Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-04-21-Speech-3-045"
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"en.20040421.1.3-045"2
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".
Mr President, I wish to thank the honourable Members for their contributions.
Mr President, you and I both come from a divided island and we understand something of the passion that a debate of this nature will engender on the island of Cyprus. We also understand that conflict which is rooted in history and ingrained for generations is not easy to resolve. However, we also understand, as practical political people, that every now and again – perhaps once in a generation, or even more rarely than that – an opportunity comes to really change things. The agreement produced by Kofi Annan offers such an opportunity. As I said earlier, this is a decision for the people of Cyprus – both North and South. It is their decision, their decision alone and we will respect that decision.
In short, I can only repeat what the President-in-Office of the Council, the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, said last night. I should first point out that we need to weigh our words very carefully, as we can all understand the hurt and concerns involved and need to be very careful that nothing is said or done in the next 72 hours to make a grim situation worse.
Last night Mr Ahern summarised the position of the European Council as follows: 'These are crucial days for Cyprus and for its people. On Saturday the people of the island – North and South – will vote in referenda on the plan for a settlement presented by the United Nations Secretary-General. Through their patient and determined efforts in cooperation with the parties, the Secretary-General and his hard-working team have created a unique and historic opportunity for a settlement of the Cyprus problem. In his report to the United Nations Security Council, which was released yesterday, Kofi Annan stated clearly that the plan is the only available, the only foreseeable route for the reunification of Cyprus. The decision now rests with the people of Cyprus and is for them alone, freely exercising their democratic rights. The people of Cyprus know that the strong preference of the European Council is for the accession of a united Cyprus to the Union on 1 May. The European Union is ready to accommodate the terms of the settlement in line with the principles on which this Union is founded. As President of the European Council over the past few months I have had discussions on Cyprus with political leaders across Europe.' And this is the important point, Mr President: 'It is only right to say that the view of the overwhelming majority is that the proposed settlement would be good for both communities in Cyprus and good for the European Union'.
Those are the views of the President-in-Office of the European Council and of the vast majority of the democratically elected leaders of the Member States of the European Union.
I said at the outset that we need to weigh our words carefully. We do not want to cause any difficulties or be seen to be intruding in decisions that are ultimately decisions for the people of Cyprus. We wish the people of Cyprus well in the remaining hours before they make their decision and hope that it will be the decision that best serves the people of the island of Cyprus as a whole – both North and South."@en1
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