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Annan voices hope that ‘united Cyprus’ will be admitted to European Union

Annan voices hope that ‘united Cyprus’ will be admitted to European Union

The United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, today expressed hope that Cyprus could soon be admitted to the European Union.

Asked by reporters to describe his vision for the island, Mr. Annan said, "my dream is to see a united Cyprus admitted to the European Union, and a Cyprus that would enter the EU and prosper as one nation."

The Secretary-General noted that the Cypriot people "have gone through this conflict for several decades and we now have an opportunity to end it," adding, "I hope the two leaders will seize the opportunity and bring peace and stability to the island, and make history."

Asked about the short amount of time between now and 12 December, when the summit on EU expansion will be held in Copenhagen, he responded, "We do have time to come to an agreement."