Brussels, 02/10/2013 (Agence Europe) - Greece is ready to help the negotiations between the two Cypriot communities - the Greek Cypriot community and the Turkish Cypriot community - said a high ranking Greek official on 1 October. “The negotiation is taking place between the two communities. We are ready to help but the solution must be compatible with the UN resolutions and also with the EU acquis communautaire”, he said. Reiterating that the Republic of Cyprus is a member of the EU, he said that it is in the EU's interest that the result of the negotiations is compatible with the acquis communautaire. The official said that “it could be productive for the EU to have a more active role” in the negotiations. When asked about a possible EU representative or envoy, the official replied that there are different ways to represent the EU's interests - but he did not go into further detail.
In his speech at the United Nations, Cyprus' President Nicos Anastasiades also called for greater involvement of the EU in the negotiations (see EUROPE 10931).
The Greek official believed there is a “real opportunity” for the Cypriot issue to be settled, saying he was “really encouraged by the resolve of President Anastasiades to move the process forward”.
Cyprus/corrigendum. An unfortunate error appeared in EUROPE 10924. At the end of the steering group on Cyprus on 18 September, Barroso said that the European Commission is ready to strengthen its support for the process if the two parties - the Greek Cypriot community and the Turkish Cypriot community - request it (and not if the Republic of Cyprus and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus request it, as erroneously printed). (CG/transl.fl)