Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 March 2004
190 Mr. O’Connor asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on negotiations, within the context of Ireland’s EU Presidency, regarding the future of Cyprus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8301/04]
View answerIreland, as EU President, welcomed the announcement in New York on 13 February by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, with the agreement of the parties, that negotiations for a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem would resume in Nicosia on 19 February. The accession of a united Cyprus on 1 May remains the clear preference of the European Union and these negotiations offer a real opportunity to achieve this historic objective.
The negotiations will move into their second phase tomorrow, 24 March, in Switzerland when Greece and Turkey, at the invitation of the UN Secretary General, will join the representatives of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities in a concentrated effort to agree a finalised text by the end of the month. In the event of continuing deadlock at that time, the parties have invited the Secretary General, Mr. Annan, to use his discretion to finalise the text for submission to separate simultaneous referenda on the basis of this plan.
The General Affairs and External Relations Council, which I chaired on 23 February, welcomed the agreement of the parties to resume the negotiating process for a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem in the framework of the Secretary General's mission of good offices and on the basis of his proposals. The Council stressed the full support of the Union for the Secretary General's efforts to conclude an agreement. It reiterated the willingness of the EU to accommodate the terms of a settlement in line with the principles on which the EU is founded and welcomed the readiness of the European Commission to fulfil its supportive role by providing assistance requested by the UN Secretary General. The Government continues to give its full support to the Secretary General. We are in regular contact with his team and with the Governments of Greece, Cyprus and Turkey. It is our firm hope that the parties will redouble their efforts in the negotiating process on the basis of their commitment to reach a settlement based on the Secretary General's proposals. The goal remains a settlement which will enable the accession of a united Cyprus to the EU on 1 May.
I welcome the organisation by the European Commission of a high level international conference in Brussels on 15 April to prepare a donor's conference. In advance of the referenda, scheduled for 20 April, this conference will demonstrate in a tangible way the support of the international community for the settlement and for its implementation. On 20 April, the people of Cyprus will exercise their democratic prerogative. I sincerely hope they will seize this opportunity to choose a future together which is in the interests of all the people of the island, of Europe and of the wider region.
