Cyprus News Agency: News in English (AM), 97-04-10

Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

CONTENTS

[01] New US Presidential Emissary on Cyprus to be named

[02] UN Chief meets Denktash in Geneva

[03] American doctors examine Cypriot children

0950:CYPPRESS:01

[01] New US Presidential Emissary on Cyprus to be named

Washington, Apr 10 (CNA) -- US Ambassador to Romania Alfred S. Moses is expected to replace US Presidential Emissary on Cyprus Richard Beattie, a prominent lawyer from New York, US State Department sources told CNA.

According to the same sources the name of the new Emissary of President Bill Clinton will be announced very soon as part of changes of US diplomats in South East Europe.

The State Department sources said the US Ambassador to Turkey Marc Grossman will be replaced by Marc R. Parris, currently Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director of Near East and South Asia Affairs at the National Security Council.

Grossman is expected to become the next Assistant Secretary of State for European and Canadian Affairs.

According to a reliable State Department source there is a strong possibility that the well known to Cyprus State Department Director of the Bureau for South Eastern Affairs, Carey Cavanaugh will become the next US Ambassador to Greece.

Political analysts said if Cavanaugh takes over as US Ambassador to Turkey, the Clinton Administration would send a strong message to the region.

Cavanaugh, who has visited the area repeatedly, has a deep knowledge of the Cyprus problem and of the differences between Greece and Turkey.

CNA DA/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1220:CYPPRESS:02

[02] UN Chief meets Denktash in Geneva

On his part, Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash expressed concern about the plethora of envoys dealing with the Cyprus problem and said he was ready for negotiations.

Both men were speaking in Geneva after Denktash had a meeting with UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, in a bid to help efforts to resume direct talks between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot sides, last conducted more than two years ago.

A spokesman for the Secretary-General described the meeting as very important and said it rather appears that the gap between the two sides' positions is being bridged.

According to press agency reports, Feissel said Annan wanted the Security Council and the EU to support the latest UN initiative.

"Time is running out. The EU issue makes it all more urgent. If these (Cyprus-EU) negotiations begin before a settlement, the world may be a very different one from the one now. That's bad news for everybody," Feissel said.

The Chief of UN mission in Cyprus warned "if we can't bring these people on board beforehand, it will be very difficult to do that afterwards."

He added the UN Chief looks forward that face-to-face talks between President Clerides and Denktash will begin by mid-1997. He noted some decisions on the next steps were taken but refrained to elaborate.

The Turkish Cypriot leader said he had a "sincere" first meeting with the UN Secretary-General, where he underlined that the Cyprus question is "a problem of a partnership state" and claimed that Greek Cypriots have "destroyed" it.

Denktash called on President Clerides to join him in direct negotiations, noting "the parameters for the settlement of the Cyprus problem are on the table, known as the Set of Ideas", proposed by former UN Chief Boutros Boutros-Ghali.

He claimed that the Greek Cypriots had "attempted to change the agenda by making a unilateral application to EU, pretending that this application is an application by Cyprus, when it is an application by Greek Cypriots only."

Cyprus divided since the 1974 Turkish invasion applied for EU full membership in 1990. It signed an association agreement with the European Community in 1972 and a customs union agreement in 1987.

He said the Turkish Cypriot side "cannot accept that kind of tactics" and expressed hope the Secretary-General "will find ways and means for bringing both sides around the table, as he hopes in the middle of this year."

Denktash said "we are in need of a settlement, Cyprus is in need of a settlement", noting he prefers the good will offices mission of the Secretary-General than the involvement of other mediators as "too many cooks spoil the broth," he said.

Asked if he accepts a federal solution as provided by UN resolutions on Cyprus, Denktash said he is ready to discuss "a bizonal, bicommunal federation between two politically equal communities as the Secretary- General in his Set of Ideas see us... The establishment of a bicommunal, bizonal federation is my proposal", he added.

The Turkish Cypriot leader said "I am closer to a meeting than ever if the Set of Ideas is on the table. I accept the Set of Ideas as a ground for negotiating. Everything is there. We wouldn't have to say yes to everything but we have to begin talking," he added.

Asked to comment on good will gestures and his statement that Greek Cypriots can visit their homes as "tourists", Denktash claimed he never said such a thing.

"The Greek Cypriots' homes in the north are to be exchanged with the homes of the Turkish Cypriots in the south and this is the Set of Ideas, this is the arrangement," he said.

To a question if he looks forward to a face-to-face meeting with President Clerides, Denktash said "proximity talks will continue and we hope that by mid-summer I shall be able to meet Clerides to discuss face-to- face."

CNA MM/AP/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1430:CYPPRESS:03

[03] American doctors examine Cypriot children

Specialists from Shriners Hospital, of Springfield Unit, Massachusetts, started yesterday examining such new cases as well as children formerly treated by them in the US, at the "Paraskevaidion Transplant Centre" in Nicosia.

Paraskevaidion's executive manager Nassos Athanasiou told CNA some 450 children under 18 will be examined by the American doctors, noting that 80 of them are new cases. The rest are cases, which have already been examined or treated at Shriners Hospital that need to be reassesed, he added.

Athanasiou said this is the 18th consecutive year doctors from this Hospital visit Cyprus to examine free of charge orthopaedic and spinal cases, following an "understanding" with the local private "George and Thelma Paraskevaides Foundation".

Head of the medical team, supported by four registered nurses, is a paediatric-orthopaedic consultant, Dr. Leon Kruger.

Paediatric-Orthopaedic doctors John Roberts and David Drvaric, spine specialist Dr. Scott Cowan and hand specialist Dr. Jeffrey Wint, make up this year's Shriners Hospital medical team.

Since 1980, some 700 children from Cyprus were selected and transferred to Shriners Hospital, where they underwent orthopaedic surgeries, Athanasiou added.

The surgeries are performed free of charge, he explained, and the Foundation covers the expenses of the medical staff coming to Cyprus, as well as travel and accommodation expenses of some of the children transferred to the US for treatment.

It also employs two persons, who are responsible to escort children, whose parents cannot make it with them to the US.

It is estimated the Cyprus government has so far benefited more than 50 million US dollars from these surgeries abroad.

In a written statement to CNA, George Paraskevaides said both the Foundation and Cyprus are "deeply grateful" to Shriners Hospital.

He also noted Cyprus government has repeatedly expressed its appreciation and gratitude to the medical staff and the Board of Directors of Shriners Hospital.

The American doctors conclude this afternoon their check-ups and most of them leave Cyprus today.

As a result, a meeting of the team with President Glafcos Clerides will be arranged in a future visit, Athanasiou said.

CNA MK/AP/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article