International Policy
    Economy
    Life
    Science
    Culture
    Hellenism
[The HR-Net Forum]




    HR-Net Home
    Latest News
    News Archive
    Documents
    Interesting Nodes
    Web Pages
    Mirrored Sites

    PNP
    PNP-Online
    News Searches
    Info
    HRI
    What's New
    Using Greek
    Usage Statistics
    Feedback

Statement on Cyprus missile announcement

By John Sitilides <sitilides@westernpolicy.org>,
Executive Director, The Western Policy Center1

Contact: Spyridon Rizopoulos 202-530-1425

Washington, D.C.
Tuesday, 29 December 1998

"The Government of Cyprus should be commended for a courageous decision that will help reduce tensions and restore needed focus on the demilitarization of Cyprus, the removal of all foreign troops, and the rejection of the use of force in resolving political and legal disputes. Importantly, this decision also diminishes the possibility of war between NATO allies Greece and Turkey."

"This diplomatic initiative should help build confidence in Turkey and among Turkish Cypriots, an important step in a four-way process including Ankara and Athens towards a just and comprehensive Cyprus settlement. Turkey should begin a sizable reduction of its occupation forces, and Greece should suspend plans to boost naval and air force deployments on Cyprus. Every effort should be made to avoid military solutions to political, legal and diplomatic problems.

"On the heels of initial success in Northern Ireland and the Middle East this year, the administration’s dedication to helping resolve the Cyprus question, repair the Greek-Turkish relationship, and establish genuine stability in the eastern Mediterranean should be applauded."


1[The Western Policy Center is a public policy corporation promoting U.S. geostrategic interests and Western institutions in southeastern Europe by strengthening the debate on American foreign policy toward NATO allies Greece and Turkey, and toward Cyprus. Based in California since 1994, the Center opened new offices in Washington, D.C. in February 1998.]