EU Parliament President Borrell - Immediate action required for Cyprus settlement

Josep Borrell: "Immediate action required for Cyprus settlement"

This was the urgent call of President of the European Parliament, Josep Borrell, during his official visit to Cyprus on 4-6 October. Mr Borrell met with the authorities of the Republic of Cyprus as well as political party leaders and representatives from the Turkish Cypriot community.

On Thursday Mr Borrell addressed the Cyprus House of Representatives. Mr Borrell stated: "After 3 October the EU finds itself at a crossroads in its history. We have to grasp this opportunity resulting from the start of the negotiations with Turkey to take new initiatives in order to try and settle the problem of the division of Cyprus."

At the end of his visit he expressed his conviction that: "each passing day makes the situation more difficult. We cannot wait any longer."

He recalled: "Since 1 May 2004, both Turkish and Greek Cypriots are citizens of the EU. They belong to the same family, a family of Europeans."

He went on to say "in the same family, members must do their utmost to settle conflicts between them. Sometimes the Cypriot family seems to be separated by a wall. Such a wall must not become a psychological one. Psychological walls are the hardest to break down."

He added "What is missing in Cyprus is mutual trust. Such trust will only return if contacts are resumed immediately at every level, and that includes the highest level."

After reminding the audience of the positions of the EP on the matter, both on negotiations with Turkey and on the Cypriot question, the President of the EP insisted that "the solution to this can only come from the UN. Discussions must be resumed based on the Annan plan. Certainly, the EP can help. But do not expect a magical solution from us. The EP will be fully involved. I have said so to both communities. We are at their disposition."

He also appealed for an end to "the vicious circle of rigid arguments which render dialogue so difficult, even though such a dialogue is taking place at various levels."

The President spoke of his visit to the ghost town of Varosha: "It is striking that it is completely anachronistic. This cannot be allowed to go on inside the EU."

During interviews he held, Mr Borrell also raised key issues for the European Union; the reflection period on the future of Europe, financial perspectives, the EU's response to globalization, and the debate on the social model.

* The city of Varosha located in the north of the island was evacuated in 24 hours, in August 1974, by its 35,000 Greek Cypriot inhabitants. It has been abandoned ever since. A status quo was negotiated between the UN and Turkey, with some troops from both sides still stationed in the city to uphold it.

| Top |

• Statement by EU Commissioner Rehn on Turkey's Cyprus initiative  (24/1/2006)
• Statement on elections in northern part of Cyprus (20/2/2005)