Sunday
14 March 2010
08:37

09 November 2009 10:31

NICOSIA  - France has given its full and unreserved backing to the ongoing efforts for the reunification of Cyprus, divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third.

''France supports fully and unreservedly the will and the efforts assumed to find the paths to the reunification of Cyprus,'' French Minister of State for European Affairs Pierre Lellouche said addressing the inauguration ceremony of the new Larnaka International Airport on Saturday.

Lellouche commended Cyprus President Demetris Christofia's efforts for a solution to the Cyprus problem, adding that France as a UN Security Council permanent member and as an EU member-state supports the negotiating process assumed by the Cypriots.

France wishes that the UN-led process and for which President Christofias works hard would lead to a solution agreed by the Cypriots as soon as possible, Lellouche went on to say.

He added that the relation of France and Cyprus must be put at the service of the reunification of Cyprus. He added that now when ''France is preparing to celebrate with Germany the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, a symbol of the Cold War and the peaceful reunification of Europe, the division of Cyprus offers the world for 35 years now a sad sight of what we can call the last wall of Europe.''

''The time has come to put an end to this unacceptable situation,'' the French official said wondering whether ''it is necessary to say that the fall of this wall would bring to the two communities not only the joy of reunification but the restoration of prosperity which would benefit every one,'' adding ''the overwhelming majority of the Cypriots from both communities are convinced on this.''