Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 97-08-21

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

News Update

Thursday, 21/08/97

CONTENTS

• [01] Security Council expresses disappointment at Turkish stance and urges continuation of Cyprus talks
• [02] Greece replies to Bulent Ecevit's explosive statements.

[01] Security Council expresses disappointment at Turkish stance and urges continuation of Cyprus talks

Having thanked the UN Special Adviser for his efforts, the President of the Security Council said:

"There was a sense of disappointment that it hadn't been possible in the event to make more progress at Glion we are clear in our own minds that in no way does the fault for that lie at the feet of the Secretary-General's Special Adviser".þ Sir John went on to praise the constructive attitude shown at the talks by Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides and to explain that the lack of progress was entirely due to the Turkish Cypriot side's positions: Denktash brought the UN talks to a standstill because he insisted the European Union postpones or reverses its decision to begin accession talks with Cyprus, scheduled for 1998.

Sir John's statement said: "There was a sense that commendation was due to President Clerides for the flexibility and cooperation that he had showed at this round of talks and I need also to reflect to you that there was some concern and disappointment that further substantive progress at this time was impeded by the attempt to bring preconditions to the table by the other party and here of course I mean the Turkish Cypriots."

The President of the Security Council went on to express the Council's commitment to the continuation of the efforts for a comprehensive Cyprus solution in accordance with the relevant Security Council Resolutions.

"But the important thing I think to hold in our minds at this point-and that came out very clearly from what Mr.Cordovez says-is that the two parties at the highest level do remain committed to the future of this process and that is of course also the sense of the members of the Security Council.

We strongly continue to endorse and support the future of the Secretary- General's Good Offices Mission in which Mr. Cordovez plays an absolutely central part. The present status quo is unacceptable. There has to be further pursuit of the comprehensive settlement we all seek in accordance with Security Council Resolutions. Nobody ever thought that this process was going to be easy along the way and let us not forget that in these two rounds of talks at Troutbeck and at Glion there has in fact been some progress registered, particularly at a practical level affecting humanitarian issues on the island of Cyprus. I am thinking for example of the agreement on 31 July about missing persons which we particularly noted with approval.

Now it is time to move on to get to the next stage of doing the hard work that will make it possible to resume the process of negotiations between the parties directly. We hope as soon as the situation is ripe, probably as soon as the presidential elections are over and it is very good news that it is the intention of Mr. Cordovez himself to go to the region later this year. That was something that members of the Council also warmly supported.

In the meantime it seemed to us it was very important that nobody say or do things which were going to raise the level of tension further on the island or diminish the chances of making progress toward a peace settlement-that will call for a good sense all around we want to use the intervening weeks and months to see further progress made particularly on the humanitarian side."

[02] Greece replies to Bulent Ecevit's explosive statements

Greek Government Spokesman Dimitris Repas told his daily press briefing on Wednesday (20.8.97) that such statements limit the chances for improvement in Greco-Turkish relations as well as progress in Turkey's relations with the European Union.

On Mr. Ecevit's position on the occupation of the whole of Cyprus, Mr. Repas said that this appears to constitute Turkish official policy and renders meaningless the efforts towards a peaceful Cyprus solution.

The Greek Spokesman also said that for Turkey to have occupied the Aegean islands during the Second World War, it would have meant she become a full ally to the German axis.

Mr. Repas concluded that the Turkish Deputy Prime Minister, having now found himself from the political margin propelled to the political main stage, seeks to impress audiences from other political groupings.

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

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