By Andrew Adamides
CYPRUS is right on course for accession to the European Union and the next stage can now move onto the fast track. Detailed negotiations will begin as planned on November 10, in spite of demands from France, Germany and the Netherlands that the island be told it can join only after ending its division.
Speaking in Luxembourg yesterday, Wolfgang Schussel, Foreign Minister of Austria, which holds the current EU presidency, reiterated earlier statements that the start of enlargement talks will “help facilitate” a solution to the Cyprus problem. He also reconfirmed that the EU wants a political solution under the aegis of the United Nations
Schussel said that screening talks which began on March 31 with Cyprus, Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic, Estonia and Slovenia have proceeded so well that the enlargement talks can now move at an accelerated pace.
The reunification before accession demand has been ignored.
And Greek Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos said the Turkish side had rebuffed all attempts to include Turkish Cypriots in Cyprus’ accession bid.
It would be regrettable if a divided Cyprus were to join the Eu, Pangalos said, but he pointed out that the division would not be an “obstacle” as “a divided Germany” had helped to create the EU.
Out of all the countries which had insisted on Cyprus’ reunification before EU accession, only France had made it an actual pre-condition, the Greek Foreign Minister added. “And they received an appropriate response,” he said.
On his part, however, French Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine warned “there cannot be automatic membership for a divided Cyprus”.
Commenting on the EU decision to move negotiations onto the fast track, Cyprus’ Chief EU Negotiator George Vassiliou said he was satisfied with the decision, and that it was “another obstacle” overcome. Vassiliou yesterday briefed President Glafcos Clerides and political leaders on the current state of Cyprus’ EU bid.
Starting today in Luxembourg, Cypriot Foreign Minister Yiannakis Cassoulides will participate in the first Ministerial Session of the European Conference. Participating are the 15 member states and eleven candidate countries. The Swiss Foreign Minister will be observing proceedings but, in spite of the offer of a similar role, Turkey has refused to take part.
The session is focusing on organised crime and environmental co-operation.
