‘More than 15 countries’ backing Cyprus

MORE than 15 countries supported the position of Cyprus during Wednesday’s COREPER meeting to decide on a response to Turkey’s declaration of non-recognition of Cyprus, the government said yesterday.
Diplomats said that after Wednesday’s meeting, the differences between EU member states had been narrowed, despite the fact that agreement on the counter-declaration was not reached in the meeting of permanent representatives.

The meeting reportedly took place in a much better climate than had been expected and progress was made on thrashing out the fourth draft version of the counter-declaration.

A fifth draft is now expected to be circulated by the British presidency, which will either be discussed at an extraordinary COREPER meeting today, or at its next session on September 21.

Government Spokesman Kypros Chrysostomides said the British EU presidency, which Nicosia accuses of promoting Turkey’s position, was obliged to take into consideration the views outlined by other member states “and of course Cyprus”.

“It must submit a new draft that will respond to the expectations both of Cyprus and other member states which spoke during COREPER,” he said.

Chrysostomides said that more than 15 countries supported Cyprus’ positions and expressed hope that the EU Presidency would act objectively. “It is hoped they will take us into consideration in order to come up with a counter-statement that will respond and satisfy our expectations and will of course respond to the principles on which the EU is founded.”

Commenting yesterday on the COREPER meeting, AKEL spokesman Andros Kyprianou said the satisfactory direction taken at the meeting was a result of the government’s efforts, which would continue, he said. “We know it is not going to be easy,” he added. “The British presidency is not behaving like a European country should behave. All of this shows that the aim of Britain, and its only interest is how to further its own strategic goals.”

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.