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We will not recognise so-called TRNC," Millett tells reception
By Charlie Charalambous
BRITAIN yesterday offered an olive branch to Cyprus over the Turkey =
partner****p row by renouncing any moves to upgrade the breakaway north.=20
British High Commissioner Peter Millett gave the clearest message yet to =
Nicosia that London wants to positively re-engage after a turbulent few =
weeks.
In a deliberate effort to break the diplomatic ice, Millett had a =
self-confessed 'read my lips' moment.=20
"We will not recognise the so-called 'TRNC', the British diplomat told =
re****ters at a High Commission reception yesterday.
"I don't know how many times we have to say that for people to believe =
it. The perception that we are in a game of upgrading the north is =
completely wrong."
Millett was making his first public comment since London signed the =
partner****p agreement with Turkey that backed direct contact with the =
Turkish Cypriots north.
The High Commissioner chose his words very carefully in what was a =
concerted attempt to win over a Cyprus government still fuming over the =
pact.
Determination
"Contact with the Turkish Cypriot community does not mean =
recognition...I also want to say we will continue to oppose partition."
Millett has recently returned from London where he held contacts with =
ministers and "key people" who have a very close interest in Cyprus.=20
Presumably a re-think was necessary for the British government following =
Cyprus' opposition to the Turkey deal signed on October 30.=20
"I want to reiterate, yet again, our firm commitment, our determination =
to work with Cyprus as one of your best friends within the European =
Union."
He stressed that the overtures of friend****p came from the very top.
"And this is not just a message from me. I represent the British =
government and what I say is said with the authority and the agreement =
of ministers and of the foreign office and of the British government as =
a whole."
Struggling
Millett was also unequivocal over Britain's stance on the July 8 =
agreement and the urgent need for progress on that twin-track process.=20
"We are committed to implementing the 8 July 2006 agreement. No ifs, or =
buts, or caveats to that."
"I hope it will be done in the next few weeks, but at the very least, =
we're looking to 2008 as a significant year."=20
Moreover, Britain is in the business of persuading Turkey to implement =
its EU obligations, including "im****tant obligations" which are clear =
towards Cyprus. "This is a joint strategic objective after all, of both =
London and Nicosia, we'll continue to play our role in that," said =
Millett.
Cyprus-Britain diplomacy is struggling to keep its head above water as =
the government engages in below-the-radar retaliatory measures against =
London's perceived pro-'TRNC' policies.=20
Nicosia pulled out of a joint forum with Britain in retaliation for =
London's partner****p deal that envisages high-level contacts with the =
breakaway north.
Ironically, the forum was part of a "structured dialogue" initiated two =
years ago to improve ties after relations between the fellow EU members =
imploded.
The government regards the deal struck in London as a bid to dissuade =
Ankara from military action in northern Iraq in return for upgraded =
British ties with the occupied areas.
Britain denies the agreement reached between Prime Minister Gordon Brown =
and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan spelt any change in =
policy towards Cyprus.
An article of the agreement pledged that Britain would work with its =
European Union partners to "promote direct commercial, economic, =
political and cultural contacts" with the Turkish Cypriots.
They will also provide "continued help for 'TRNC' =
au-thorities/universities in their attempts to engage with the Bologna =
process" and will uphold "the right of representation of the Turkish =
Cypriots in the European Parliament."
Direct trade between the EU and the Turkish Cypriots was halted by a =
European court decision in 1994.
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman" =
size=3D3>We will not=20
recognise so-called<FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> =
</FONT></FONT>TRNC," Millett=20
tells reception
<P></P>
<P>By Charlie Charalambous</P>
<P></P>
<P>BRITAIN yesterday offered an olive branch to Cyprus over the Turkey=20
partner****p row by renouncing any moves to upgrade the breakaway north. =
</P>
<P>British High Commissioner Peter Millett gave the clearest message yet =
to=20
Nicosia that London wants to positively re-engage after a turbulent few=20
weeks.</P>
<P>In a deliberate effort to break the diplomatic ice, Millett had a=20
self-confessed =91read my lips=92 moment. </P>
<P>"We will not recognise the so-called =91TRNC=92, the British diplomat =
told=20
re****ters at a High Commission reception yesterday.</P>
<P>"I don=92t know how many times we have to say that for people to =
believe it.=20
The perception that we are in a game of upgrading the north is =
completely=20
wrong."</P>
<P>Millett was making his first public comment since London signed the=20
partner****p agreement with Turkey that backed direct contact with the =
Turkish=20
Cypriots north.</P>
<P>The High Commissioner chose his words very carefully in what was a =
concerted=20
attempt to win over a Cyprus government still fuming over the pact.</P>
<P>Determination</P>
<P>"Contact with the Turkish Cypriot community does not mean =
recognition...I=20
also want to say we will continue to oppose partition."</P>
<P>Millett has recently returned from London where he held contacts with =
ministers and "key people" who have a very close interest in Cyprus. =
</P>
<P>Presumably a re-think was necessary for the British government =
following=20
Cyprus' opposition to the Turkey deal signed on October 30. </P>
<P>"I want to reiterate, yet again, our firm commitment, our =
determination to=20
work with Cyprus as one of your best friends within the European =
Union."</P>
<P>He stressed that the overtures of friend****p came from the very =
top.</P>
<P>"And this is not just a message from me. I represent the British =
government=20
and what I say is said with the authority and the agreement of ministers =
and of=20
the foreign office and of the British government as a whole."</P>
<P>Struggling</P>
<P>Millett was also unequivocal over Britain's stance on the July 8 =
agreement=20
and the urgent need for progress on that twin-track process. </P>
<P>"We are committed to implementing the 8 July 2006 agreement. No ifs, =
or buts,=20
or caveats to that."</P>
<P>"I hope it will be done in the next few weeks, but at the very least, =
we=92re=20
looking to 2008 as a significant year." </P>
<P>Moreover, Britain is in the business of persuading Turkey to =
implement its EU=20
obligations, including "im****tant obligations" which are clear towards =
Cyprus.=20
"This is a joint strategic objective after all, of both London and =
Nicosia,=20
we=92ll continue to play our role in that," said Millett.</P>
<P>Cyprus-Britain diplomacy is struggling to keep its head above water =
as the=20
government engages in below-the-radar retaliatory measures against =
London's=20
perceived pro-'TRNC' policies. </P>
<P>Nicosia pulled out of a joint forum with Britain in retaliation for =
London's=20
partner****p deal that envisages high-level contacts with the breakaway=20
north.</P>
<P>Ironically, the forum was part of a "structured dialogue" initiated =
two years=20
ago to improve ties after relations between the fellow EU members =
imploded.</P>
<P>The government regards the deal struck in London as a bid to dissuade =
Ankara=20
from military action in northern Iraq in return for upgraded British =
ties with=20
the occupied areas.</P>
<P>Britain denies the agreement reached between Prime Minister Gordon =
Brown and=20
his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan spelt any change in policy =
towards=20
Cyprus.</P>
<P>An article of the agreement pledged that Britain would work with its =
European=20
Union partners to "promote direct commercial, economic, political and =
cultural=20
contacts" with the Turkish Cypriots.</P>
<P>They will also provide "continued help for =91TRNC=92 =
au-thorities/universities=20
in their attempts to engage with the Bologna process" and will uphold =
"the right=20
of representation of the Turkish Cypriots in the European =
Parliament."</P>
<P>Direct trade between the EU and the Turkish Cypriots was halted by a =
European=20
court decision in 1994.</P></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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