U.S. State Department Criticizes Greek Cypriots' Buying Attack Helicopters

WASHINGTON (A.A) - 05.06.2002 - U.S. Department of State's Special Coordinator to Cyprus Tom Weston criticized on Wednesday the Greek Cypriot side's buying attack helicopters from Russia, stating that the sides have to refrain from taking military steps including buying weapons when the talks on the island continue.
Responding to questions of Turkish NTV channel and Anadolu Agency, Weston said that he would go to the region next week and his visit would start from Ankara and cover Athens and Cyprus.
Weston added that after his visit to the region, he would go to Copenhagen, Brussels and Madrid and have meetings with EU about Cyprus issue.
Weston said that the U.S. still thought that an agreement could be achieved in basic issues till the end of June, adding he would try to contribute to that during his visit. A progress was recorded in one of the basic issues in the direct talks between the two leaders in Cyprus, he said without giving further details.
Weston said that even if no agreement is reached at the end of June, the talks have to continue, adding that ''the end of June is a target, but it is not the last date.'' Weston said that the real final date for a solution in Cyprus is the period before December 2002 by when the EU enlargement summit will be held.
When reminded about the 12 attack helciopters which the Greek Cypriot side bought from Russia recently, Weston said that the U.S. believes that all the concerned sides have to refrain from taking such military steps in a period when the direct talks which can be the last opportunity to reach an agreement on the island, continue. The sides have to avoid buying weapons, increasing the number of soldiers, and they should decrease the number of military exercises, he said.
When asked if the U.S. would support the accession of Greek Cypriots to the EU if no agreement is reached on the island, Weston refrained from giving a direct answer and said that the U.S. believed that a solution which would protect the interests of both sides was possible on the island. ''Cyprus should be a member of EU and U.S. thinks that membership process will be beneficial to the solution of the problem. Yet we launch efforts for finding a solution before accession of Cyprus to EU,'' he said.
Weston said that a solution in Cyprus won't be an ideal solution for both sides and they should give concessions.
Weston added that the U.S. has always supported Turkey's membership to the EU.