Cyprus Problem Cannot Be Solved during EU Summit: Cypriot Official

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Saturday, December 14, 2002

Cyprus Problem Cannot Be Solved during EU Summit: Cypriot Official

The Cyprus problem cannot be solved at the EU summit in Copenhagen, the island state's Attorney General Alecos Markides said on Friday.

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The Cyprus problem cannot be solved at the EU summit in Copenhagen, the island state's Attorney General Alecos Markides said on Friday.

According to the Cyprus News Agency, UN envoy Alvaro de Soto, in his last ditch attempt to push for an agreement, invited representatives of the Greek and Turkish Cypriots for talks Friday afternoon.

Representatives of Greece, Turkey, Britain and the United States were also invited to the meeting at the Danish Foreign Ministry.

Speaking after the talks, Markides, who represented Greek Cypriots, said de Soto had told him that a solution was impossible for the time being.

The UN envoy made the conclusion after the two-hour talks.

"There is no question, this issue is finished. The question of Cyprus cannot be resolved today," Markides said in dismay.

But he said the Greek Cypriot side will continue in good faith the negotiations to find a solution, if possible, by Feb. 28, 2003,so that a reunited Cyprus can sign the EU Accession Treaty in April 2003.

Meanwhile, reports from New York said UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan vows to continue efforts for an agreement, declaring the Cyprus talks have not collapsed.

Annan said he hopes the work that has been done will not be wasted and that the people of Cyprus, both Turkish and Greek, will see an advantage in pursuing this effort and bringing it to a fruitful conclusion.

Cyprus has been divided into the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities since 1974.

The international community had hoped for an initial Cyprus agreement before or during the two-day European Union (EU) summit in Copenhagen started on Thursday.

The European Union is expected to announce Friday night the accession of Cyprus into its ranks.

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