President
Nicoa Anastasiades yesterday warned Europe not to push the Greek Cypriots to
enter into a new round of peace talks while the basic principles underlying a
solution were being challenged, the Cyprus Mail reports.
Asked to
comment on his recent trip to Brussels, he said: “Everybody understands that
what is needed is a real impetus to the new round of talks. I believe and hope
that they will not pursue in any way the resumption of talks – which will not
happen in any case- just for the sake of talks and to record a supposedly
temporary success that the talks have resumed.”
He said
the government was determined to enter into a dialogue to end the occupation as
soon as possible.
“But when
the basic principles that will form a solution are challenged, it is
inconceivable to think that talks on the Cyprus problem under these conditions
could bear fruit,” said Anastasiades.
“We may
be experiencing a major economic crisis, but I want to make it clear once and
for all to everyone: we will not bend under any economic conditions.”
He added:
“The message I want to convey to certain international players is that we will
not succumb to pressure to engage in dialogue for the sake of dialogue.”
In a
message to the international community, the president argued that nobody wanted
to reunite the country and free it from occupation more than the Greek
Cypriots, but “at the same time they must understand and pass on to Ankara and
the Turkish Cypriots that some bold steps should finally be taken to restore
trust. They must happen immediately.”
Steps
could be taken with regard to confidence-building measures, or efforts to agree
on a joint statement, which would not put in doubt the single sovereignty,
citizenship and international personality of a reunited Cyprus.
He refused
to comment on rumours that UN Special Adviser Alexander Downer had sent a letter to the European
Commission saying that enhancing the role of the EU
at the talks - a Greek Cypriot demand - would not help the peace process.
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