Disagreements’ at National Council meeting

PRESIDENT Tassos Papadopoulos yesterday briefed the National Council on the EU’s response to Ankara’s non-recognition of Cyprus, and his contacts in New York during the UN General Assembly.

According to Government Spokesman Kypros Chrysostomides, the meeting lasted for four hours, and there had been “some disagreements” among political parties over the handling of EU consultations. He did not elaborate, but opposition parties have been vociferous over the past few days on the issue.

“The President briefed the Council over the long and difficult negotiations that led to the counter-declaration of the EU and the negotiating framework for Turkey”, said Chrysostomides. He also said Papadopoulos had analysed in detail the provisions of the documents as they related to the Cyprus problem.

The final EU counter-declaration, which was approved on Wednesday after weeks of haggling, contained two significant changes for the Greek Cypriot side.

Earlier contested versions of the draft had linked recognition by Turkey to accession but the approved text links it to the “accession process”.

The second difference, relating to EU support for UN efforts towards achieving a comprehensive settlement, was changed to include “in line with relevant UNSCRs (UN Security Council Resolutions) and the principles on which the EU is founded.”

The government said it was satisfied with the final text but opposition parties have questioned how the declaration brings a Cyprus solution any nearer.

The EU issued the counter-statement as a response to Turkey’s July 29 declaration stating that Ankara’s signature on the protocol extending the EU customs union to the ten new member states including Cyprus did not mean it recognised the Republic of Cyprus.

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