Greece backs Cyprus on embargo move

By Charlie Charalambous

GREECE yesterday welcomed Cyprus’ decision to back wide-ranging EU sanctions against Yugoslavia, despite the local political backlash.

“I believe Cyprus is right in its decision to go down the path the EU members have adopted because its interests lie in Europe,” said Greek deputy Foreign Minister Yiannos Kranidiotis on arriving at Larnaca airport.

As a potential EU-member, Cyprus has said it cannot afford to ignore EU sanctions against Yugoslavia, even though public opinion is vehemently opposed to the Nato bombings.

Both Greece and Cyprus have close political and cultural links with Yugoslavia, but have been careful not to antagonise Europe and Nato in their reactions to the conflict.

“Cyprus and Greece are holding a delicate balance and so far the way they have handled the problem has been successful,” said Kranidiotis.

“The balance which Greece and Cyprus maintain is such that their international role has been acknowledged. Neither country wants to be part of a problem that is not theirs,” he added.

Kranidiotis called for a resumption of diplomatic efforts to broker a Kosovo peace plan.

Greece’s welcome of the island’s alignment with EU sanctions echoed an earlier reaction from Washington.

US State Department spokesman James Rubin congratulated Cyprus for Wednesday’s cabinet decision.

“We do welcome the decision of Cyprus to join the consensus of countries in Europe,” said Rubin.

The EU measures put a travel ban on some 300 Yugoslav politicians and a freeze on Yugoslav assets held abroad.

Kranidiotis, who is heading a 16-member delegation, will meet both President Clerides and Foreign Minister Yiannakis Cassoulides to discuss ways of reviving the stalled Cyprus peace talks and the island’s EU accession course.

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.