Cyprus heads list of Greek priorities
Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis began a three-day trip to Cyprus yesterday by saying that reunification of the island is a top priority for Greece. «Solving the Cyprus problem is a steady objective and the first priority of Greek foreign policy,» she said on her arrival. Bakoyannis is on her first official visit to the island as foreign minister and was scheduled to meet with President Tassos Papadopoulos late yesterday. The Greek minister stressed that a new push is under way to reunify the island since Papadopoulos met with United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan in February and they agreed to set up a technical committee to help resolve everyday issues. She added that initiatives in this direction should move on from the past, in the framework of the European Union. «The Annan plan, as it was submitted for approval by the Cypriot people, was rejected. From the moment it was rejected, it was history,» she said. Bakoyannis may concentrate her efforts on bringing together the island, which has been divided since 1974, but most locals see no quick solution. According to the results of a poll released Monday, some 56 percent of Greek Cypriots say reunification is no closer than it was a year ago. About 48 percent said they would rather live separately from Turkish Cypriots, compared to 45 percent who support coexistence.
