US Undersecretary for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns has referred to the necessity for a UN initiative for a Cyprus settlement after the presidential elections of February 2008.
Addressing the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee of the US House concerning US relations with Greece, Burns noted that ”we strongly support UN efforts that try to solve the Cyprus problem after 40 years and to achieve a bizonal bicommunal federation.”
Burns added that he met with President of the Republic of Cyprus Tassos Papadopoulos in September at the United Nations and that the 8 July 2006 agreement is ”a step forward.”
”There is going to be an election in Cyprus in the beginning of 2008. Following that election, the United States will support vigorously a UN effort to try to resolve the Cyprus problem. I intend to go to Cyprus myself. We didn’t have a senior official there in years. We need as America to speak up for peace and for a solution so that the terrible problem that is affecting the people of Cyprus for 35 years can be overcome,” he pointed out.
Burns referred to the Annan plan, which was rejected by the Greek Cypriot community as it did not address its main concerns, noting that the US had supported it.
”That effort did not succeed and we are now looking for the United Nations to reestablish a diplomatic effort to try to achieve a solution. We will support that. I promised to President Papadopoulos that we will do that, and of course we want to work with the Turkish government and with the Turkish authorities in Cyprus towards that end,” he concluded.
A senior US official clarified that Burns would be visiting Cyprus after the presidential elections.
President Papadopoulos and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat agreed on 8 July 2006, during a meeting in Nicosia in the presence of then UN Undersecretary for Political Affairs 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.
