TURKEY: GREECE AND TURKEY HAVE SAID THEY ARE READY TO CONTINUE U.N.-BACKED EFFORTS TO REUNITE CYPRUS

Record ID: 646868

  • Title: TURKEY: GREECE AND TURKEY HAVE SAID THEY ARE READY TO CONTINUE U.N.-BACKED EFFORTS TO REUNITE CYPRUS
  • Date: 4th December 2002
  • Summary: (EU) ANKARA, TURKEY (DECEMBER 4, 2002) (REUTERS-ACCESS ALL) 1. LV GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER GEORGE PAPANDREOU AND TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER YASAR YAKIS AT THE NEWS CONFERENCE 0.06 2. SLV MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA 0.11 3. MCU (English) TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER YASAR YAKIS SAYING: "It is up to the secretary-general to come up either with a modified version of his own plan, or to say that these two demands are not at a bridgeable distance, but we at least as Turkey, I can say that we are very much willing to see this problem solved before Copenhagen." 0.36 4. LV PAPANDREOU AND YAKIS 0.41 5. MCU (English) GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER GEORGE PAPANDREOU SAYING: "We are closely, have two leaders who work closely with (U.N.) Secretary-General Kofi Annan, in trying to get this solution. This is a very important opportunity, where different events coming together. At the same time, if it is not, for any reason, possible to get this conclusion by Copenhagen, this should not be the end." 1.07 6. SV FOREIGN MINISTERS SHAKING HANDS 1.30 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 19th December 2002 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: ANKARA, TURKEY
  • Country: Turkey
  • Reuters ID: LVA511VXTS3T2TTSYNVMDDFEQBO6
  • Story Text: Greece and Turkey have said they are ready to continue
    U.N.-backed efforts to reunite Cyprus even if a peace deal was
    not in place by the time a European Union summit starts next
    week.



    Time is running out for an agreement between Greek and
    Turkish Cypriots on a United Nations blueprint to reunite the
    island, despite hopes for a deal when the EU meets on December
    12 in Copenhagen, where it will invite Cyprus to join in 2004.

    The EU has said it will admit the internationally
    recognised Greek Cypriot side with or without a settlement,
    threatening to pitch Brussels and Turkey, a NATO member and EU
    hopeful, into crisis.

    In a sign that hopes may be dwindling for a deal to be
    clinched in the next eight days, Turkish Foreign Minister
    Yasar Yakis revealed on Wednesday (December 4) that Athens and
    Ankara were already talking about a possible framework for
    talks to continue past the EU summit.

    "It is up to the (U.N.) secretary-general to come up
    either with a modified version of his own plan, or to say that
    these two demands are not at a bridgeable distance, but we at
    least as Turkey, I can say that we are very much willing to
    see this problem solved before Copenhagen", Yakis said at a
    news conference in Ankara after talks with his Greek
    counterpart George Papandreou.

    "We .....have two leaders who work closely with (U.N.)
    Secretary-General Kofi Annan, in trying to get this solution.

    This is a very important opportunity, where different events
    coming together. At the same time, if it is not, for any
    reason, possible to get this conclusion by Copenhagen, this
    should not be the end", Papandreou said.

    Cyprus has been partitioned along ethnic lines since 1974
    when Turkey invaded in response to a coup backed by Athens.

    U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan's peace proposal sees a
    preliminary agreement on the east Mediterranean island by the
    Copenhagen summit.

    Europe wants Turkey, which is lobbying for a date to begin
    EU accession talks, to press the self-declared Turkish Cypriot
    administration that Ankara backs for a settlement.


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