by Maria Koniotou
Lisbon, (CNA) – President of the Republic of Cyprus Tassos Papadopoulos discussed on Wednesday in Brussels with Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn the implementation of a UN-brokered agreement in July last year and Turkey’s EU accession course.
Speaking on Thursday to reporters in Lisbon, where he is participating in the EU informal summit, President Papadopoulos said he arranged the meeting with Rehn when he saw him in New York, adding that they discussed the Cyprus problem in general and various pending EU issues.
”The main issue was around the implementation of the July agreement, which the EU supports and especially Mr. Rehn,” he said.
Regarding Turkey’s accession negotiations, President Papadopoulos said ”we have mentioned our conditions and reservations in discussions in the working groups,” adding that other countries have also expressed reservations.
Replying to questions, President Papadopoulos said it was not yet certain which new chapters would open for Turkey or even if they would open. ”I don’t think the Portuguese Presidency has great aspirations to open more chapters,” he added.
Furthermore, President Papadopoulos expressed certainty that with the intervention of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon Turkey could be convinced to change its policy regarding the implementation of the 8 July 2006 agreement, which the Turkish side appears to be brushing aside.
Asked about the UN chief’s recent meeting in New York with Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat, President Papadopoulos said that, from the information he has received from Cyprus’ Permanent Representative to the UN, Ban seems to have heard what Talat had to say and replied that the July agreement must be implemented.
President Papadopoulos said that he had submitted a proposal to the UN chief for the immediate implementation of the agreement, since Ban had told him during their meeting that both sides should make an effort to promote the agreement.
”We insist that this is the only available process today for substantive talks on the Cyprus problem to start,” he pointed out.
Asked if the Turkish scenarios for an invasion of northern Iraq would affect the question of Cyprus, President Papadopoulos said ”any unrest in the area certainly has an effect” and mentioned remarks by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan that the authorisation from the parliament did not necessarily mean an immediate operation.
”I have been informed about the statement of President Bush, who strongly recommends that the operation is not carried out. I cannot make any predictions. We have enough problems of our own. Let us not become involved in other issues that may affect us but do not concern us directly,” he concluded.
Cyprus, which joined the EU in 2004, has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third.
President Papadopoulos and Talat agreed on 8 July 2006, during a meeting in Nicosia in the presence of UN official Ibrahim Gambari, to begin a process of bicommunal discussions on issues that affect the day-to-day life of the people and concurrently those that concern substantive issues, both contributing to a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem.
