Danish Foreign Minister Optimistic Over Cyprus Problem

by Lorys Charalambous, Tax-News.com, Cyprus

11 February 2002

Speaking during his visit to Cyprus on Thursday, the Danish Foreign Minister, Per Stig Moeller, said that he was 'very optimistic' that an agreement over the Cyprus problem would be reached before his country assumes the EU Presidency in July.

Mr Moeller met with President Clerides and the Cypriot Foreign Minister Yiannakis Cassoulides during his stay on the island, but stressed that he had come merely 'to learn and to listen', not to take an active role in the negotiations. 'We have the Spanish presidency (of the EU) and the Commission and here in Cyprus we have the UN, so I am not negotiating. I am going around to get a personal feeling of the situation,' he told reporters.

Regular meetings between the Greek Cypriot President and the Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash began in January, and although all appears to be going well, the Turkish Government are still adamant that any settlement reached will have to include the priciple of two states on the island.

The Danish Foreign Minister also revealed that he was very hopeful on the accession of Cyprus to the European Union, observing that: 'It was very encouraging to notice that Cyprus is moving forward very quickly toward closing the various accession chapters.'

Recommended