Cyprus News Agency: News in English (AM), 97-04-24

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

CONTENTS

[01] National Council meeting concludes with no decisions

[02] Clerides: Ghali's Set of Ideas not discussed in proximity talks

[03] "Big Five" to consult on Cyprus

0030:CYPPRESS:01

[01] National Council meeting concludes with no decisions

The session concluded with all political leaders reaffirming their original positions on the issues discussed.

However, the common view was that party leaders will evaluate the result of the on-going proximity talks before the Greek Cypriot side enters direct talks with Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash.

During the all-day session, the National Council discussed the course of the UN-led proximity talks, an aide-memoire submitted by the UN Resident Representative, Gustave Feissel, to President Glafcos Clerides and the government decision for changes in an exercise to be conducted with the Greek military.

The aide-memoire concerns the first 23 paragraphs from the proposals of former UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali. The proposal is known as his Set of Ideas and was presented to the two sides in 1992.

Another aide-memoire concerning good-will gestures to create a better climate between Greek and Turkish Cypriots, was not discussed during today's meeting.

Speaking after the meeting, ruling Democratic Rally (DISY) leader, Yiannakis Matsis, stressed that Turkish Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktash "remains intransigent and no common ground has been reached during the proximity talks."

Commenting on Ghali's Set of Ideas, Matsis described it as an "important document" on the basis of which discussions are conducted. He pointed out however that many negative elements are included which need to be addressed.

"DISY's proposal", Matsis said, "is to convince the UN Secretary- General to include the acquis communautaire in Ghali's Set of Ideas."

Matsis also expressed support for the government decision to postpone overflights of Greek aircraft, during an exercise to take place early next month, within the framework of good-will gestures during the proximity talks.

On his part coalition Democratic Party (DIKO) leader, Spyros Kyprianou said he was "not satisfied either with the decision or with the results" of the meeting and stressed that his party's position remains that the "Ghali Set of Ideas cannot form the basis of any dialogue."

Kyprianou repeated statements he made earlier this month concerning "a substantial change in the position of the Greek government" in regards to the Cyprus problem.

He also expressed reservations over good-will gestures and said he was opposed to the postponement of Greek military aircraft overflights, noting that this measure could have been taken once the two sides had entered direct talks.

Noting that his party had all along supported that the Ghali Set of Ideas were on the negotiating table, AKEL Secretary General, Demetris Christofias, criticised the government for wasting "valuable time", because, as he argued, it repeatedly rejected this fact.

Christofias expressed support to good-will measures and said AKEL "is not troubled over the postponement of Greek military aircraft overflights since it is a good-will measure for the creation of a conducive climate which could lead to direct talks."

Describing the present phase of the Cyprus problem as "dramatically crucial", Socialist EDEK party leader, Vassos Lyssarides said "we cannot talk of common ground since the Turkish Cypriot side has not changed its position."

He also said that "Ghali's Set of Ideas cannot form the basis for a dialogue", because of the position it maintains on the issue of sovereignty.

The EDEK leader expressed opposition to the postponement of Greek military overflights, stressing that such a decision should only have been taken "if direct talks had commenced and proved to be progressing."

On his part, United Democrats leader, George Vassiliou, strongly criticised DISY and DIKO for their handling of the Cyprus problem.

Stressing that "we do not have the right to reject Ghali's Set of Ideas as a basis for negotiations", he pointed out that these have been adopted in UN Security Council resolutions, 774 (1992) and 789 (1992).

However, Vassiliou stressed that "our side has the right to reject certain provisions it might disagree with."

The United Democrats leader welcomed the government decision concerning the overflights, but noted at the same time that President Clerides had stated during the National Council visit to Athens, on 17 January that "the moratorium was dead."

All political leaders, except Kyprianou, said they saw no change in the Greek government's policy regarding the Cyprus problem.

Kyprianou also expressed the view that the National Council should go to Athens for another meeting with the Greek government.

CNA MCH/EC/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

0045:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Clerides: Ghali's Set of Ideas not discussed in proximity talks

Speaking after an all day meeting of the National Council, Clerides pointed out that "so far, there has been no common ground or convergence of views" between the two sides."

Referring to the Set of Ideas proposed by former UN Secretary General, Boutros Boutros-Ghali, in 1992, President Clerides said "they have not been discussed" in the proximity talks.

"We began discussing some of the fundamental aspects of the Cyprus problem and realized that there is substantial difference between the two sides", he said, stressing that "we have not started discussing Ghali's Set of Ideas."

The discussion, Clerides said, concentrated on good-will measures for the creation of a better climate between Greek and Turkish Cypriots, on the issue of sovereignty and other issues on which common ground has not been reached.

Replying to criticism by former President of the Republic and leader of United Democrats party, George Vassiliou, concerning the Set of Ideas, President Clerides defended his policy arguing that "today we are discussing the Cyprus problem on the basis of a letter by UN Secretary General."

The letter, said Clerides, stresses, that "High Level agreements (reached in 1977 and 1979 by Presidents Makarios and Spyros Kyprianou and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash respectively), UN Security Council resolutions as well as the Set of Ideas and other ideas discussed so far, are on the negotiating table."

President Clerides noted that the Set of Ideas contains important negative elements which could not lead to a lasting and viable solution of the Cyprus problem.

He also said that he will be bound by unanimous decisions of the National Council, otherwise he will decide accordingly.

Explaining the reasons that led him to the decision of postponing the overflight of Greek military aircraft during a Cyprus-Greek military exercise, scheduled to take place next month, Clerides noted that he did not want to give Denktash an excuse for further intransigence.

"I do not want to give Denktash the chance to desert proximity talks using as an excuse a military exercise. I do not want to give him the chance to find excuses for his intransigent position", he stressed.

He added that the decision was reached after communication with Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis.

President Clerides pointed out, however, that the postponement of overflights is not a moratorium and if in the future, he decides otherwise, he is free to do so.

CNA EC/MCH/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1315:CYPPRESS:03

[03] "Big Five" to consult on Cyprus

Speaking after an hour-long meeting with President Glafcos Clerides today, Feissel said "senior persons from the capitals" (Washington, Moscow and Paris) will also be at Tuesday's meeting. The last such meeting was held a year ago.

"It will provide a good opportunity to review the situation, give them a chance to express their views on what is going on, and coordinate their own approach to the effort and support of the SG," he added.

Feissel said he will not be presenting a report at the meeting, "but we will of course brief the permanent five about what we have been doing and where things are."

He added a new procedure to move forward the Cyprus question is not expected to be discussed, as the meeting will be held "to review things and to share comments and thoughts on how things are and what might be done."

Replying to questions, Feissel said the objective remains to get President Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash together in productive direct talks by the middle of this year.

"Both leaders have been willing and ready to be available whenever I thought we ought to get together, so I think their attitude has been good and the discussion useful," he said, noting "nobody ever thought it was going to be easy".

Feissel said President Clerides briefed him on Wednesday's six-hour long meeting of the National Council, the top advisory body to the President on the Cyprus problem, and they reviewed the situation, prior to his departure on Saturday.

CNA MA/MM/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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