Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-04-21-Speech-3-021"
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"en.20040421.1.3-021"2
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".
Mr President, I am sure all Members, as well as the President, will be aware of the significance of this debate.
The results of last week’s international conference have been welcomed in a significant statement issued by the President of the UN Security Council on 16 April. In noting that it is now for the Cypriots to take a historic decision concerning their future, the members of the Security Council gave the commitment that, should the plan be approved, they stand ready to take further actions as provided for in the plan, including the establishment of a new UN operation in support of its swift and full implementation by all parties. The members of the Security Council would also be committed to helping ensure that the parties fully meet their commitments under the settlement.
The United Nations has been deeply involved with Cyprus for the past forty years. The UN Force in Cyprus was established in 1964 and is one of the longest running peacekeeping operations in the history of the UN. Member States, including my own country, have been proud to contribute military, police and civilian personnel to the force in the interests of all the people of Cyprus.
The European Union has stayed the course with Cyprus. Now, on 24 April, the people of Cyprus will make their democratic choice – and it is their choice – on the settlement proposals before them. They have a unique and historic opportunity. The choice is theirs, and it is theirs alone.
We wish the people of Cyprus well in making those choices. It is a difficult time. We understand that. We understand the history. We understand all the passion that goes into this, but the choice is theirs and theirs alone. We will respect whatever choice they make and hope that the decision is one that will allow for the peaceful integration of a united Cyprus into our Union on 1 May.
I am very grateful for the opportunity to contribute to this debate on behalf of the Council and the presidency. Our discussion this morning comes just three days before a truly significant date for the people of the island of Cyprus. On 24 April they will vote in separate but simultaneous referenda on the text of the comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem which has been presented recently by United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, in an agreed negotiating framework.
The European Union is deeply grateful to the Secretary-General, and in particular to his Special Adviser, Mr Alvaro de Soto, for their tireless efforts to bring about a settlement. They have worked closely with the parties and in collaboration with the governments of Greece and Turkey. They have created a unique and historic opportunity for a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem.
If the people of Cyprus vote 'Yes' in the two referenda on Saturday, a united Cyprus will join the European Union on 1 May, along with nine other new Member States. The accession of a united Cyprus remains the strong preference – I emphasise the strong preference – of the European Union. Let me recall today the commitment, made by successive European Councils, that the Union is ready to accommodate the terms of the settlement in line with the principles on which our European Union is founded.
The origins of the European Union are in the most terrible war in human history, which almost destroyed our continent. The Union was born of a deep desire to encourage European nations to work together for the betterment of all their peoples and to resolve their differences peacefully, without resort to conflict. Membership of the European Union has enabled nations and divided communities in Europe to bridge deep and bitter divisions between them. I am confident that, over time, this will be the case also for a united Cyprus within the European Union.
The accession of ten new Member States in just nine days' time will formally end the tragic post-war divisions of the continent of Europe. There is now an opportunity to end yet another division in Europe. The decision on the Settlement Plan, presented by Secretary-General Annan, now rests ultimately with the people of Cyprus. The choice and the decision is theirs. They should be assured of the solidarity of the European Union as they contemplate, individually and collectively, a decision which will have a profound effect on their future and indeed on the future of their children and their children's children.
As the people of Cyprus exercise their democratic rights, they will be fully aware of the historic nature of this decision and of the opportunities at hand for Cyprus, for its neighbours and, indeed, for the rest of Europe. They will have heard – as we have done – the words of Secretary-General Annan, that the plan 'is the only available and the only foreseeable route to the reunification of Cyprus'.
The European Union and the wider international community stand ready to assist in the implementation of that settlement, both politically and economically. The commitment and the hope of the international community was evident at the high-level preparatory donors conference chaired by Commissioner Verheugen last week in Brussels. I was at that conference and successive speakers expressed their readiness, their wishes, their hopes and their desire to provide financial assistance for the implementation of this plan.
A number of very significant and definite commitments have been made. Should the plan be approved, the European Commission has already earmarked significant funds for the economic development of Cyprus and for the betterment of the people of Cyprus. Many Member States, including Ireland, have stated that they will announce significant and specific funding in support of the implementation of the settlement at a full donors conference which we hope will take place in the autumn."@en1
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