Cyprus Mail: Press Review in English, 99-07-29

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From: The Cyprus Mail at <http://www.cynews.com/>

Thursday, July 29, 1999

Miller’s tale is studied

COMMENTS made by outgoing State Department Co-ordinator for Cyprus Thomas Miller during a visit to Athens dominated yesterday’s front pages. Each paper focused on different aspects of the views he had expressed.

Alithia

gave prominence to Miller’s assertion that "Washington cannot accept the Turkish side’s demand for a confederal solution". He said that the US government’s position, supporting a bizonal, bi-communal federation with one sovereignty "has not changed for 35 years and I doubt it will ever change".

The paper noted that Miller had "obviously forgotten" the fact that federation had become an option for a settlement only in 1977 after the high level agreement between Archbishop Makarios and Rauf Denktash. He also said that the US would do everything possible to convince the two sides that it was in their interest to attend the October talks.

Haravghi

took a more critical view. It said Miller’s comments suggested that there was a flurry of behind-the-scenes activity in order to persuade the Turkish side that the talks were a "golden opportunity for it to realise its unacceptable demands".

While Miller said the US was opposed to the Turkish side’s demand for confederation, he conceded that Denktash should be able to raise the matter at the negotiating table, as one of the conditions included in the G8 decision was "everything on the (negotiating) table".

The paper also accused Miller of encouraging the Turkish side not to take seriously the G8 decision’s reference to the UN Security Council resolutions at the negotiations.

Machi

accused Miller of "preparing the ground for the upgrading of Denktash" at the negotiations, "despite giving assurances to the contrary". Miller had warned that Denktash would "undoubtedly" put the issue of his status on the negotiating table. This followed from Miller’s exhortations to the Turks not to insist on recognition as a condition of attending talks, but to put the matter on the table.

The paper said that everything stemmed from different interpretations of the G8 reference to "everything on the table". The Cyprus government believed this to mean "all aspects of the Cyprus problem", whereas the Americans consider it to mean, literally, everything.

Phileleftheros

reported that Britain had prepared a compromise formula to get round the thorny issue of sovereignty during the negotiations. It involves the drafting of three separate constitutions, one for each federal state and an "umbrella" for the central government. The objective was to define the authorities of both federal states and to give them more powers.

The idea belonged to British envoy Sir David Hannay whose objective was the creation of a loose federation, in which the central government would have very restricted powers. The Cyprus government avoided taking a stance, although it is concerned about securing the unity of the state, irrespective of the powers of the central government.

Simerini, under the headline "Dance of billions", reported that there have been transactions amounting to 1.23 billion pounds at the Cyprus stock exchange this year. The value of transactions in 1999 (until July 23) was 254 per cent up on the previous year, which amounted to £348.2 million. The paper predicted that more money would be thrown into the stock market by those who had applied in vain for shares in Louis Cruise Lines.

Politis

reported that the two small parties participating in the government -- George Vassiliou’s United Democrats and Alexis Galanos’ European Renewal Movement -- had called for a Cabinet reshuffle because they feared that the latest government crisis could lead to their being swallowed up by the much bigger Disy.

© Copyright Cyprus Mail 1999

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