Cypriot FM satisfied over meetings in Washington

Foreign Minister Markos Kyprianou has expressed satisfaction
over the first day of his contacts in Washington.

Kyprianou who arrived in the US capital on Wednesday, met House
Speaker Nancy Pelosi, President of the House Committee of Foreign Affairs, Joe
Biden, Senator Robert Menendez and Congresswoman Olympia Snowe. All members of
congress expressed interest over the latest Cyprus
developments and offered to help in efforts to solve the Cyprus problem.

He also met Congressman Frank Pallone, who said the US should persuade Turkey
to help the Cyprus
procedure, as well as John Sarbanes, Patrick Kennedy and Costas Bilirakis.

Kyprianou was accompanied by Cyprus’
ambassador to the US,
Andreas Kakouris, the director of his office Kornelios Korneliou, the President
of the Cyprus Federation Panicos Papanicolaou and Andrew Manatos, president of
the National Coordinated Effort of Hellenes.

Replying to questions, Kyprianou said that “we are still in
the early stages but I believe that the US
can help to encourage Turkey
to maintain a positive stance during the procedure, bearing in mind that it can
exert great influence over Turkey
than any other country”.

He said he explained the positions of President of the
Republic Demetris Christofias that there is good will on our part as well as
commitment for a solution to the Cyprus problem, as well as that
there are some fundamental principles, which must be maintained.

Referring to those principles, Kyprianou said that these are
the High Level Agreements and the July 8 2006 Agreement, noting that they must
form the core of a solution.

Kyprianou’s contacts on Friday include a meeting with Deputy
Secretary of State John Negroponte who replaces Secretary of State Condoleezza
Rice and other US
officials.

Invited to comment on Ledra Street checkpoint, Kyprianou
described as a ‘disappointing development” the problems that occurred at Ledra Street. He
said that this should not surprise us because from the start of the procedure,
there were problems due to the Turkish army.

“I hope that the Turkish army will maintain everything that
was agreed between the two leaders and to allow the opening or Ledra Street,
noting that “only the checkpoint is opening, not the road”.