Pat Cox: Verheugen is very disappointed and frustrated

"I think what Gunter Verheugen said exhibits just a deep personal frustration. Verheugen has been a wonderful friend of Cypriots determined without heavy conditions to embrace Cyprus as European and determined to recall that Europe is about peace reconciliation and conflict resolution, and so disappointed that these words are so much missing from the debate, and I can share his disappointment", Pat Cox, President of the European Parliament, said in an interview on DW-RADIO.

"A ‘No’-vote of the Greek Cypriots keeps 30.000 troops on the Turkish part of Cyprus. A ‘No’-vote may see a continuation of Turkish settlers in the northern part of the island. A ‘No’-vote passes to a new generation the problems of yesterday. A ‘No’-vote signals a failure to understand the essential meaning of Europe itself and the change of context and the guarantees we bring", Cox continued. "2004 is not 1974 or 1964, and so I still appeal to people: think, think, think about this thing, and open your minds to peace and reconciliation. Fortune doesn’t knock twice so often", Cox urged on DW-RADIO.

22th of April 2004
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