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Monday, 23 December 2024
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Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 97-01-30Cyprus Press and Information Office: News Updates in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>News UpdateThursday, 30/01/97CONTENTS[01] UN Special Representative began contacts in CyprusArriving in Cyprus Professor Han Sung-Joo, UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Cyprus said:"We think that there is a window of opportunity this year, hopefully during the first half of this year, and I will try to find areas of agreement between the two communities", he told the press at Larnaca airport on Wednesday (29.1.97). He said he would try to move the situation to a point where the Secretary General can invite the leaders to discuss the matter face to face in direct talks. Professor Han said he had "messages to the leaders" but did not appear very hopeful that he would get President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash to meet during the present visit. Asked how he would try to find common ground between the two sides, he said: "I would like to get into the substance of the issues which have been the concern of both communities as well as of the international community". He also disclosed that he has "some new ideas" and noted that previous ideas would be floated as well. President Glafcos Clerides had the first of a series of meetings with the UN envoy on Thursday morning (30.1.97). They will have further talks after President Clerides returns from Davos, Switzerland, where he will attend the World Economic Forum and also have his first meeting with UN Secretary- General Kofi Annan. [02] Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly adopts Resolution on CyprusThe Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe had a debate on Wednesday (29.1.97) on the situation in Cyprus and approved a resolution after a series of amendments by the Cyprus delegates and counter amendments from the Turkish side were dealt with.Speaking during the Assembly debate, Cyprus MP Doros Christodoulides countered agreements put by Turkey's delegate Dr Soysal, that Turkey invaded Cyprus to protect the Turkish Cypriots, by the fact that the Turkish Cypriots themselves are emigrating en masse, fleeing a military regime and the influx of non-Cypriot mainland Turks into the occupied north of Cyprus. Mr Christodoulides also referred to what the late Lord Finsberg himself called "ethnic cleansing" of the remaining Greek Cypriot enclaved population and the continuing destruction of churches and historical sites by the Turks in the occupied area. The Resolution adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe regrets the killings of last summer along the ceasefire line and expresses full support for the demilitarisation of Cyprus. It further calls on the two sides to resume talks and contacts "to increase mutual confidence and respect". The Assembly also calls on the Turkish Cypriot regime to change its policies "that amount to violations of human rights" towards the Greek Cypriots living in the occupied area. On efforts for a Cyprus settlement, paragraph 8 of the Resolution says that: "The Assembly reaffirms its support for the efforts of the UN Secretary-General to reach a comprehensive settlement on the basis of a bi- zonal, bi-communal federation, and calls for the resumption of the intercommunal talks under the good offices of the Secretary General". The Resolution also says that EU membership "will bring considerable economic and political advantages for both communities" and urges "all political leaders concerned to demonstrate vision and to seize this opportunity to move forward". [03] US State Department says it will maintain efforts for a Cyprus solutionUS State Department Spokesman Nicholas Burns, asked about a discussion on Cyprus between Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and President of the European Union Council of Ministers Dutch Foreign Minister Hans van Mierlo, said they "agreed that the United Nations should have a leading role in Cyprus. We are very glad to see Secretary General Kofi Annan indicate that publicly. We think it's good for the United Nations to have a leading role and we will also continue our role. Madeleine Albright said that Mr Beattie will continue in his duties as our special Cyprus negotiator and that she personally understood the problems there, she had been there, she thought that it is a very high priority for American policy to try to be as helpful as we could".Asked if that means a substitute for the expected American initiative, the Spokesman said: "The United Nations Secretary General has said that it is an important issue and I want to have my own person there. And we all Europeans and Americans think that is a very good idea. We support that. And all of us in our individual capacities we continue to be active on Cyprus. The leading role is to Cyprus, the Cypriot government, the parties and the Greek and Turkish governments, all the rest of us we are trying to help. "All the efforts are compatible", Burns continued. "When Secretary Christopher saw Kofi Annan in New York, when President Clinton and Madeleine Albright saw him here and Peter Tarnoff at the discussions at the State Department, all of us agreed that the UN presence is worthwhile. We are going to support the United Nations, but we are also going to maintain our own efforts so there will be, I think, good coordination and good cooperation". From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/Cyprus Press and Information Office: News Updates in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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