Cyprus welcomes Commonwealth communique

In the final communique adopted by the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, which wrapped up in Malta on Sunday, included four paragraphs on Cyprus as follows.

“Reaffirming their previous communiques on Cyprus, Heads of Government expressed their support for the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and unity of the Republic of Cyprus.

They welcomed the accession of the Republic of Cyprus to the European Union. They expressed their support for a lasting, just and functional settlement based on the principles of the United Nations Charter, the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and the principles of the Commonwealth.

Heads of Government called for the implementation of UN Security Council resolutions on Cyprus, in particular Security Council Resolutions 365 (1974), 541 (1983), 550 (1984), 1250 (1999) and all subsequent resolutions. They reiterated their support for the respect for the human rights of all Cypriots, including the right to property, the implementation of the relevant decisions of the European Court of Human Rights and for the accounting of all missing persons.

Heads of Government further agreed on the importance of supporting the efforts of the UN Secretary General to bring about a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem in line with relevant UN Security Council resolutions.”

Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos welcomed the statement as “very satisfying”.

Papadopoulos added that the call for the implementation of all UN resolutions on Cyprus, including resolutions 365, 541, 550 and 1250 and for the respect of human rights of all Cypriots, including the right to property, was something new.

Reference to the issue of missing persons and the respect of European Court of Human Rights decisions is also something new, Papadopoulos said.