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Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 04-01-21
From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>
[01]Wednesday, 21 January 2004 President Papadopoulos receives Greek
opposition party leader
[02] Harmonisation Coordinator addresses Belgian Senate Foreign Affairs
Committee
[03] Britain continues to view Annan Plan as only realistic basis for
settlement
[01] President Papadopoulos receives Greek opposition party leader
The President of the Republic, Mr Tassos Papadopoulos, received yesterday
at the Presidential Palace the leader of Greece's main opposition party, Mr
Costas Karamanlis. Speaking after the meeting, Mr Karamanlis noted that the
next national goal, after the successful conclusion of Cyprus' EU accession
course, was the achievement of a just, viable and peaceful solution of the
Cyprus problem on the basis of UN resolutions and the EU acquis communautaire.
"We, as always, are by the side of the Cyprus Government. I have made a
commitment to President Papadopoulos that as of 8 March, given the will of
the Greek people of course, we will work in the same spirit to fulfill the
expectations of the Cyprus people, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots", Mr
Karamanlis said. The Greek politician and contestant in the forthcoming
Greek general elections expressed the view that national issues should be
left outside the electoral campaign, noting that it was a time of national
consensus and responsible behaviour in handling such issues.
Commenting on his meeting with Mr Papadopoulos, Mr Karamanlis said the
identity of views with the President had been once again ascertained.
Earlier yesterday, Mr Karamanlis met with the President of the House of
Representatives, Mr Demetris Christofias.
[02] Harmonisation Coordinator addresses Belgian Senate Foreign Affairs
Committee
The Coordinator for Cyprus' harmonisation with the acquis communautaire, Mr
Takis Hadjidemetriou, spoke before the Committee of Foreign Affairs of the
Belgian Senate yesterday, in the framework of discussions on the Cyprus
problem and Cyprus' EU accession course held in the aforementioned
Committee. In his speech Mr Hadjidemetriou made a brief outline of the
history of the island and then referred to the performance of the Cyprus
economy, the island's EU accession course and the latest developments on
the Cyprus problem. Specifically, the Harmonisation Coordinator said Cyprus
had a record of successful economic performance, which was reflected in
rapid growth, full employment conditions and internal stability. He also
noted that all indicators - unemployment, inflation, fiscal deficit and
public debt - were in line or without serious discrepancies with that of
the Maastricht criteria. Referring to Cyprus' EU accession course, Mr
Hadjidemetriou underlined the immense efforts to harmonise legislation with
the acquis communautaire, noting that 900 new harmonisation laws had been
enacted that far and that the process would carry on until accession. Mr
Hadjidemetriou further noted that the accession of Cyprus to the EU would
establish the Union both as a Mediterranean and a Middle Eastern power.
"The role of Cyprus, as a full EU member, in the Eastern Mediterranean will
offer new opportunities and possibilities for the improvement of economic,
commercial and cultural links between the EU and this volatile and
important area with a population of 300 million people", he added. On the
Cyprus problem, Mr Hadjidemetriou said the submission by the UN Secretary-
General of a settlement plan, known as the Annan Plan, in November 2002,
indicated a turning point in the efforts to reach a comprehensive
solution. Noting the Greek Cypriot side's willingness to resume negotiations
for a settlement on the basis of the Annan plan, Mr Hadjidemetriou said all
peace efforts had failed to yield any results because of the intransigent
stance of the Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash, as it was exposed by
the UN Secretary-General's statements as well as in subsequent UN Security
Council and European Parliament resolutions.
"The EU has sent a clear message to Turkey that the continuation of the
Cyprus problem constitutes a serious obstacle to its EU ambitions", he
further said, noting that the initiative was now in the hands of Ankara and
in particular, the National Security Council which would convene on 23
January to decide the Turkish policy on Cyprus. "I have the strong belief
that there is a chance for the solution of the problem which will
eventually serve the real interests of all countries involved, namely,
Greece, Turkey and Cyprus, and will more generally serve peace and
stability in the sensitive area of the Eastern Mediterranean", Mr
Hadjidemetriou concluded.
[03] Britain continues to view Annan Plan as only realistic basis for
settlement
"We continue to believe that the UN Secretary-General's proposals offer the
only realistic basis for a just, comprehensive and lasting settlement",
Britain's Minister of State for Europe Mr Denis MacShane has noted, calling
on all sides involved in the Cyprus issue to commit to resuming peace talks
on the basis of the Annan plan as soon as possible. In his written answers
to questions on Cyprus posed by Labour MP Andrew Dismore at the House of
Commons last week, Mr MacShane said the "formation of a new "government"
under the leadership of the pro-settlement politician Mehmet Ali Talat in
northern Cyprus is an encouraging development" and welcomed the fact that
the so-called government's aim was to work for a settlement to the Cyprus
problem, on the basis of the Annan plan, by 1 May 2004. Referring to his
recent visit to Ankara, the British Minister noted that he had discerned "a
positive line from the Turkish Government in support of the Annan
Plan". As regards the need for a census to be conducted in the Turkish-
occupied areas of the island, Mr MacShane noted, "We believe that the
UN Secretary-General's proposals (the Annan Plan) satisfactorily take into
account the issues underlying calls for a census. It is difficult to see
the useful purpose that a census at the present time would serve, nor how
the necessary delay in organising it would advance matters".
From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/
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