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U.S. Welcomes Turkey's Proposal on Cyprus

26 January 2006

Cyprus settlement will require "creative thinking and constructive dialogue"

The United States welcomed a plan proposed by Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul January 24 that calls for lifting port and trade restrictions on Cyprus.

The proposal is “an expression of Turkey's willingness to advance a negotiated settlement of the Cyprus issue,” said State Department spokesman Sean McCormack in a statement issued January 26.

He noted that the proposal is consistent with United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan's “recommendations that the international community set the stage for future reunification through easing the isolation of Turkish Cypriots.”  (See related article.)

Annan’s plan for settling the Cyprus issue was put to a referendum in April 2004 but was rejected by Greek Cypriots. It was approved by the Turkish Cypriot north.

Following is McCormack’s statement:

(begin text)

U.S. Department of State
Office of the Spokesman
January 26, 2006

Statement by Sean McCormack, Spokesman

TURKEY/EU/CYPRUS: PROPOSAL TO LIFT PORT AND TRADE RESTRICTIONS

The United States welcomes Turkey's proposal on Cyprus as an expression of Turkey's willingness to advance a negotiated settlement of the Cyprus issue.  The proposal is also consistent with the Secretary General's 2004 recommendations that the international community set the stage for future reunification through easing the isolation of Turkish Cypriots.

Progress toward a Cyprus settlement will require creative thinking and constructive dialogue.  We welcome all proposals that seek to break the current deadlock, and hope that all parties will engage and remain flexible and creative.  We encourage the Secretary General and the parties to take these ideas seriously in order to move the Cyprus settlement process forward.

The United States stands ready to assist the United Nations in this effort.

(end text)

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)