Cyprus President in Athens

[Ellinas]

Cyprus' new President, Demetris Christofias, begins a visit to Athens on Tuesday, during which he will meet with President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias, prime minister Costas Karamanlis and the leaders of the Greek political parties.

The main purpose of the talks will be coordinating efforts between Athens and Nicosia in upcoming developments linked to the Cyprus issue.

Christofias will arrive in Athens on Tuesday afternoon, and in the evening he will attend a dinner hosted in his honor by his Greek counterpart at the Presidential Mansion.

On Wednesday morning Christofias will lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Later, Christofias, who is president of the Cyprus House of Representatives, will visit the Hellenic Parliament, where he will have a meeting with the parliament president Dimitris Sioufas.

After an interview with the Hellenic Parliament's television station, Christofias have a meeting with Papoulias.

Christofias will later hold talks with prime minister Karamanlis, followed by statements to the press, before attending a lunch hosted by the premier.

In the afternoon he will have a meeting at his hotel with Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) President George Papandreou.

He will also have separate meetings with the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Aleka Papariga, Coalition of the Left, Movements and Ecology (SYN) party leader Alexis Tsipras, and the parliamentary leader of the SYN-led parliamentary Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA) Alekos Alavanos, as well as with the Federation of Cypriot Organisations in Greece.

On Thursday morning, Christofias will meet with Popular Orthodox Rally (LAOS) party leader George Karatzaferis, followed by a press conference at the Foreign Press Association (FPA) in Athens.

Christofias will further visit renowned Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis at the latter's home, before leaving Athens in the afternoon to return to Cyprus.


Exclusive interview

In an exclusive interview with ANA-MPA ahead of his visit, Christofias said that the main object of his talks was the coordination of Athens' and Nicosia's efforts during upcoming developments linked to the Cyprus issue.

Christofias will be meeting President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias and Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis during his first official visit to Greece after being elected Cyprus' president.


Question: Apart from the self-evident symbolism of your visit to Athens, what will be the aim of your talks with the Greek government?

Christofias: "The election of a new president has of itself triggered a new activity. I will meet with Mr. (Turkish-Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali) Talat. The first meeting will be exploratory. From there on there are issues that are linked to Confidence Building Measures, opening Ledra Street and the road block at Limnitis.

"There is more generally activity from the United Nations, the Security Council. I want to inform the president of the Republic and the Greek government and to exchange views on imminent developments. There will be a friendly exchange of views and I am sure that Greece will be on our side in the effort to revive a dialogue on implementing the July 8 Agreement.


"Also before us is the EU Summit, on which we will exchange views. Of course, I am interested in finding out about developments related to Skopje. I am not going to Athens to build relations. There was flawless cooperation with the former president [Tassos Papadopoulos] but I myself, as Cyprus House Speaker, had very good ties with all of Greece's political leadership."

Question: Will some guidelines be laid down about how Athens and Nicosia will proceed from now on?



Christofias: "I think guidelines exist. What's needed is coordination and briefing."

Question: Will your meeting with Mr. Talat take place after your return from Brussels in mid-March?

Christofias: "Yes."


Question: What is the obstacle to setting the agreement of July 8, 2006 into operation?

Christofias: "This is what I will ask Mr. Talat. That is why I said that the first meeting would have an exploratory nature. After all, there is no other agreement that has been adopted by the Security Council. This agreement bears the signatures of Mr. Talat and Mr. Papadopoulos. I honour the signature of Mr. Papadopoulos, let him (Talat) also honour his own signature. I hope that in a climate of good will and mutual understanding we will see what the problems are, where the Turkish-Cypriot side considers there are problems so that this agreement can go ahead."

Question: "Should the opening of Ledra Street, Limnitis occur before or after the meeting?"

Christofias: "I shouldn't want to prejudice any outcome."

Question: Does Mr. Talat's letter to the UN Secretary-General prejudice some matters?

Christofias: "If everything said about its contents is true, then it is obviously prejudicial concerning some matters. These are issues that I will discuss with Mr. Talat."

Question: Have you asked to meet the UN Secretary General?

Christofias: "At the present stage, I don't want to burden the issues with new demands. Of course I want to meet the Secretary General, but priority in the agenda, for the present, goes to the meetings with (the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for the Cyprus Issue) Moller in view of the meeting with Mr. Talat."

Question: Given that you have friendly relations with Mr. Talat, could there not be direct dialogue between you without the intervention of mediators for a solution of the Cyprus problem?

Christofias: "The Cyprus issue is within the sphere of the United Nations. I consider that the UN is a safety valve. There is an occupation. The General Assembly and the Security Council have approved a succession of resolutions. Also, our position is that all five permanent members of the Security Council should take an active interest in a solution of the Cyprus problem. Consequently, it is my view that it would be a grave mistake to take the Cyprus issue outside its base, which is the United Nations."

Question: You have stressed that the key to a solution lies in Ankara. Will you seek a direct meeting with (Turkish Prime Minister) Recep Tayyip Erdogan?

Christofias: "We will see this in due course. I do not rule it out at all, but Erdogan does rule it out."

Question: If negotiations for a solution to the Cyprus problem begin, should Famagusta be handed over by the Turkish side to the UN?

Christofias: "I think that we are pre-empting several things. I would not like to say anything before the first meeting with Mr. Talat takes place and before the National Council convenes. Consequently, I want to be restrained at this time in order for us to do as well as possible."

ANA

[Ellinas]

PM and Cyprus president reaffirm close ties

Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis and Cyprus President Demetris Christofias reaffirmed the excellent relations and close cooperation between Athens and Nicosia on Wednesday, during their first official meeting since Christofias was elected president of Cyprus.

During the Athens meeting, the two leaders agreed to consult and communicate more frequently in view of an anticipated peak in activity regarding the Cyprus issue during the current year. Both leaders said that implementation of the July 8 agreement of 2006 was a starting point for new initiatives aiming at a solution of the Cyprus problem and urged Turkey to give up its intransigence and fulfill its obligations toward the European Union.

"The talks must aim at the implementation of the only agreement signed by both communities, that of 8th July. I will honour the signature of my predecessor, I hope that [Turkish-Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali] Talat will honour his own," Christofias said regarding his upcoming meeting with Talat.

Christofias and Karamanlis also repeatedly stressed that the Annan plan was no longer on the table and that any solution must be based on United Nations resolutions and the principles of the European Union, while it must also require the withdrawal of Turkish occupation troops from the island.

Referring to Cyprus' territory, Christofias said that the ultimate goal was the demilitarisation not just of the Cyprus Republic, both the free and occupied areas, but of all Cyprus.

The Greek premier referred to a "window of opportunity" within 2008 and echoed Christofias in noting that the agreement of July 8th, UN resolutions and the principles of the EU provided the necessary framework for promoting a solution. He invited Turkey to fully comply with its EU obligations, particularly stressing the implementation of the additional Protocol for customs union.

Karamanlis and Christofias further clarified that the Greek-Cypriot side would not accept very tight schedules because they did not help the process, with Christofias referring to "bitter experiences" in the past.

The Greek and Cypriot delegations later sat down to a working dinner, while Christofias is scheduled to meet the leaders of the political parties in Parliament on Wednesday afternoon.

Gov't ready to present social security reform bill

The Inner Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis, will convene on Wednesday afternoon to focus on the issue of closely watched social security reforms.

Government spokesman Theodoros Roussopoulos told reporters that social security reforms will enforce the pension system to the benefit of future generations. He also stressed that the government has met its informal schedule for tabling the draft bill, and adequate time to allow for ample discussion on the issue and possible amendments.

ANA

[Ellinas]

Opposition leaders meet Cyprus President

Main opposition PASOK leader met on Wednesday afternoon with visiting newly elected Cyprus President Demetris Christofias.

Speaking to the press afterwards, Papndreou said he wished President Christofias success in his new duties, adding that the latter would have his support as leader of PASOK and also as Socialist International (SI) president "in the struggle for a just solution of the Cyprus problem."

The PASOK leader said that the Annan plan "is part of history; new opportunities and new challenges are opening on the basis of the European Union acquis communautaire, given the fact that Cyprus is an EU member-state."

"Of course, for the prospects of a solution, Turkey's will is necessary, as the Cyprus issue is a problem of occupation of one member-state of the EU by a candidate country," Papandreou added.

On April 24 2004, 76% of the Greek Cypriot side rejected the Annan plan for a comprehensive settlement to the Cyprus problem, while the 65% of the Turkish Cypriot community endorsed it.

KKE SG Papariga

Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Secretary General Aleka Papariga met on Wednesday afternoon with President Demetris Christofias for talks on the Cyprus issue.

"We considered it our obligation to remind President Christofias, whom we any way know for a long time, that he can count on KKE's support to the people of Cyprus and its president for a just solution of the Cyprus problem," Papariga told reporters after the meeting.

Papariga, who was heading a party delegation, noted "we are on the same wave lengths and we share the same positions with the President of Cyprus, but a Cyprus solution does not only depend on the correct stance of the Cyprus presidency."

The KKE SG also said that she discussed with President Christofias developments in the Balkans, especially the repercussions of the "creation of the protectorate in Kosovo".

Papariga expressed her party's opposition to Greece's participation in multinational military forces deployed in the region, underlining that the government should "state its opposition to Kosovo's independence and not to offer its position as an "exchange" in the dispute over the name of FYROM."

SYRIZA leader Alavanos

Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) leader Alekos Alavanos met with President Christofias on Wednesday afternoon.

"We wished to the president success in his task for the resumption of talks on the Cyprus issue and its solution on the basis of United Nations resolutions and the agreed opinion of the two communities," Alavanos told the press afterwards.

"The Cyprus issue is the great issue of Greek foreign policy. We do not speak of a name. We speak of an island occupied by foreign troops. Demetris Christofias' presidency creates new optimism and new possibilities of mobility," Alavanos concluded.

ANA