Result pleases Greek Cypriots

Greek Cypriots expressed satisfaction yesterday over the text of the EU declaration stating that Ankara would sign the adaptation…

Greek Cypriots expressed satisfaction yesterday over the text of the EU declaration stating that Ankara would sign the adaptation protocol extending Turkey's association agreement to the bloc's 10 new members, including Cyprus.

Dr Takis Hadjidemetriou, the former minister for expansion, told The Irish Times: "This is a sine qua non, something not avoidable for Turkey. Turkey has created the impression that there are difficulties over this, but it is not really an obstacle."

He said that Ankara's declaration reflected "how things would develop normally in accordance with normal EU procedure."

He spoke for most Greek Cypriots when he said that Turkey's acceptance of the protocol amounted to de facto "recognition of the republic" and would lead to a "solution of the Cyprus problem" and the "withdrawal of Turkey's troops," which have occupied the north since 1974.

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Turkey withdrew recognition during a constitutional crisis in 1963.

Turkey was the only country to recognise the breakaway Turkish Cypriot state which declared its independence in 1983.

Cyprus's President Tassos Papadopoulos, who had threatened to veto the date for the start of Turkey's accession talks, was in a strong position to achieve this result because he had the support of the leaders of all the island's political parties, and Athens, as well as the Greek Cypriots.

Opinion polls, conducted before the summit, showed that 60 to 65 per cent of Greek Cypriots wanted him to veto Turkey's entry if it failed to agree to sign the protocol.

Meanwhile, the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mr Rauf Denktash, announced that a parliamentary election would be held on February 20th.

Mr Denktash opposes reconciliation and reunification with the Greek Cypriots but observers expect the poll to be won by the party of the outgoing Prime Minister, Mr Mehmet Ali Talat, who favours reunification under the UN plan for a bizonal, bicommunal federation.