Leading members of the Greek expatriate community ascertained that the United States is determined to inaugurate a "new beginning" in efforts to solve the issue of Cyprus, following a meeting at the State Department with Under Secretary of State Nicholas Burns and Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs Dan Fried.

Speaking on behalf of the expatriates who attended the meeting, the President of the International Coordinating Committee "Justice for Cyprus" (PSEKA), Philip Christopher, termed it as the "best, most substantive and most open we have ever had with American officials" and attributed the climate of understanding to Burns' knowledge of the region.

He added that what was also conducive was the fact that Greek-American relations are at their best point ever at the moment, as well as the recent successful visit to Washington by Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis.

Christopher said that "we presented our positions and the American side its own" and pointed out that the position of the U.S. is the creation of a bizonal, bicommunal, federal state, which will be a member of the EU, and which could, if it desired, even join NATO and whose citizens will have one nationality.

Source: Athens News Agency

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