The aim of COREPER is to enhance co-operation between the two communities of the island and create a better climate, so as to increase the chance of resumption of talks for a settlement on the Cyprus problem.

This shows the attitude of Turkey and its political culture, which reaffirms how wise we were to reject the (U.N. Secretary General Kofi) Annan plan.

(If) Turkey continues not to implement (EU rules and regulations) ... its path towards the European Union will end.

Clearly Britain cannot be an objective mediator on the Cyprus problem. Britain no longer has the required credibility.

We cannot but welcome this effort of the Secretary General. It is something the President of the Republic himself has repeatedly requested from the Secretary General. Our effort is to avoid a hasty new process of negotiations,which would fail in no time, because that would be a catastrophe for Cyprus. That is why we are insisting on properly preparing the ground, creating the necessary conditions so that when a new process begins there would truly be realistic prospects to lead this process to an agreed solution and this is what we expect the UN Secretary General to do.

It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.