Athens/Nicosia/Istanbul, 17/04/2003 (Agence Europe) - The President of the European Council, Costas Simitis, questioned by the press after the signing of the accession treaty for the ten new Member States to the EU, including Cyprus, replied that on his visit to Cyprus on Saturday (in the context of his tour of future Member States) he had "nothing new to announce to the two communities" (according to the ANA agency).
Turkish Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktash, has refused to meet Costas Semitis on this occasion, while indicating (according to Reuters) that the opposition parties in the North would be meeting the Greek Prime Minister. According to Mr Denktash, the signing of the Accession Treaty has, "cut Cyprus in two" and the only way of uniting Cyprus would be for the North of the island to enter the EU "with Turkey".
The Turkish Minister for Foreign Affairs referring to the signing of the Accession Treaty in a declaration asserted that the European Union, "did not have the right to take unilateral decision on the of Cyprus and create international obligations in violation of the International Treaties".