Cyprus Mail: Press Review in English, 98-05-07

Cyprus Mail: Press Review in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: The Cyprus Mail at <http://www.cynews.com/>

Wednesday, May 6, 1998

'Stab in the back' by Feissel

AFTER US envoy Richard Holbrooke, it was the turn of UN Resident Representative Gustave Feissel to come under attack in the press for comments he had made.

Simerini said that the Cyprus Republic had received "another stab in the back", this time from Feissel, who had opened the door for the recognition of the pseudo-state. Feissel's sin was that he had refused to describe the so-called 'elections' in the north as an illegal procedure.

Feissel had also doubted that the division of the island was the result of "illegal violence", citing UN resolutions. He also refused to take a stand on the contention that President Clerides did not represent Cyprus.

A legal source told the paper that the implications of Feissel's stand was that an entity existed in the north that "exercised sovereignty" and was not the result of illegal violence. If this was accepted, the entity could soon be recognised.

Machi accused Feissel of following in Holbrooke's footsteps, as he was also trying to promote the position that President Clerides had no authority in the occupied territory.

Feissel's agreement with Holbrooke's views was seen as an adoption of "the new formula, invented by the US envoy", the aim of which was gradually to equate the Turkish Cypriot leader and the pseudo state with the Cyprus Republic and its president.

Alithia said that the Cyprus government "does believe there is a complete and absolute deadlock in the Cyprus problem, but a lack of progress." Sole responsibility for this lack of progress belonged to the Turkish Cypriot side.

The paper also quoted EU Commissioner Hans van den Broek as saying that Rauf Denktash had no desire to negotiate for a solution. Van den Broek said also that the conditions, set by Rauf Denktash for a resumption of the talks, merely underlined his intransigence.

Phileleftheros gave prominence to the government's belief that the US initiative would continue. It said the government felt that Holbrooke's stance on certain critical matters during the weekend contacts was constructive.

According to Foreign Minister Ioannis Cassoulides, Holbrooke had made it clear to the Turkish side that the pseudo-state would not be recognised.

Haravghi reported that Akel would propose at Friday's National Council meeting that the government should prepare a recourse to the UN Security Council, seeking alternative ways for finding a settlement.

Agon said that Washington would wait to see what the outcome of the EU summit in Cardiff next month would be with regard to Turkey before taking further action on Cyprus.

© Copyright Cyprus Mail 1998

Cyprus Mail: Press Review in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article