GREEK Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis spoke yesterday of a window of opportunity in 2008 to settle the Cyprus question.
Karamanlis was speaking after a meeting Demetris Christofias in Athens, the first foreign visit by the new Cypriot President since he came to power last month.
“We hope that during 2008 there will be a window of opportunity to achieve decisive progress towards a Cyprus settlement”, Karamanlis said after the meeting.
“The framework is for this solution is UN Security Council decisions and the values and principles of the EU, of which Cyprus is a member state,” he added.
Karamanlis also called on Turkey to show a sincere will for cooperation and to respond positively by complying with EU requirements to normalise its relations with Cyprus.
“We expect Turkey’s full compliance with the aquis communautaire and we also expect that it will meet all its obligations towards the EU, so as to have a positive outcome in the country’s European course”, Karamanlis said.
In their statements to the press both Karamanlis and Christofias rejected any return of the failed Annan plan in new Cyprus talks.
“The Annan Plan was rejected in the April 2004 referendum and has therefore become null and void,” said Karamanlis.
“Apart from that, part of the essence of the Annan Plan was a process of strict deadlines for negotiation, arbitration, which was proven unproductive as to the achievement of a mutually acceptable solution.”
Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat are due to meet face to face under UN auspices before the end of the month in an attempt to put negotiations back on track.
Christofias said the July 8 agreement was the point from which talks should move forward.
“This is the only signed agreement at this moment between the leaders of the two
communities,” Chrstofias said, adding that he hoped Talat would honour his signature on this agreement. Referring to Turkey, he said: “It is an occupation force and at the end of the day an agreement must come from the Cypriots, provide for the withdrawal of the Turkish occupations troops, the termination of illegal settlement by Turkish settlers, the recognition of the rights of the refugees to return to their property and of course we must agree on a bizonal bicommunal federation, that will unite the people, the institutions and the economy.”
He also said he hoped that the upsurge in interest by the international community would result in some pressure on Turkey not to get in the way of a settlement.
Christofias also said in Athens that he hoped he and Talat, when they meet could announce the opening of the new crossing point at Ledra Street and also the one at Limnitis.
The President returns to Cyprus tonight.
