Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 96-12-08

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From: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org,cy>

CONTENTS

[01] Cypriot Foreign Minister flies to Israel

[02] Britain plays ''worst role'' in Cyprus, says Greek FM

[03] Cyprus people to decide political solution, says President

[04] Cypriot Defence Minister flies to Greece

1230:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Cypriot Foreign Minister flies to Israel

The two Ministers will hold official talks, which will cover the Cyprus problem, the situation in the Middle East, bilateral matters and regional cooperation.

Later in the day, the Cypriot Minister will meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Michaelides, who is accompanied by his Ministry's Permanent Secretary Alecos Shambos and other Ministry officials, returns this afternoon.

This is the first official visit to Israel by a Cypriot high-ranking official after Netanyahu won the elections in this neighbouring country.

CNA GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1340:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Britain plays ''worst role'' in Cyprus, says Greek FM

This was stated by Greece's Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos, in an interview today with Cyprus' leading daily newspaper ''Phileleptheros''.

Pangalos is quoted as saying ''the UK plays, unfortunately, as regards the Cyprus problem, the worst possible role, for a long time.''

He said the British policy aimed at ''the perpetuation of the situation in Cyprus. It is against any solution.''

The Greek Minister said he would raise this issue at a meeting with Britain's Foreign Secretary Malcolm Rifkind, during his forthcoming visit to London.

Rifkind is scheduled to visit Cyprus on December 16-17 to meet Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides, Foreign Minister Alecos Michaelides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash.

His plan to meet Denktash in the occupied part of Cyprus has caused angry reactions in Cyprus.

House President and former Cyprus President Spyros Kyprianou has asked Rifkind's visit to Cyprus to be postponed until London clarifies its true intentions on Cyprus.

This issue will be discussed during a session of the National Council, the top advisory to the President on the handling of the Cyprus problem, on Wednesday (December 11).

In his interview with ''Phileleptheros'', Pangalos strongly criticised Rifkind's scheduled meeting with Denktash, the head of the illegal regime in the areas occupied by Turkish troops since 1974.

Rifkind is the first Foreign Minister of a country, who wants to meet Denktash in the occupied areas.

When former British Foreign Secretary Douglas Hurd visited Cyprus, on the occasion of the Commonwealth Summit in October 1993, had a joint meeting with Clerides and Denktash at the Ledra Palace Hotel, situated in the UN-controlled buffer zone in Nicosia.

Meanwhile, Pangalos turned down Rifkind's position that a solution to the Cyprus problem must be found before the start of membership talks with the European Union.

However, he said progress towards a Cyprus settlement would facilitate Cyprus' entry into the EU, ''something that Nicosia and Athens wish fervently.''

Pangalos said the island's accession to the EU did not depend on Rifkind's stand and recalled that the EU had already taken decisions on the matter.

On March 6, 1995 the EU Council of Ministers gave Cyprus a firm date for the start of membership talks, six months after the end of the Intergovernmental Conference.

A number of EU summits repeated that Cyprus would be involved in the next EU enlargement.

The Greek Foreign Minister warned that no EU enlargement would take place if membership talks with Cyprus were not concluded and ratified.

Cyprus applied for membership in 1990. It signed an association agreement with the European Community in 1972 and a customs union agreement in 1987.

Turkish troops have been occupying 37 per cent of Cyprus territory since 1974, in violation of repeated UN resolutions calling for their withdrawal.

CNA GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1415:CYPPRESS:03

[03] Cyprus people to decide political solution, says President

In an interview today with the local daily ''Phileleftheros'', Clerides noted that it is very important before the start of the negotiations, the governments of Cyprus and Greece prepare various scenarios to base their future handling.

''For this reason, the preparatory period is more important than when the negotiations are expected to start'', he said.

Outlining the next steps, Clerides said preparation for the talks would take place in Cyprus. Then, he would go to Athens where preparations there are scheduled to be completed by the end of the year.

However, the Cypriot President stressed that the most suitable period where the various initiatives for a Cyprus settlement would prove productive would be until August 1997. From then on, the pre-election campaign for the presidential elections scheduled to take place in 1998 will start.

Asked if he would be ready to go ahead with a Dayton type solution for Cyprus, despite the reaction that such a decision would cause, Clerides said:

''I will not hesitate. I will do what I think it's the best but then I will come to the people with a referendum... The people will decide...''

Clerides said discussion had ended on a US-proposed moratorium to ban Greek and Turkish military aircraft flights over Cyprus.

''The discussion could not continue when Turkey threatens it will take up action against National Guard armaments'', he said, noting that the Greek Cypriot side wanted ''crystal clear, satisfactory assurances'' on the issue.

Referring to the island's efforts to join the European Union (EU), Clerides said there might be a decision for the island's accession.

The President explained that due to the presence of foreign troops the provisions of the agreement will not be effective in the occupied areas. ''The same was done with Germany. West Germany was accepted and when the Berlin Wall fell, East Germany was too accepted'', the President recalled.

Regarding the joint defence pact agreed upon by Cyprus and Greece, Clerides said ''it aims to avert the military balance, urging others to become interested in Cyprus and exert pressure so that progress is achieved.''

Referring to the US initiative on Cyprus expected to be launched early next year, the Cypriot President said ''I believe the American policy will soon focus its attention on our region, for a solution to the Cyprus problem. They want to solve the problem between Israel and the Palestinians and they will also deal with Cyprus'', Clerides said.

He added the Americans are afraid of a flare up in Cyprus, leading to a confrontation between Greece and Turkey (both NATO allies) and possibly the Balkans.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37 per cent of the island's territory.

CNA EC/GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1440:CYPPRESS:04

[04] Cypriot Defence Minister flies to Greece

Greek Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos and National Defence Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos will also participate.

The Pentagon meeting is expected to deal with developments in the joint defence pact agreed upon by the governments of Cyprus and Greece in November 1993.

A specific issue expected to be discussed is the US-proposed ban of overflights by Greek and Turkish military aircraft over Cyprus.

During his visit to the island last month, Tsohatzopoulos and Eliades dismissed any talk about a ban of overflights, saying the Greek flights were legal whereas the Turkish ones were illegal.

The matter was raised again last week in Lisbon during meetings with Cypriot, Greek and Turkish officials, by Carey Cavanugh, Director of US State Department Southern European Affairs Department, on the sidelines of the conference of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

The Americans failed to reach an agreement on the overflights issue, since the Turkish side wanted to resort to military action whenever it considered it necessary, thus violating the moratorium.

Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides turned down the Turkish position.

The matter will also be discussed during a session of the National Council, the island's top advisory body to the President on the handling of the Cyprus problem, on Wednesday (December 11).

President Clerides is expected to present to the party leaders participating in the National Council, his written reply on the overflights issue, which was conveyed by Foreign Minister Alecos Michaelides to Cavanaugh, during the Lisbon discussions.

Turkish troops have been occupying 37 per cent of Cyprus territory since 1974, in violation of repeated UN resolutions calling for their withdrawal.

CNA EC/GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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