Mr George Vassiliou’s meetings with Italian Government Ministers (6.7.1999)

Italy expressed its support for the smooth continuation of negotiations on Cyprus’ accession to the EU and the hope that a settlement will be achieved by the time these negotiations will have been completed.

The Italian Government at the same time expressed its readiness to help the Cyprus authorities in specialised areas of harmonisation.

These positions were expressed by senior Italian Government officials to the Head of the Negotiating Team for Cyprus’ Accession to the EU, Mr George Vassiliou, during his visit to Italy on 5 and 6 June.

Mr Vassiliou had meetings with the Minister of Foreign Trade, Mr Piero Fassino, the Deputy Foreign Minister Responsible for European Affairs, Mr Umberto Ranieri, and the General Coordinator for European Integration in the Italian Foreign Ministry, Mr Rocco Cangelosi.

Mr Fassino assured Mr Vassiliou that Italy takes a positive view of Cyprus’ efforts to join the European Union. He also stressed that Cyprus’ accession process will have to continue and expressed the hope that the efforts to solve the Cyprus problem will succeed. Mr Fassino said that bilateral relations between Cyprus and Italy should be strengthened. Referring to relations on a multilateral level, Mr Fassino said that he would like to see the Euro-Mediterranean Dialogue, launched four years ago between the EU and the non-member states of the Mediterranean, move forward.

Mr Fassino also assured Mr Vassiliou that his country is prepared to help Cyprus in its efforts to harmonise with the acquis communautaire in the various areas where substantive negotiations have been carried out. He said he was certain the new European Commission will give special attention to EU enlargement, not only northwards but also southwards.

During his meeting with the Deputy Foreign Minister Responsible for European Affairs, Mr Vassiliou briefed him on the recent developments in the Cyprus problem. Mr Vassiliou discussed with Mr Ranieri the two countries’ possibilities for cooperation in the area covered by the Schengen Agreement.

In the framework of his visit to Italy, Mr Vassiliou gave a talk at the Institute of International Relations on the efforts made to solve the Cyprus problem and Cyprus’ accession course. Mr Vassiliou criticised Turkey’s policy on the Cyprus problem which aims at consolidating the division of Cyprus and the unacceptable status quo. He also rebutted Turkey’s arguments about confederation and stressed that for the Turkish Cypriots Europe is their best prospect. He also said that all the problems that might arise in the relations between the two communities can be resolved within the framework of the European Union.

The talk was given coverage by both the Italian television station RAI and the Italian news agencies.