory
measures until Ankara would pay the compensation and court fees, granted by
the ECHR in its 1998 ruling, without conditions.
The Foreign Minister further expressed the certainty that the European
Union wished to see Turkey abiding by the Court's decision unconditionally.
In addition, commenting on recent statements by EU Enlargement Commissioner
Gunter Verheugen on the situation in the occupied areas of the island and
Turkey's role in the so-called elections of next December, Mr Iacovou noted
that Mr Verheugen was "courageously and objectively presenting the
situation in Cyprus at the Commission, the Council and publicly".
[02] Weston expresses concern over impact of Erdogan's visit in occupied
Cyprus
The US State Department's Special Coordinator for Cyprus, Mr Thomas Weston,
expressed concern that the recent illegal visit by Turkey's Prime Minister
Tayyip Erdogan to the Turkish-occupied areas of Cyprus could be used by
various parties in the north to prevent the recommencement of the UN-led
peace talks. Speaking after a meeting with the Greek Foreign Minister Mr
George Papandreou yesterday in Athens, Mr Weston noted, however, that
"there is reason to believe that the visit [by Erdogan] could have a
positive impact in terms of moving back to talks".
Replying to a question on whether he was still optimistic about the
resumption of the peace talks, after Mr Erdogan's visit to the occupied
areas, the US envoy said that he would first have to wait and see how that
visit would be used by the various parties in the north. In his remarks to
the press, Greece's Foreign Minister Mr Papandreou said that the next
months would be "crucial" for the Cyprus problem, as Cyprus was acceding to
the European Union and Turkey would be assessed for its stance and
contribution towards a solution of the problem. He further said that Greece
would continue to support Ankara's European perspective because it believed
that long-standing problems could be dealt with more effectively within the
EU framework. Mr Papandreou added that there was a new potential for a
settlement and Mr Weston was correctly assessing and making use of that
potential on behalf of the United States.
[03] US State Department Spokesman urges all Cyprus parties to resume UN-
led peace talks
"We urge all parties to express to the UN Secretary-General as soon as
possible the necessary political willingness that he has requested to
resume negotiations under the framework of the UN good offices mission on
the basis of the Annan plan", US State Department Deputy Spokesman Mr Adam
Ereli noted during yesterday's press briefing. Commenting on recent
statements by the State Department's Cyprus Coordinator Mr Thomas Weston on
the Turkish Prime Minister's illegal visit to the occupied areas, Mr Ereli
said that "what's important about Mr Erdogan's visit is how his visit and
statements will be used by various political actors in northern Cyprus".
"And It is our position that we'd like to see them sign on to the UN plan
and begin serious negotiations", he added. On Mr Weston's visits to Athens,
Ankara and Nicosia, the US Spokesman said the purpose of his trip was to
convey Washington's views on the way ahead to a Cyprus settlement.
Mr Weston is currently in Greece and is expected to arrive in Cyprus early
this afternoon. Later today he will be received by the President of the
Republic Mr Tassos Papadopoulos and the Foreign Minister Mr Georgios
Iacovou.
From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/
|
