Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-02-11-Speech-3-204"
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"en.20040211.7.3-204"2
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".
These are very timely questions. The European Council has repeatedly expressed its preference for the accession of a united Cyprus to the Union on 1 May 2004. The December 2003 European Council urged all parties – in particular Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot leadership – to give their strong support to UN Secretary-General Annan's efforts and, in this context, called for an immediate resumption of the talks on the basis of his proposals. The UN reiterated its willingness to accommodate the terms of a settlement in line with the principles on which the EU is founded.
The Commission will play an integral role in resumed negotiations in order to assist a speedy solution within the framework of the
. Following a settlement, the Union is ready to provide financial assistance for the development of the northern part of Cyprus.
The Council continues to hope that it will be possible to welcome a reunited Cyprus to the Union on 1 May 2004. I should say to the House that I have a personal reason for hoping that will happen on 1 May, in that the town in which I live will be host to Cyprus for the Day of Welcomes on 1 May 2004. The time remaining, however, is short and if negotiations are to be successfully concluded, difficult compromises – and, of course, political will – will be required on all sides.
The accession of a united Cyprus is in the clear interests of the people of the island; it is also clearly in the interests of the people of Greece and Turkey and this Union.
In the weeks since the European Council there have been a number of developments – in fact there have been developments within the last 24 hours – which have a bearing on the prospects for a comprehensive settlement. In northern Cyprus, following the December elections, for example, a coalition administration has been formed under Mr Mehmet Ali Talat, leader of the CTP Party, which has been in favour of the settlement of the Cyprus problem and the accession of a united Cyprus to the European Union. Mr Denktash – the leader of the Democratic Party – is the other party to that coalition.
In Turkey, following an intensive consultation process, the National Security Council stated on 23 January 2004 that it had reached a consensus position in favour of negotiations, taking the Annan plan as a reference, on the basis of the realities on the island.
Prime Minister Erdogan himself discussed the situation with Secretary-General Annan in Davos on 24 January and subsequently stated publicly that Turkey supported the resumption of negotiations on the basis of the Annan plan with a view to approval of a settlement by referendum before 1 May.
Prime Minister Erdogan met with the political leaders of northern Cyprus, including Rauf Denktash, on his return from Davos. President Papadopoulos has reiterated the readiness of the government of the Republic of Cyprus to participate in resumed negotiations without preconditions.
Last week Secretary-General Annan invited the parties to resume talks on a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem on the basis of his proposals. He stated in his letters of invitation that he would take acceptance of the invitation as a commitment to finalising the plan with United Nations assistance by 31 March 2004, and to put a finalised plan to a separate, simultaneous referendum on 21 April 2004. The Secretary-General appealed to the leaders to summon the political will needed to bring about this result in the short time available.
Under the timetable set out in his letter, the parties would agree to conclude negotiations by 26 March. If a completed text has not emerged by then, Secretary-General Annan will make whatever indispensable suggestions are necessary to complete the text by 31 March. That is a very ambitious timetable.
The talks involving the Greek Cypriot and the Turkish Cypriot leaders opened in New York yesterday, 10 February. This resumption offers a real opportunity to achieve the historic objective of the accession of a united Cyprus to the European Union on 1 May 2004.
We all accept that there are still issues to be resolved. But this Union strongly supports the central role of the United Nations in the search for a comprehensive settlement. We fully support this latest initiative by Secretary-General Annan, and the Council is ready to assist in any way he considers useful to encourage agreement."@en1
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