Greek FM: window of opportunity for Cyprus in 2008

by Christa Nicolaou

Athens, (CNA) – Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyianni believes that 2008 may offer a window of opportunity for a Cyprus solution and improved bilateral Greco-Turkish relations.

Speaking before the Greek Parliament, Bakoyianni stressed that Greece supports an overall settlement in Cyprus and believes in co-existence, a united island and a bizonal, bicommunal federation.

“But this does not depend on us, it depends on Cypriots themselves,” she added and stressed that Cyprus is not under guardianship as it is an independent state, which negotiates as such.

Bakoyianni said that “the July 8 process is now frozen and the Turkish Cypriot side is responsible for this, under pressure by Ankara”.

“To be absolutely clear, I don’t believe that 2007 will be a year of developments,” she added and expressed the belief that “on the contrary, possibly 2008, after the elections (in February 2008 to elect a president in Cyprus), there could be a window of opportunity both at the level of bilateral Greco-Turkish relations and at the level of the Cyprus question.”

The July agreement, brokered by the UN, between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot sides provides for the concurrent establishment of working groups to address substantive aspects of the Cyprus problem and technical committees to deal with the day-to-day problems that affect the people, as well as Confidence Building Measures.

“We have to work as closely as we can with the Cypriot leadership, to have a positive result and above all to have the dialogue stared on the basis of the principles of the 8th of July. We have to get to the substance of the problem,” she underlined.

As regards Turkey’s European course, Bakoyianni said “the incentive of the European prospect constitutes the core issue in our relations with Turkey,” adding that the strategic choice of the Greek government is based on “full compliance – full accession.”