Cyprus steps up attack on Britain

The government of Cyprus is keeping up the attack on Britain, with the Government Spokesman Kypros Chrysostomides accusing the UK Presidency of the EU failing to take into account the objections of EU member states, including the Republic of Cyprus.

In Wednesday foreign ministers failed to come to consensus on a counter-declaration designed to rebuff Turkey’s unilateral declaration issued hen it signed the Ankara Protocol and in which it said that it did not recognise the Republic of Cyprus.

Chrysostomides referred to “hardening of British positions” on the counterstatement, claiming that this was owing to Turkey’s insistence and representations.

“It [Britain] forgets that unanimity is required to adopt the statement and subsequently unanimity for Turkey’s negotiating framework”, Chrysostomides said.

According to the Cyprus News Agency, Chrysostomides said that Britain’s attitude is troubling Cyprus as well as other countries, which have indicated to the presidency that it needs to show impartiality and bear in mind the collective interest of the EU and not the interest it has by securing the opening of accession talks between Turkey and the EU.

Chrysostomides also attacks an article by Britain’s Foreign Secretary Jack Straw that appeared in the Herald Tribune.

Britain has denied that it is imposing its own agenda and insists that it is not negotiating the text of the declaration with Turkey.

“In order to have a consensus, what is required is a document that will be accepted by all member states”, Chrysostomides concluded.