Papadopoulos Pledges to Achieve Just Cyprus Solution

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, February 17, 2003

Papadopoulos Pledges to Achieve Just Cyprus Solution

President-elect and Democratic Party leader Tassos Papadopoulos Sunday pledged that he looks forward to a just and viable Cyprus solution for the benefit of the island's both communities.

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President-elect and Democratic Party leader Tassos Papadopoulos Sunday pledged that he looks forward to a just and viable Cyprus solution for the benefit of the island's both communities.

Papadopoulos won the presidential elections earlier in the day with the support of his Democratic Party, the leftwing AKEL party, the Socialist KISOS party and the Ecologists-Environmentalists Movement.

Speaking after being elected, Papadopoulos said that he would engage in substantive negotiations to prove to the international community that his commitment to finding a political settlement remains firm.

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

Cyprus' incumbent President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriotleader Rauf Denktash are engaged in UN-sponsored direct talks in anattempt to find ways leading to an overall solution to the protracted Cyprus issue.

Papadopoulos said his contract with the people for a society of equality without discrimination and without prejudice, a society that would observe meritocracy will be observed.

"I look forward to a just ad lasting settlement to the benefit of all in a spirit of equality with respect to the rights, the history and the traditions and the political self-sufficiency of each of the two communities," he said.

Papadopoulos said he will expect to see UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan in Cyprus towards the end of the month, as announced by the United Nations, hoping that Annan will be able to break the current deadlock in the ongoing UN-sponsored peace negotiations.

He pledged to make every effort to see a reunited Cyprus join the European Union (EU) and increase the benefits that full EU accession would bring to Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots alike.

Meanwhile, incumbent President Clerides pledged to help new president in solving the Cyprus issue.

Asked if the two will meet with Annan when he pays a three-day visit to the island this month, Clerides said "if Papadopoulos wants me to accompany him, I will not refuse."

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