Cyprus News Agency: News in English (AM), 97-03-19

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

CONTENTS

[01] UN expects good-will measures by both sides

[02] Three in photograph identified

1115:CYPPRESS:01

[01] UN expects good-will measures by both sides

Speaking to the press after a meeting today with President Glafcos Clerides, UN Secretary-General's resident representative Gustave Feissel said the good-will measures are being discussed in the preparatory meetings he began last week, expected to lead to face-to-face talks between the Cyprus President and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash.

Feissel said the "Secretary-General is determined to make every effort to get to those face-to-face talks and our hope is that we'll get there by the middle of this year".

Asked if he believed it is time for the two sides to take measures of good-will, he said "that is part of our discussions" noting "the process will be helped if the atmosphere would be lightened and made more positive and if each side could make some unilateral good-will gestures."

"This is also something I hope we will see in the not to distant future, " he added.

However, Feissel pointed out it was up to "the two sides to come up with some good ideas", noting "we don't want to spend our time talking days about that".

Feissel added each side could make unilateral gestures in line with and inspired by the Secretary-General's objective for a "bizonal, bicommunal federation, but one country".

Replying to a question on how the two sides approach this issue, he expressed the opinion that "they saw the wisdom and the merit of doing that and hopefully we'll see something."

Feissel refrained from saying which good-will measures he was referring to, noting "you could make a list" of measures that would make "the people of Cyprus happy".

He clarified he was not referring to the UN-led military dialogue, aimed at defusing tension along the demarcation line, which, he added, is going on.

"We're continuing to meet with the two sides and hopefully we will get somewhere. Of course, it would be nice if we would get somewhere (on the military dialogue) sooner than later," he said.

The UN representative refrained from revealing anything of substance about his bi-weekly separate meetings with the two sides, abiding with "an oath of silence".

He recalled they have agreed not to say anything for the time being and stressed "we want to give this effort a real chance."

"I think both sides are taking it very very seriously and they don't want anything to cause it to slip to one side or another," he added.

Feissel will meet Denktash tomorrow and will have a second meeting with President Clerides on Friday.

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

CNA MA/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1430:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Three in photograph identified

This was officially announced here today by Presidential Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs, Takis Christopoulos.

All three come from the northern Turkish-occupied Kyrenia district, Charalambos Charalambous, Sotiris Kyratdzis and Michalis Karaolis.

The picture, according to Christopoulos, was taken at Kyrenia "Dome" hotel, where the three, who were wounded during the Turkish invasion, were transferred by their captors.

The three men now live in the government-controlled areas of the Republic.

When the photograph was aired by a local TV station earlier this week, the family of missing Greek Cypriot Petrakis Petrou, identified one of the persons in the picture as their son.

CNA MCH/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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