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Friday, 22 November 2024
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Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 97-01-31Cyprus 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 UpdateFriday, 31/01/97CONTENTS[01] Kofi Annan sends letter to Cyprus PresidentA letter by United Nations Secretary-General has been relayed to President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash on Thursday (30.1.97) by UN Special Representative Han Sung-Joo.According to statements by professor Han after his meeting with President Clerides, "the letter conveyed a very strong interest and concern of the UN Secretary-General on the Cyprus issue. It is of a general nature and deals with broad issues". Replying to questions about time restraints in the UN effort, Professor Han indicated the UN has no set timetable as such but added that the time frame, set for the European Union for the start of membership talks with Cyprus, is being taken into account. The UN envoy is scheduled to have another meeting with President Clerides on Monday (3.2.97). [02] Cyprus Government more than ready to push for a solution"We are more than ready to enter into a discussion on specific issues which relate to various aspects of the Cyprus question", the Spokesman of the Cyprus Government Yiannakis Cassoulides said on Thursday (30.1.97), after President Clerides conferred with UN Special Representative Han Sung- Joo.Asked by reporters to outline his conditions for a dialogue, Cassoulides said: "We have no conditions, we just say that, for the sake of the success of these negotiations, there is a need for good preparations beforehand." This means to assist the sides "to bridge somehow their positions from what they have been in the past 22 years in order to have hopes that the direct negotiations will succeed this time", he added. The Government Spokesman said the Cypriot President "reiterated our own political will to cooperate positively with the efforts to reach a political solution and our willingness to go into direct negotiations after a period of preparation which will give opportunities to these direct negotiations to succeed." [03] Russian officials begin visit to CyprusTwo high-ranking Russian diplomats arrived in Cyprus on Thursday (30.1.97) for a series of contacts with President Clerides and other political leaders.Vladimir Tchizhof, Head of the Foreign Ministry's Third Directorate for European Affairs and his deputy, Alexander Orlov, are said to be preparing the ground, as special envoys, for a visit by Russian Foreign Minister Yevgeni Primakov in about a month's time. Tchizhov told reporters "we are having detailed talks on Cyprus and on ways to push forward the solution of the Cyprus problem," referring to talks they already had in Ankara and Athens. The Russian official reaffirmed his country's interest in assisting efforts towards a just and lasting Cyprus settlement and noted Russia's desire for "international collective efforts" in this direction. He also said Russia supports President Clerides' proposal for the demilitarisation of the island and considers it a "basic factor" that will facilitate efforts for a solution. During their 5-day visit the Russian diplomats will also be meeting with visiting UN Special Representative Han Sung-Joo. [04] Italy's Foreign Minister refers to Cyprus after meeting with Tansu CillerItaly's Foreign Minister Lamberto Dini referred to the situation in Cyprus during a press conference following EU talks between the Foreign Ministers of Germany, Great Britain, France and Italy and Turkey's Foreign Minister Tansu Ciller.Mr Dini said: "I believe Cyprus has need of many things, but not of long range missiles. We hope that finally there will be agreement about a solution to the problem of Cyprus in the next months, or within the next year, so that the purchase of these missiles may no longer be necessary. We are in favour of dialogue between the two sides in Cyprus, so that, finally, a federal solution can emerge, about which-we understand-neither side has objection". [05] Opposition to sale of US Seahawk helicopters to TurkeyUS Congressman Ben Gilman, Chairman of the House International Relations Committee, has expressed his opposition to the sale of the Seahawk helicopters to Turkey. In a letter to Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Mr. Gilman strongly urges her to "not move forward on this proposed sale at this time", primarily in view of "the recent escalation in tensions between Cyprus, Greece and Turkey arising from Turkey's bellicose response to the proposed sale by Russia of surface to air missiles to Cyprus". Gilman added that, "I believe that we need to seek demilitarization of the entire region, and going ahead with the sale of the Seahawks now undermines such a stance".According to the information, contained in a press release (30.1.97) of the National Co-ordinated Effort for Cyprus, Ben Gilman advised the Secretary of State that he believed that State Department approval of this sale at this time "would encounter significant opposition in the Congress," and that "I do not think that this transaction is worth the turmoil it would create in our currently troublesome relations with the government of Turkey." 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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