Britain repeats offer to cede part of its bases to facilitate Cyprus talks
Britain repeats offer to cede part of its bases to facilitate Cyprus talks
09:23, November 11, 2009 
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Britain has renewed an offer to cede about half the territory of its bases in Cyprus so as to help reaching a solution to the Cyprus problem, a United Nations statement said in Nicosia on Tuesday.
"The offer, identical to one made in 2003, is conditional on a comprehensive settlement being agreed by the leaders of the two communities and then accepted by a majority of their populations and formally ratified by both sides," the statement said.
Alexander Downer, the advisor of the UN Secretary General on Cyprus, has just been informed of such an offer, said the statement.
The offer was first made by Britain when the United Nations acted as arbitrator in negotiations between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders in 2003, on the condition a proposed solution would be approved in separate referenda. The proposed solution was accepted by the Turkish Cypriot Community but was rejected by the Greek side by a 76 percent majority in 2004
Britain retained two separate bases in its former colony totaling 254 square kilometers, or three cent of the whole territory, when Cyprus became independent in 1960 following a four-year long guerrilla campaign.
A Cyprus government source said the issue will most probably come up for discussion on Wednesday between British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Cyprus President Demetris Christofias, now on a visit in London.
Cyprus was partitioned in 1974 when Turkey sent troops and occupied one third of the Mediterranean island in response to a coup engineered by Greek junta officers.
The leaders of the two Cypriot communities started talks 14 months ago aimed at reunifying the island under a federal umbrella.
Source: Xinhua
"The offer, identical to one made in 2003, is conditional on a comprehensive settlement being agreed by the leaders of the two communities and then accepted by a majority of their populations and formally ratified by both sides," the statement said.
Alexander Downer, the advisor of the UN Secretary General on Cyprus, has just been informed of such an offer, said the statement.
The offer was first made by Britain when the United Nations acted as arbitrator in negotiations between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders in 2003, on the condition a proposed solution would be approved in separate referenda. The proposed solution was accepted by the Turkish Cypriot Community but was rejected by the Greek side by a 76 percent majority in 2004
Britain retained two separate bases in its former colony totaling 254 square kilometers, or three cent of the whole territory, when Cyprus became independent in 1960 following a four-year long guerrilla campaign.
A Cyprus government source said the issue will most probably come up for discussion on Wednesday between British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Cyprus President Demetris Christofias, now on a visit in London.
Cyprus was partitioned in 1974 when Turkey sent troops and occupied one third of the Mediterranean island in response to a coup engineered by Greek junta officers.
The leaders of the two Cypriot communities started talks 14 months ago aimed at reunifying the island under a federal umbrella.
Source: Xinhua
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