Commissioner Hans van den Broek:
We have had just another constructive meeting with Mr.
Kasoulides.
We have discussed the state of affairs, which is so common
to us.
In the first place, I have expressed a great appreciation
for the decision of President Clerides regarding the missile problem which clearly removes
a stumbling block, on the whole, further tightening our relationship which is always a
close one and will reinforce the entire process in which we are so full engaged in as well
as the preparation of the membership of Cyprus to the European Union. We have evaluated
the state of affairs in the negotiations and I think concluded that both sides expressed
satisfaction about how the negotiations are running. You know that the German Presidency
has a very ambitious program in order to maintain the momentum of the negotiations during
this semester attempting to open 8 new chapters. We feel that in the whole negotiating
process so far, Cyprus has made a good progress, an encouraging progress and we would like
to see obviously that maintained, and we would do everything on our side together with the
council, to see to it, that indeed the pace is maintained. Now for the rest we have also
discussed the relationship with Turkey and how that may have an impact on the negotiations
with Cyprus. I have given as my impression that we should continue as we are doing the
pace of the negotiations as such. On the other hand, we will do everything that is in our
power to help also to make progress in the European strategy towards Turkey and I
obviously I have repeated that we have very much hope that Turkey understands that there
is a demand from the European side that Turkey should refrain from any kind of action that
should slow down, in fact, the progress of integration of Cyprus.
I am saying in different words what I have said many times
again. I wish that these two things should be clearly separated.
We have spoken about the financial cooperation and also the
extension of the financial protocol, which we are working on.
The Council and the Parliament will ensure making this
extension, as we hope and expect, possible so that also our common activities have a sound
financial basis.
Those were my main conclusions of our productive meeting.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Ioannis Kassoulides:
Thank you very much Commissioner.
It was indeed a very usefull and a very productive meeting
with Commissioner Van den Broek. But it is important for us, for all Cypriots, to see the
accession process of Cyprus proceeding unimpeded, as it is doing, and I think this sends a
very good message to all our compatriots in Cyprus, in particular the Turkish Cypriots,
that if we see what common future lies ahead for all of us, it is time for them to take up
the offer to join through their delegates the delegation and conduct the negotiations
together so that we will be able to join together the European Union at the next
enlargement.
Commissioenr Hans Van den Broek:
Can I underline that last point because I should have
thought of that before, because we did discuss it quite at length. Both from the Cypriot
and from the European side we continue not only to reiterate the offer that President
Clerides has made to the Turkish Cypriots to participate in full in this negotiating
process, but we also think of ways and means on how we can facilitate that by contacts or
information to the Turkish Cypriots about what the acquis is, etc. Now there are various
ways you can think about, which we are exploring, reflecting the sencerity both of the
President and Government of Cyprus and ourselves to see to it that eventually the
membership of Cyprus benefits the island as a whole, which as you know is in fact our
common objective and common interest.
