22/03/2004 (Agence Europe) - The Turkish minister of foreign affairs, Abdullah Gul, indicated on Sunday that there were a number of conditions for reaching an agreement on Cypriot reunification before discussions began on 24 March in Lucerne, Switzerland, between the two Cypriot communities (for six days). Mr Gul specifically underlined that any agreement on Cypriot unity had to be included in European primary law and stressed that, "For us this point is not negotiable". Mr Gul also explained (according to AP) that following a meeting with prime minister Recep Erdogan and General Ozbok, Head of the armed forces, Turkey had explained that the Greek and Turkish speaking communities could continue to live separately and that Turkish settlers would be allowed to remain on the island. Following the joint EU/Cyprus Committee last week in Nicosia, co-president Mechtild Rothe (German Social Democrat) and the EP reporter for the EP on Cyprus, Jacques Poos (Luxembourg Socialist), underlined the wishes of the European Parliament to see the reunited island join the European Union on My 1. MEPs have stressed the decisive contribution of Turkey to the process and have welcomed the announced presence of the Turkish and Greek prime ministers at the meeting in Lucerne, also to be attended by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.