10 December 2002
U.S. Welcomes Revised U.N. Proposal for Cyprus
(State's Reeker urges parties to seize "historic opportunity") (250)
The United States has welcomed the offer by United Nations
Secretary-General Kofi Annan to revise his November 11 proposal for a
comprehensive settlement to the Cyprus dispute, saying it contains
"important changes that represent significant improvements for both
sides" and predicting that it "should lead to rapid agreement."
Following is the State Department statement:
(begin text)
Department of State
Washington, D.C.
December 10, 2002
Press Statement
Philip T. Reeker, Deputy Spokesman
UN SUBMISSION OF REVISED CYPRUS PLAN
We welcome the decision today by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to
submit a revised version of his November 11 comprehensive settlement
proposal to the two sides on Cyprus. We believe the revised proposal
should lead to rapid agreement.
The Secretary-General's revised proposal contains important changes
that represent significant improvements for both sides. These changes
reflect the concerns of both sides and are the direct result of
intensive UN talks in Cyprus over the past few days and the
substantive comments provided by the two sides to the UN regarding its
November 11 proposal.
This is a defining moment when history can be written by courageous
leaders with vision. We continue to urge at the highest levels the two
sides, Turkey and Greece, to seize the historic opportunity to reach a
settlement before the European Union makes its decision on enlargement
at its Copenhagen Summit December 12-13. We believe this should occur
on the basis of the UN's revised Cyprus settlement proposal, which we
believe protects the legitimate interests of both Turkish Cypriots and
Greek Cypriots as well as those of Greece and Turkey.
Released on December 10, 2002
(end text)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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