Greece pledges to clinch Cyprus deal

Greece pledged to help clinch an accord on the reunification of Cyprus yesterday, as it began its six-month presidency of the European Union with the fate of the divided Mediterranean island on top of its agenda.

"The Greek government, and Greece, because of the presidency of the EU, will undertake every possible step in order to achieve agreement," the Prime Minister, Costas Simitis, told a press conference in Athens.

Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders have been given until the end of next month to agree on a United Nations-sponsored outline peace plan for Cyprus which would create a Swiss-style federation with a rotating presidency.

At a summit in Copenhagen last month, member states agreed to admit Cyprus to the EU in 2004 but, unless the UN blueprint is accepted, Turkish-controlled northern Cyprus will be excluded.

George Papandreou, the Greek Foreign Minister, stressed the importance of the 28 February deadline for agreeing to the UN package. Meeting that date was vital if the EU was to respect its timetable for the whole island to be admitted in May next year, he said yesterday. "There is a positive climate for a solution on the island both in the Greek Cypriot and the Turkish Cypriot population. This is an historic opportunity. Let's not lose it.".

Greece also hopes to boost EU foreign policy and to declare operational the embryonic European rapid-reaction force. The EU is expected to take over a minor peacekeeping job in Macedonia from Nato within weeks.