The Government Spokesman Mr Stefanos Stefanou made the following statement at the beginning of his press briefing, yesterday, at the Press and Information Office: “The European Parliament’s resolution on Turkey’s Progress Report for 2009, which was approved yesterday by the Plenary of the body in Strasbourg, constitutes a clear message to Ankara to immediately implement its obligations which concern Cyprus. It also underlines the need for Turkey’s active support for the achievement of a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem. Basically the European Parliament calls on Turkey to contribute in concrete terms to the comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus issue, reviewing its policy so far. The resolution constitutes one more political tool in our struggle for the achievement of a solution in Cyprus that would end the Turkish occupation and reunify our homeland and our people, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots. Specifically the European Parliament gives the following clear messages to Turkey: - It deplores the fact that, for the fourth consecutive year, the Additional Protocol to the EC-Turkey Association Agreement has not been implemented by Turkey and calls on the Turkish Government to implement it fully and without delay. It also recalls that failure to do so may further seriously affect the process of the accession negotiations; - It reiterates the unequivocal obligation of Turkey to maintain good-neighbourly relations as provided for by the negotiating framework and underlines the need for Turkey to support the efforts for the achievement of a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem; - It calls on the Turkish Government to actively support the ongoing negotiations and to contribute in concrete terms to the comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus issue, based on a bizonal, bicommunal federation, in line with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and the principles on which the EU is founded; - 12.02.2010
