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Greek Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis has stressed that Turkey’s path towards the EU and the full normalisation of its relations with Greece depend on the solution of the Cyprus problem.
Speaking before the Greek Parliament, Karamanlis described 2009 as an important year for efforts to reach a Cyprus solution and he called on all who are sincerely interested in solving the Cyprus problem, to see its ''real dimension” and exert pressure on Turkey.
“Turkey’s relations with the EU and our country are directly affected by developments in Cyprus. They are hampered by walls of military occupation, the only dividing walls on European soil, they are hampered by the walls which isolate Turkish Cypriots themselves”, he stressed.
He announced his forthcoming visit to Cyprus, likely to take place in April.
Greece, he stressed, encourages the continuation of the bicommunal dialogue which began last September under UN auspices between the leaders of the two communities in Cyprus, Cypriot President Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat.
“Greece encourages, without second thoughts, the continuation of the bi-communal dialogue, under UN auspices, to reach a final solution of the problem by Cypriots themselves, without suffocating deadlines or arbitration, a functional and viable solution, based on UNSC resolutions and the EU principles”, the Greek Prime Minister said.
He reiterated that the Greek government is in constant touch and cooperates with the President, the government and the political leadership of the Republic of Cyprus.
The Greek Prime Minister said that occupation troops and settlers cannot remain in Cyprus, which is European territory, adding that guarantees and intervention rights can not be applied on an EU member state.
He also said that any effort to bring back the UN-brokered Annan plan, which was rejected by the overwhelming majority of Greek Cypriots in 2004 as unbalanced and not serving the interests of the Cypriots, “would simply mean that some people have learned nothing from history”.
Referring to Turkey, Karamanlis underlined that its accession to the EU and the normalisation of its relations with Athens are obstracted by “the walls of military occupation (in Cyprus), the only dividing walls on European soil”.
As regards Turkey’s EU accession negotiations, the Greek Premier said this would be a long and difficult process, noting that until now, no basic and necessary steps have been made on behalf of Turkey towards the fulfillment of its EU obligations.
He said that the Cyprus problem and Greco-Turkish relations are for 35 years now of high national importance, stressing that “due to arbitrary demads and provocations by Turkey, there has been a serious crisis which brought the two countries even on the threshold of war”.
Greece, he said, is determined to safeguard its rights and its territorial integrity, noting that Athens has the strong political will to improve and restore its bilateral relations with Turkey.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Christofias and Talat have been engaged in talks, under UN auspices, since last September with a view to finding a mutually agreed settlement that will reunite the country.
