Cyprus News Agency: News in English (AM), 98-03-01

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

CONTENTS

[01] Cyprus represented in international meetings

[02] US to work on an equal footing with everybody

1245:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Cyprus represented in international meetings

Demetris Eliades, of the socialist party EDEK and chairman of the House Committee on the Environment, leaves today for Brussels to take part in a meeting organised by "Globe."

The meeting will deal with environmental problems Europe is facing, the plan of action of "Globe" for 1998 and preparations for a ministerial meeting of European countries on the environment in June.

Panayiotis Demetriou, of the right-wing Democratic Rally, flies to Paris Monday to participate in a meeting of the Committee of Legal Affairs and Human Rights of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on March 2.

Deputies at the meeting will discuss the Unidroit convention which relates to stolen or illegally imported cultural goods, a draft of a convention for the protection of the environment and rapes during armed conflicts.

CNA MM/KN/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1250:CYPPRESS:02

[02] US to work on an equal footing with everybody

Athens, Mar 1 (CNA) -- The US intends to undertake intensive efforts for a solution in Cyprus, with all parties involved in the Cyprus question on an equal basis, but warns that a settlement will be "extremely difficult" to achieve.

The US also believes that 1998 is the year for progress but it is up to the partners to make progress.

In an interview with the Greek "Kathimerini", US ambassador to Greece, Nicholas Burns, said "there is an opportunity here and we think that all of us must try to take the opportunity to make some progress."

He said his administration will work "with anyone on an equal basis and that is the only way we approach negotiations like these."

The US focuses on the problem of Cyprus and puts "much effort into forming a team" that would be very effective, he noted.

"We think that 1998 is the year in which progress should be made on Cyprus. That does not mean it will be made. That is up to the partners whether or not it will be made," Burns pointed out.

Progress, he said, should be made and the US wishes to see a united Cyprus on a bizonal, bicommunal basis.

"Getting there is going to be extremely difficult. We are going to work with anyone involved, the Turkish government, the Turkish Cypriots, the Greek government, the Cypriot government in Nicosia on this basis," he added.

He also noted that he did not want to "make threats publicly on how the US is going to do business."

The American ambassador said the US works closely with the UK and its Cyprus envoy and the UN.

"I will expect that you will see the next couple of weeks as series of visits by representatives of all these countries and the UN to begin now intensively trying to devise a way to restart the negotiations on Cyprus and to point the way to a positive solution," Burns said.

CNA CI/MM/KN/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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