Cyprus News Agency 96-06-15.

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From: Giorgos Zacharia <lysi@MIT.EDU>

CONTENTS

[01] Forein Minister sees ''new period'' in Cyprus problem

[02] US Congressmen back ''just and viable'' Cyprus solution

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[01] Foreign Minister sees ''new period'' in Cyprus problem

The Minister also considers that the UN must encompass the efforts made by many interested parties to help resolve the problem.

Speaking after Friday's meeting with the UN Security Council here, the Minister said ''They (Security Council members) recognise that the UN has to move also in performing the role of encompassing of the effort by all and the general sense is that we are entering a new period.''

Refraining from making any predictions about the outcome of such efforts, Michaelides said ''there is a common realisation that there must be some coordination with all these efforts and something has to happen.''

The Turkish side, he said, must get the message, through a new momentum in the Cyprus peace effort, that lack of political will to settle the Cyprus question and attempts to derail every initiative towards a solution will not be tolerated.

Describing the meeting as ''very constructive,'' the Minister said there was a ''broad exchange of views'' on the Cyprus problem and numerous questions were asked by the representatives of many countries.

''The impression is that something has to happen,'' he said after the meeting during which Michaelides briefed all 15 members of the Security Council on the situation in Cyprus.

Council members aired their views at the meeting on how to proceed in the search for a Cyprus solution.

Replying to press questions after the meeting, which lasted over an hour, Michaelides said there is ''a new declared US interest'' in addition to interest shown by Britain (through the recent appointment of Sir David Hannay as its special representative), the European Union (which will discuss ways it can participate in efforts for a solution more effectively), Russia and others.

''So we hope that this interest will be sustained and will be utilised the best by coordination,'' he told journalists.

Michaelides pointed out that the stagnant situation in Cyprus ''is undermining prospects for a solution.''

CNA JD/MM/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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[02] US Congressmen back ''just and viable'' Cyprus solution

They also pointed out that ''only efforts grounded firmly in these principles will be successful.''

Twenty-nine Senators and 62 Members of Congress have signed letters to President Clinton on the occasion of his upcoming meeting on Monday with Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides to remind him of the overwhelming Congressional support for a ''just and viable solution, based on the principles of UN Resolution 939 and in our Cyprus demilitarisation resolution,'' according to a press release by the International Coordinating Committee-Justice for Cyprus (PSEKA).

They told President Clinton that they strongly support a Cyprus solution based on ''a state of Cyprus with a single sovereignty and international personality and a single citizenship,'' the press release said.

Andrew Athens, National Chairman of the United Hellenic American Congress (UHAC), has said that these key Senators and members of Congress, many of whom members of the House and Senate Foreign Affairs, Authorisation and Appropriations committees, said they were encouraged by the US Administration's commitment to make 1996 the year of the big push on Cyprus.''

Athens said the Congressmen also expressed their willingness to ''support in any way possible efforts to bring about a solution to the Cyprus problem.''

The Cyprus demilitarisation resolution was adopted by a vote o 75 per cent of the House International Relations Committee, cosponsored by 87 members, and adopted by the full House of Representatives.

In the Senate, the resolution was adopted unanimously by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and cosponsored by 29 Senators.

CNA KN/MM/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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