Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 97-08-12

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From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>

News Update

Tuesday, 12/08/97

CONTENTS

• [01] Second round of direct talks started in Montreux. UN requests complete blackout
• [02] Diego Cordovez expects both leaders to cooperate for a settlement
• [03] Cyprus protests to UN over agreement between Turkey and pseudostate
• [04] UN Chief determined to work hard for Cyprus solution
• [05] Trade statistics

[01] *Second round of direct talks started in Montreux. UN requests complete blackout

The talks got underway at the Righi Vaudois hotel in Glion after a working lunch hosted by the UN Secretary General's Special Advisor on the Cyprus problem Mr. Diego Cordovez.

In New York, the Acting Deputy Spokesman for the UN Secretary General made yesterday the following statement: "The second round of talks, as announced last week, has started today in Glion, near Montreux, in Switzerland. The two sides are being accompanied of course by Mr. Cordovez, the Special Advisor of the Secretary-General, by Mr. Feissel, the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Cyprus, and Mr. Sommereyns from the Department of Political Affairs.

And as you know there is a blackout, except for a brief photo opportunity that took place there at the beginning of the meetings. We don't expect to hear anything from Glion until the end of the week or beginning of next week when Mr. Cordovez is due to meet with the press in Geneva."

During the photo opportunity session, President Clerides reminded the press that "we have accepted the request of the UN to treat these negotiations as confidential and not as a subject of making public statements".

In his brief statement, Mr. Cordovez told media representatives that "a negotiation is a very dynamic thing. It changes constantly and if you make statements to the press you introduce an element of rigidity which does not help. But at the end you will know everything", he noted.

[02] Diego Cordovez expects both leaders to cooperate for a settlement

He also clarified that the UN will not enter an immediate discussion of the fundamental aspects of the Cyprus problem at this round of talks, but instead suggests an incremental process with a discussion of a revised UN non-paper. Mr. Cordovez said the UN wants to change the procedure used in the talks so far. "We are trying to institute a process that is different", he said, noting that in the past the leaders came to the talks with the idea that they would solve all the problems. He also clarified that the non- paper which he handed to the two leaders during the first round of discussions was not a settlement to the 23-year-old Cyprus problem. "These are simply some guidelines to be taken into account. The difference is we are having what I call an incremental process. That is to say, they will meet from time to time and each time take it from where they left it and proceed forward", the UN official said.

Mr. Cordovez further said that the leaders would be able to choose the aspects of the Cyprus problem they want to discuss each time they meet and "try to bridge the differences between them and go on to the next aspect".

He added that through this process the leaders of the two communities will not start their next meeting from zero, as in the past.

[03] Cyprus protests to UN over agreement between Turkey and pseudostate

The letter says that this "association agreement" for gradual economic and financial integration and partial integration on security, defense and foreign policy matters of the occupied areas of Cyprus to Turkey is a provocative action and it took place only five days before the commencement of the second round of intercommunal talks on Cyprus under the auspices of the United Nations in Montreaux, Switzerland. "The demonstration of such a hostile attitude by Turkey, taking place at a most sensitive period constitutes a policy of blackmailing on the eve of the second round of the UN-sponsored direct talks between the two Cypriot Communities". It also undermines the ongoing efforts of the international community to reach a solution of the Cyprus problem by the addition of new faits accomplis to the status quo which is universally regarded as unacceptable. It manifests once again, the continued violation by Turkey of its solemn international obligations towards the Republic of Cyprus," the letter notes.

Ambassador Agathocleous also notes in the letter to the UN Chief that with this action Turkey demonstrates the complete lack of political will for a solution of the Cyprus problem.

"The international community would rather have expected Turkey to welcome the prospect of Cyprus' becoming a member of the European Union and, consequently, contributing constructively to the solution of the Cyprus problem, thereby giving an opportunity to all the people of Cyprus, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots alike, to build a common home in a united country in conditions of peace, security, stability and progress, in partnership with a democratic Europe of over 400 million people... "As it is clearly stated in paragraph 10 of the European Parliament's resolution of 12 July 1995, "the accession of Cyprus is an autonomous process and ... Cyprus should not be a hostage of relations between the Union and Turkey, as the Commission and the Council have confirmed in various statements," Mr. Agathocleous stresses in the letter.

[04] UN Chief determined to work hard for Cyprus solution

The UN chief referred to Cyprus during a press conference in Stockholm, Sweden, when he was asked about the recent agreement between Turkey and the pseudostate for "partial integration" and its impact on the UN sponsored peace talks on Cyprus.

Mr. Annan said that this agreement does not help the negotiations but hoped that it will not become an obstacle. He said that the Montreux talks were starting yesterday and he believed that after the Troutbeck talks considerable progress had been made. He also referred to the two meetings between President Clerides and Mr. Denktash in Cyprus on humanitarian issues and said that some progress had been made on the missing persons issue.

The UN chief expressed the hope that more progress would be made in Montreux this week.

[05] Trade statistics

Total exports dropped by 6,8% in the period January-May 1997 reaching a level of Cyprus pounds 250,7 compared to Cyprus pounds 269 million for the same period last year.

The trade deficit was reduced to Cyprus pounds 514,4 million for January- May 1997 compared to Cyprus pounds 532,4 for the same period in 1996.

From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/

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