News on Cyprus

CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

US satisfied with Karamanlis visit to Turkey

The US State Department expressed satisfaction for the official visit of Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis to Turkey, which began yesterday. US State Department Spokesman Tom Casey said “we have always believed it's very important for our two good friends and NATO allies, Greece and Turkey, to be able to work with one another and to be able to work through some of the differences, historical and otherwise, that they've had”. Invited to comment on Karamanlis official visit to Turkey, Casey said that the US welcome diplomatic contacts and view this visit as an opportunity for both states to continue their dialogue. “Certainly we welcome any and all diplomatic contacts and certainly view this visit as an opportunity for our two good friends to be able to get together and continue their dialogue and discussions”, Casey said.

CYPRUS MAIL

Greek PM presses Turkey on seminary and Cyprus

Ankara must improve its relations with the Cyprus government if it has plans to realise its EU aspirations, Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis said yesterday. He was speaking to journalists immediately after an historic meeting with Turkish PM Tayyip Erdogan. At the joint news conference Karamanlis and Erdogan both reaffirmed their support for a peace settlement, Reuters reported. The Cyprus problem is viewed as the major obstacle to Turkey’s EU accession. “It is obvious that Turkey needs to improve its relations with Cyprus for its EU bid,” Karamanlis, who spoke through a Turkish interpreter, said. Referring to the 2004 Annan plan, Erdogan called for a redoubling of diplomatic efforts to reunite the island after next month’s presidential elections. Erdogan said: “The process after the [Greek Cypriot] elections is very important. We expect an effort from Mr Karamanlis to restart the negotiations.” Commenting on the meeting earlier in the day, Papadopoulos had said Karamanlis would “outline the well-known positions shared by Greece and Cyprus” and that any effort that improved Greco-Turkish relations would surely benefit the Cyprus problem. “Our position is simple and clear. Every effort, every initiative, which improves the relations between Greece and Turkey, has a beneficial effect on the Cyprus problem,” he said. Both Karamanlis and Erdogan pledged to continue building closer trade, energy and tourism ties between Turkey and Greece, NATO allies but also ancient rivals which came to the brink of war over an uninhabited Aegean island in 1996, Reuters said.