GREEK Prime Minister Loucas Papademos yesterday said partition was not an option for Cyprus and urged Turkey to undertake “decisive initiatives” towards the Turkish Cypriot side, if it really has the political will to work for a settlement in Cyprus.
Addressing the House plenum, Papademos said that the solution must ensure the evolution of the Cypriot state and not its dissolution.
The Greek premier said a political settlement in Cyprus must be in line with UN decisions and provide for a bizonal bicommunal federation with a single international personality, one sovereignty and one citizenship.
“I want to be clear … there is no alternative solution to Cyprus reunification. Greece, like Cypriot Hellenism, does not accept partition,” the prime minister said.
In his address, Papademos reaffirmed the unwavering and long-standing support of the Greek political leadership to efforts aiming at ending Turkey’s occupation of Cyprus’ northern part.
“Support of Cyprus unites Greece,” Papademos said, as he voiced support of the ongoing UN-led peace talks between President Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu.
Papademos stressed that unless the internal aspects of the question of Cyprus – territory, property and the issue of Turkish settlers – are resolved, there can be no constructive discussion regarding an international conference.
He criticized Ankara’s approach on this, saying it has to contribute towards the resolution of these issues by acting on the Turkish Cypriot side.
He censured Turkey’s threats regarding Cyprus’ natural gas reserves, adding that the hydrocarbons can benefit all the island’s inhabitants.
“We believe that Cyprus’ EU membership and exploitation of natural gas reserves can be positive factors towards a comprehensive and agreed settlement in Cyprus to the benefit of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots,” he said.
Ankara says the Republic has no jurisdiction to search for offshore oil or gas and it has said it will carry out its own exploration off northern Cyprus with the Turkish Cypriots.
It said the rights of Turkish Cypriots on the island were being violated and claimed that five so-called blocks earmarked for exploration “are overlapping with Turkey’s continental shelf areas in the Eastern Mediterranean.”
Papademos said his country looks forward to normalisation of relations with Turkey but this “can only happen once a mutually acceptable solution in Cyprus is achieved, which will also give an impetus to Turkey’s European aspirations, provided this candidate country meets EU criteria.”
