Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos has described as satisfying the text of the EU – Turkey revised partnership, adopted by the EU Foreign Ministers.
“What we had asked for and we could have asked for, that were on the agenda, have been incorporated and therefore it is satisfying,” Papadopoulos said.
Government Spokesman Kypros Chrysostomides said that all these obligations are included into Turkey’s short-term obligations that have to be fulfilled during a short time of period, 1 – 2 years.
Chrysostomides noted that the EU counterstatement of September 21 is now an integral part of the partnership relation.
“The obligation of implementing the protocol and the normalization of relations with the Cyprus Republic as well is explicitly reiterated,” he noted.
He said “the implementation of these obligations, on the basis of the protocol, explicitly includes and the lifting of any obstacles and restrictions as regards the movement of goods, which refers to the potential of Cyprus ships to approach to Turkish ports and to the use of the air space” of Turkey.
The spokesman noted that “Turkey must submit an action plan,” as this consists “an explicit obligation on the basis of the partnership relation.”
He said this action plan must include the way by which Turkey is thinking of implementing its obligations towards Cyprus.
He noted that as regards efforts to solve the Cyprus question, something new has been added, and the partnership relations say that Turkey has to ensure support to the efforts for a settlement.
“It is not only generally the support. This support must be ensured and this is refers to Turkey,” he noted.
Chrysostomides said that in the same paragraph it is stated that Turkey must contribute to the creation of a good climate to reach a settlement.
He noted that as regards normalization it is said that there must be concrete measures by Turkey to this end.
He also said that the partnership relation also includes the obligation of fully implementing the European Court of Human Rights rulings and executing its decisions, apart from the obligation of complying with the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights.
