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Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 04-02-06
From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>
[01]Friday, 06 February 2004 National Council convenes on Saturday to
discuss Annan letter
[02] UN SG makes one more push to resolve Cyprus issue, says UN spokesman
[03] Washington welcomes UN Secretary-General's initiative for new
talks
[04] British Foreign Secretary welcomes invitation for resuming talks
[01] National Council convenes on Saturday to discuss Annan letter
The National Council - the President's top advisory body on the handling of
the Cyprus problem - will convene tomorrow to assess the letter sent by the
UN Secretary-General, Mr Kofi Annan, to the leaders of the Greek Cypriot
and Turkish Cypriot communities, inviting them to go to New York on 10
February 2004 for a new round of peace talks on the basis of the Annan
plan. The President of the Republic, Mr Tassos Papadopoulos, announced the
National Council meeting yesterday, speaking to reporters at the Presidential
Palace after having received a delegation from the Union for Europe of the
Nations Group at the European Parliament. Invited to comment on the Annan
letter, President Papadopoulos noted that it would be assessed by the
members of the National Council at their meeting tomorrow morning at
10:00.
[02] UN SG makes one more push to resolve Cyprus issue, says UN spokesman
The UN Secretary-General has put a lot of effort in trying to resolve the
Cyprus issue and considers the forthcoming meeting in New York as one more
push forward on his part to try to reach a settlement, a spokesman for the
Secretary-General, Mr Stephane Dujarric, said yesterday. Asked if the
Secretary-General had contacted Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash, the
spokesman said there had not been any spoken contact between the two in the
past 24 hours but Mr Annan had communicated with him in writing. "The
letter that was sent to Denktash was the letter written to both the Greek
Cypriot leader as well as the Turkish Cypriot leader inviting them to come
to the talks. But there has been no direct contact between Mr Denktash and
the Secretary-General in the last 24 hours", he noted. The UN spokesman
refrained from commenting on press suggestions that Mr Annan wanted to get
rid of the Turkish Cypriot leader, saying that "the Secretary-General's aim
is to get this process in motion again with the objective to get a
completed text put to referenda in April 2004". Invited to say whether the
parties, by accepting the invitation of Mr Annan to go to New York, also
agreed with his terms and especially those described in paragraph 148 of
his April 2003 report, the spokesman said, "I don't want to interpret the
thoughts of the parties. What I can tell you is what the Secretary-General
would like and that is what he said in the letter". Asked about the
significance of the upcoming talks, he noted, "The Cyprus issue is
obviously very significant. As you know it's been going on for quite a
while and I think the Secretary-General has put in a lot of effort in
trying to resolve it. And this latest meeting is one more push forward on
his part to try to get this issue resolved".
[03] Washington welcomes UN Secretary-General's initiative for new
talks
The United States welcomes the UN Secretary-General's initiative to invite
the Cyprus parties to resume negotiations on the basis of his plan for a
solution of the Cyprus problem, US State Department Spokesman Mr Richard
Boucher has noted. "We do continue to support strongly, in any way we can,
the Good Offices Mission of the UN Secretary-General. We urge the parties
to do likewise, so as to assure that a settlement can be reached and a
united Cyprus can enter the EU on May 1st. Our Special Cyprus Coordinator
[Mr Thomas Weston] would expect to be in New York during the talks, but
these are talks between the Secretary-General and the parties, so we are
generally not in the room when they take place", Mr Boucher added, speaking
during yesterday's briefing of the press.
Replying to questions, he refuted news reports that Mr Marc Grossman, Under
Secretary of State for political Affairs, would also be attending the New
York meeting. Invited to say whether Washington agreed with the date
proposed by the UN Secretary-General for putting his plan to a referendum,
Mr Boucher noted, "When we refer to the Secretary-General's requirements
and the Secretary-General's conditions, putting the plan to a referendum at
a point in this process, a fairly early date because we are trying to get
it all wrapped up by May 1st, is part of the Secretary-General's proposals,
his formula, his requirements, whatever we want to use. But that is part of
the package the Secretary-General has put forward that we have encouraged
the parties to use to resolve this."
Replying to other questions, he stressed that the UN Secretary-General was
in charge of the peace process and the person deciding who would be
attending the New York meeting. Mr Boucher also clarified that the US did
not have the role of a mediator at the talks.
[04] British Foreign Secretary welcomes invitation for resuming talks
The UN Secretary-General's invitation to Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot
leaders to resume talks for the reunification of Cyprus was welcomed
yesterday by the British Foreign Secretary, Mr Jack Straw. Mr Straw made
the following statement: "I strongly support the UN Secretary-General's
judgment that the time has come for a final, wholehearted effort to find a
Cyprus settlement. The prize of accession to the EU by a re-united island
this May is still within reach.
I am encouraged by the signals he has received that the necessary
commitment exists among the parties to this process, and I applaud the way
he is trying to ensure that this commitment translates into focused,
genuine negotiations on the basis of his earlier proposals. As a Guarantor
Power, and strong supporter of the UNSG's good offices mission in Cyprus,
the UK will play its part fully."
From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/
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