25 January 2004
U.S. Pleased by Positive Meeting on Cyprus Negotiations
State Department Jan. 25 statement
The State Department released the following statement January 25 on a recent meeting between United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan and Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan regarding Cyprus:
(begin text)
Press Statement
Richard Boucher, Spokesman
Washington, DC
January 25, 2004
Positive Meeting on Cyprus Negotiations
We are pleased that United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan is encouraged by the positive meeting regarding Cyprus that he held January 24, in Davos, Switzerland, with Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan, in which Prime Minister Erdogan expressed Turkey's strong desire to see Cyprus negotiations resume in order to reach a settlement by May 1.
We note that Secretary General Annan indicated his Good Offices Mission is ready for new talks if the parties to the Cyprus issue demonstrate the political will to conclude an agreement, including the holding of referenda, by May 1.
Following this encouraging meeting between the UN Secretary General and the Turkish Prime Minister, the other parties should demonstrate to the Secretary General the necessary political will as soon as possible, so that a settlement may be reached in time for a reunited Cyprus to join the European Union on May 1.
(end text)
(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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