The European Commission fully supports the efforts of the leaders of both communities in Cyprus to achieve a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus issue under the United Nations (UN) auspices, European Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn has said.
In a written reply he has given to Cypriot MEP Panayiotis Demetriou, Rehn stresses that the Commission is ready to contribute to the Cyprus process with its expertise on issues within its competence, when so requested by the negotiating parties and the UN.
Demetriou had asked the EU Commissioner about the Union’s role and more active involvement in efforts to reach a solution of the Cyprus problem.
“The EU has a strong desire to see the Cyprus problem solved. The Commission fully supports the efforts of the leaders of both communities in Cyprus to achieve a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus issue under United Nations (UN) auspices”, Rehn notes.
He adds that “it is essential for the two parties to find a mutually acceptable solution. The Commission is ready to contribute to this process with its expertise on issues within its competence when so requested by the negotiating parties and the UN”.
In his reply, the EU Commissioner says that the President of the European Commission intends to follow closely the Commission contribution and assistance to the settlement process.
“He has asked the Member of the Commission responsible for Enlargement to assist him directly in coordinating the Commission activities and, in this context, to liaise with other Commission Members as the need arises on issues related to the Cyprus settlement”, Rehn continues.
He adds that the “President and the Member of the Commission responsible for Enlargement meet the two leaders and the UN Secretary-General's representative as appropriate. As the settlement process evolves, they will also decide on the appropriate arrangements to assist the process”.
The leaders of the two communities in Cyprus, Cypriot President Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat have been engaged in direct negotiations since early September last year, aiming at reunifying Cyprus, divided since the Turkish invasion of 1974.
