Nicosia to work for solution
In his New Year’s address, Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos said his government was working systematically behind the scenes to find a solution to the island’s division and reaffirmed his opposition to international interference in the process. «Arbitration and time frameworks which transfer the pressure onto our side have proved fruitless in creating balanced negotiations that would be capable of leading to an agreed and liveable solution,» said Papadopoulos. He added that the opinion of Greek-Cypriots was made clear when they rejected the reunification plan drafted by United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan in a referendum on April 24. Papadopoulos said it was now time for this opinion to be taken into account in the form of actions, not just words. Greek Cypriots had rejected the specific plan, not the idea of reunification, he said. The Cypriot president rounded off his speech by sending greetings to Turkish Cypriots and wishes of progress toward a future in a common homeland.
