Cyprus News Agency: News in English (AM), 98-10-03

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

CONTENTS

[01] Holbrooke - Denktash

[02] President Kyprianou - Human Rights Seminar

[03] UN Resident Representative - Press Conference

0900:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Holbrooke - Denktash

New York, Oct 3 (CNA) -- American Presidential Emissary for Cyprus, Richard Holbrooke, underlined the US remains firm on the establishment of a bizonal, bicommunal federation in Cyprus.

"The US position has not changed. We support a bizonal bicommunal federation in accordance with the UN. There is no change in our policies", he said after an hour-long meeting in New York with Turkish Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktash.

However, Holbrooke said "I don't think that there is any change in his (Denktash's) policies either", referring to the Turkish Cypriot leader's proposal for the establishment of a confederation of two states in Cyprus, already rejected by the Cyprus Government, the UN and the five permanent members of the Security Council.

Holbrooke described the meeting as "very useful" and said they "talked about the problems dividing the two sides", but refrained from elaborating because their talks are "private and confidential".

He said Denktash will meet State Department Coordinator for Cyprus, Thomas Miller, and other US officials in Washington next week and he will also meet the Turkish Cypriot if he can rearrange his schedule.

Holbrooke, appointed last year, met twice with President Glafcos Clerides in New York last week, within the framework of his efforts for a settlement of the protracted Cyprus problem.

CNA MA/RG/MCH/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1050:CYPPRESS:02

[02] President Kyprianou - Human Rights Seminar

Addressing a Seminar on "Human Rights and the European Union", organised by the International Association for the Protection of Human Rights in Cyprus and the Directorate of Human Rights of the Council of Europe, Kyprianou pointed to human rights' violations on the island as a result of Turkish invasion and occupation.

He described ethnic cleansing as the most "alarming" of human rights violations committed by Turkey against the people of Cyprus and pointed to the harsh living conditions of Greek Cypriot enclaved in the Turkish- occupied northern part of the island.

Kyprianou also referred to Cyprus' bid for accession to the European Union, noting that "Cyprus belongs to Europe" and stressing that accession complies with the wishes of all Cypriots.

Concluding, he congratulated the International Association for the Protection of Human Rights for its initiative.

The seminar was also addressed by Justice and Public Order Minister, Nicos Koshis, and Attorney General, Alecos Markides.

It will deal with "the Principle of Equal Treatment of Non Discrimination as an Aspect of the Court's Fundamental Rights Jurisprudence", "Human Rights in the External Relations of the EU", "EU Acts and the Strasbourg Law", "Media Law and the context of the EU and the European Convention on Human Rights" and "the Role of the EU and its Human Rights Policy in Multilateral Fora including the Council of Europe".

Speakers include Judge of the Court for the European Communities, Federico Mancini, Principal Legal Adviser of the European Commission, Allan Rosas, and Vice President of the new European Court of Human Rights, Christos Rozakis.

CNA MCH/RG/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1515:CYPPRESS:03

[03] UN Resident Representative - Press Conference

Dame Ann was speaking to the Greek and Turkish Cypriot press at Ledra Palace hotel, situated in the Nicosia buffer zone, on an initiative announced by UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, to "develop a process for on- island contacts with both parties, with the goal of reducing tensions and promoting progress towards a just and lasting settlement".

In a "correction" to a statement on meetings UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, recently had in New York with President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktash, both men were referred to as "his excellency".

"When President Clerides spoke to the UN General Assembly and was greeted in front of everybody by the Secretary General, that is the point where President Clerides is recognised in that particular role", she said.

"But I think you know that in the good offices role there is a particular formula of words which is used in the meetings which I consider to take place under the Secretary General's good offices", she added.

Pointing out that both Clerides and Denktash have agreed on the process for on-island contacts, Dame Ann said the sides saw the current situation "in a different way and from different perspectives".

She expressed the hope, however, they would cooperate with the UN Chief "as to how existing gaps can be bridged" and stressed that "the environment in which to find a solution becomes more difficult", as each year passes without an agreed settlement.

Making reference to UN Security Council resolutions on Cyprus, Dame Ann said they were "clear" and added that "the permanent five members of the Security Council as well as the Secretary General, on several recent occasions, have reconfirmed these resolutions".

UN resolutions call for a bi-communal, bi-zonal federation based on one state with one single sovereignty and international personality and a single citizenship.

The UN Resident Representative added, however, that "anywhere in the world it has to be the role of the impartial mediator to explore ideas and options".

Asked to comment on the possibility of one of the two leaders not accepting recent UN resolutions, taking into consideration Denktash's proposal of a confederation of two states, Dame Ann replied that her role as a negotiator "is to explore ideas".

She repeated, however, that the "Security Council has indicated its confirmation of those resolutions and so too has the Secretary General".

Dame Ann refrained from saying whether the confederation would be an option, pointing out that it would be "incredibly unhelpful for me to discuss my own views on what might be some creative options", and stressed the process would be "private and confidential".

Elaborating on the process to be followed, Dame Ann described it as "shuttle talks" and said she intended to involve "members of the diplomatic community, particularly the Permanent Members of the Security Council".

She stressed, however, that she had no comment on what might be decided and that there was no intention "at this early stage of the process to give consideration to how and when there might be joint meetings".

"My view, which I hold very strongly, is that the process ought to be done well, not fast", she said asked whether a time-table has been set.

She also refrained from disclosing anything concerning the agenda, stating simply that "any lasting settlement for Cyprus would address all the issues that matter".

Asked whether during shuttle talks action would be taken on behalf of parties to reduce tension, the UN official repeated the Security Council's concern over "the level and sophistication of armaments on this island on both sides".

Concluding, Dame Ann refrained from answering whether the Cyprus problem is one of intercommunal conflict or invasion and occupation, and remarked that her experience on her short time on this island was that "there are different words and labels applied from different perspectives to basic sets of facts. One of the roles of an impartial mediator is to try and find ways of bridging the sections", she stressed.

CNA MCH/RG/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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