Weston: Turkish Suggestion Brought the Solution

Saying Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot side’s role was big in the success of the New York talks, Weston praised Denktas and the Turkish side. Stressing he was very impressed by the constructive manner Denktas showed during the talks, Weston said, ‘Denktas made great efforts.’

America’s Cyprus representative said he did not doubt that negotiations would be completed successfully and that the agreement would be presented to referendum at the same time. Saying, ‘due to the methodology and schedule determined by the agreement in New York, I have no doubt that the issue will be presented to Turkish-Cypriot and Greek-Cypriot people consecutively’, Weston stated that he would not be in Nicosia for the beginning of the negotiations but said he would visit the region in a few weeks. Saying, ‘I will not be there for now, but you can be sure that we will closely follow the negotiations with a team’, Weston said nobody could deny the Turkish side’s contribution to the solution of the Cyprus issue.

Particularly stressing that the Turkish side had done ‘everything possible’ for a solution in Cyprus; Weston delivered a message to the E.U. with this statement. Weston stated that the U.S’ support for Turkey’s E.U. membership continued.

Saying he could not understand discussions about the E.U. becoming involved in the talks, Weston added, ‘everyone was clear about the E.U.’s role in the beginning. This is the Commission’s way to help concerning EU procedures.’

Not only Powell but also the President was involved

Avoiding details on U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell’s interference in the talks for Turkey, Weston said not just Powell, but also U.S. President George W. Bush were involved in the issue and closely followed the meetings in reaching an agreement.

Regarding concerns that a possible agreement could be spoiled by individual applications to European courts, Thomas Weston said, ‘of course citizens of Cyprus can apply to both the European Union Court of Justice and the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). The important thing here is the answer they will receive and I do not think the courts in Europe will respond to such applications positively after the agreement.’