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Cyprus Unification Talks Near, Annan Says
WASHINGTON (AP) - New talks on ending the 30-year division of Cyprus could resume soon under a plan pushed by the United Nations, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said Tuesday. Annan said he has spoken with all interested parties except Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash about reviving negotiations. "Everyone Cheez, U Thant wasnât this clueless. Annan spoke to reporters after meeting at the White House with President Bush, who he said was supportive of Annanâs plan to find a way to reunite the eastern Mediterranean island. "Sure, knock yerself out, Coffee." "Thank you, Mr. President." Cyprus has been split into a southern region controlled by Greek Cypriots and a Turkish-occupied north since Turkey invaded in 1974. It said the invasion was necessary to protect ethnic Turks in Cyprus because of an abortive coup by colonels trying to unify the majority Greek island with Greece He didnât see any vigorish for him. U.S. officials pressed the parties to cooperate with Annan. White House spokesman Scott McClellan said, "We believe such a settlement will bring greater security and prosperity to all people on Cyprus and Turkey and in Greece, as they deepen their integration into Europe." âcourse, deeper integration with the EU could be seen as a bug, not a feature Right Aris? Cyprus is scheduled to join the European Union in May. EU leaders have said failure to reunify the island before then would restrict the benefits of union membership to southern Cyprus and could hurt Turkeyâs chance of joining the European Union itself. Long a candidate for membership, talks on its membership are scheduled to begin around the end of this year. Not that the Turks will ever be admitted to the EU ever, but itâd be a shame to let this issue hang over them. Posted by: Steve White 2004-02-04 |
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