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Iacovou: Britain fully understands Cyprus Government
positions
The Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr George Iacovou stated
yesterday that Britain understood fully the issues which the Government of
Cyprus had raised and which needed to be sorted out before the European Union
decided on whether to begin accession negotiations with
Turkey.
Speaking after a meeting with
British Minister for Europe Mr Denis MacShane who is on an official visit to
Cyprus, Mr Iacovou said that general view was that there could not be a real
initiative by 17 December. He also pointed out that London had promised to work
in the direction of Turkey.
"I would like
to say that Great Britain has shown a very positive approach at the UN Security
Council, it was very helpful and our effort is to make Great Britain a supporter
of our positions, not only on the EU Regulations but also on issues that we have
raised in relation to the granting of a date for the commencement of accession
negotiations with Turkey", Mr Iacovou said.
The Foreign Minister noted that, although Mr MacShane had not found any
of the Greek Cypriot demands unreasonable, he wondered whether Turkey would
accept these to be sorted out before mid December.
''Most of the issues we have raised are obligations Turkey has
to meet and are not to be negotiated,'' Mr Iacovou said.
The President of the House of Representatives Mr Demetris
Christofias who also had a meeting yesterday with Mr MacShane stated that he had
a sincere discussion with the British Minister.
"I have conveyed to Mr MacShane the concerns of the people of Cyprus in
relation to the stance of the British Government before, during and especially
after the referenda", Mr Christofias said, noting that he also expressed his
concern about the British stance on the financial aid to the Turkish Cypriots,
the Regulation on direct trade and on the positions expressed in relation
toTurkey's obligations, as a candidate for EU accession.
2004-10-22
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