Cyprus - a shameful result

5.17.08pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 26th Apr 2004

Andrew Duff today commented on result of the referendum in Cyprus this weekend.

"The rejection by the Greek Cypriot population is not entirely surprising in view of the bias and manipulation of the facts about the Annan Plan by the government of the Republic of Cyprus. The Greek Cypriot government had a moral, legal and political responsibility under its terms of EU accession to promote the Yes vote in the referendum. The Greek Cyprus government has cheated on the EU, and betrayed their Turkish compatriots in the North.

"The Greek Cypriots seem not to know that the European Union is founded on reconciliation, solidarity and peace.

"The Turkish Cypriots are to be congratulated in overcoming years of ostracism by the international community and in seeing off the obduracy of Mr Denktash.

"The way forward now is for the EU to ease its trade and travel restrictions on the North.

"I am also asking the European Commission to spell out exactly how the citizens of North Cyprus stand in relation to the EU in constitutional terms."