Cyprus News Agency 96-06-25.

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From: Giorgos Zacharia <lysi@MIT.EDU>

CONTENTS

[01] Major-Clerides discussed Cyprus substance, says diplomat

[02] Clerides signs book of condolences

[03] The US considers security as major issue, says Cassoulides

[04] UN envoy searching for strategy to solve the Cyprus problem

[05] Adamides leaves for Brussels

[06] Christodoulides:Turkish intransigence escalates tension in Cyprus

[07] HAN:Two approaches for solving the Cyprus problem

1250:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Major-Clerides discussed Cyprus substance, says diplomat

He was speaking after signing a book of condolences for the late former Greek Prime Minister and President of the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) Andreas Papandreou, at the Greek Embassy in Nicosia.

Madden said both Clerides' meetings in London with Prime Minister John Major and Foreign Secretary, Malcolm Rifkind ''went very well''.

He said there ''were some good discussions. There was a lot of discussion on the substance, a detailed discussion and we found it very useful.'' Madden added ''so we will go forward on that basis.''

Asked when Sir David Hannay, London's representative on the Cyprus issue, will pay a second visit to the island, Madden replied that ''we are thinking in the second week of July''. During the Clerides - Major meeting last Wednesday, June 19, the two sides reviewed the prospects for an intercommunal settlement, including the new dimension of the prospect of Cyprus' accession to the European Union''. Premier Major underlined the UK's commitment to play an active role in the search for a settlement, a Foreign Office spokesman had said. Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37 per cent of the island's territory.

CNA EC/GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1410:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Clerides signs book of condolences

Speaking to reporters after a short meeting with Greek Ambassador Alexandros Sandis, President Clerides described the death of Papandreou as a ''great loss for Greece and Cyprus''.

He said at a time when Greece is facing national problems, Papandreou's death is a ''great loss for hellenism, for Greece and Cyprus, because Andreas Papandreou felt strong about the Cyprus problem and proved his interest in supporting the freedom of the island".

President Clerides will go to Athens tomorrow to attend the funeral of the founder and leader of the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK). He is expected to return to the island the same day.

Foreign Minister Alecos Michaelides and party leaders or representatives will also travel to Athens to attend the funeral.

It was officially announced that tomorrow, the day of the funeral, flags in government buildings will fly at half-mast, while government offices will close half hour earlier, at 1400 local time.

Archbishop Chrysostomos said he wrote in the book of condolences that Andreas Papandreou was one of the distinguished political personalities of modern hellenism.

''He always supported the rights of the peoples and the rights of the Greek people, and stood as a irrefutable fighter of democracy... and a persistent champion of the rights of hellenism wherever these were violated, like those of the Greeks of Cyprus.''

The Head of the Greek Orthodox Church on the island said Papandreou was the first Greek Premier to visit Cyprus, to underline with his presence the determination of Greece to stand by the people of Cyprus in their fight for the freedom of their homeland. ''We are grateful for that'', he added.

Deputy Nicos Anastasiades, who signed on behalf of the House of Representatives, conveyed the deep gratitude of the House to the Greek leader.

He said because of Andreas Papandreou's interest, the joint defence pact between Greece and Cyprus was adopted and the island's European accession course was put on the right track.

Stathis Kittis, speaking on behalf of the Democratic Party, said Andreas Papandreou's death was a ''great loss which cannot be compensated''.

Britain's High Commissioner David Madden said Britain was ''very sorry to see the death of Mr Papandreou. On behalf of Her Majesty's government, here in Nicosia, I have signed the book of condolences'', he said.

Representatives from the Armenian and Maronite religious groups on the island, said they mourn the loss of one of the ''great benefactors'' of Cyprus.

The book of condolences was also signed by ministers, the Government Spokesman and diplomats. The Embassy will remain open until 1700 local time today but will be closed tomorrow, the day of the funeral.

CNA EC/GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1550:CYPPRESS:03

[03] The US considers security as major issue, says Cassoulides

Speaking at his daily press briefing Cassoulides also reiterated the need for coordination of foreign initiatives on solving the protracted Cyprus problem.

Noting that the security issue is one of the five most important aspects of the Cyprus problem, Cassoulides stressed that it will not be the only issue to be discussed in efforts for a Cyprus settlement.

''There can be no negotiations for an overall solution if talks between the two sides are confined to only one aspect of the Cyprus problem '', he added.

Replying to a question Cassoulides said the Cyprus government has not been informed on new political and economic measures being prepared by the US in a bid to bring Greek and Turkish Cypriots closer to an agreement.

Reference to the measures was made by US Assistant Secretary of State John Kornblum in a speech last Friday before the Foreign Relations Committee in the US Senate.

The Spokesman noted that these measures were not mentioned at the White House meeting between President Glafcos Clerides and his US counterpart Bill Clinton, on June 17.

''We will ask for clarifications'', Cassoulides said, noting however that the Cyprus government is ''open to any proposals that will be put forward during negotiations.''

Cassoulides also said that no specific proposals on the substance of the Cyprus problem are expected to be made and that there will be no solution plan within the framework of the US initiative.

He also said that he considers the US intention of having discussions on the Cyprus problem with the Turkish military and the Turkish President Suleyman Demirel to be serious.

Cassoulides expressed the view that the Turkish President and the National Security Council can play a leading role in the security issue and that contacts with Ankara should not be discouraged even before the formation of a stable government in the country.

''The US Secretary of State Warren Christopher was the first to note that we should not be discouraged by the fact that there is instability in Turkey'', Cassoulides said.

The Government Spokesman also noted that Britain is not eager for the two sides involved in the Cyprus problem to come to direct talks before some agreement is achieved during separate negotiations with the Greek and Turkish Cypriots.

Referring to the initiatives on the Cyprus issue displayed by the UN, the US, Britain and the European Union, Cassoulides said that the Cyprus government is satisfied by the fact that they all accept the need for coordination between them.

''We expect that there will be regular briefings and they will agree on joined action '', he said.

The Government Spokesman informed the press that the National Council, the island's top advisory body, scheduled to meet on Friday will finally meet next Monday July 1.

CNA MCH/MA/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1740:CYPPRESS:04

[04] UN envoy searching for strategy to solve the Cyprus problem

Speaking on arrival at Larnaca airport, for his first visit to the island since his appointment in May, Han noted his goal is ''to find a way of addressing to the concerned requirements, anxieties and interests of the communities''.

He said he is here ''to find out as much as possible the concerns and the requirements of each side and how the other side can address itself to that particular problem''.

''We have a goal, I think the important thing is to find the strategy to get the goal and that I consider as my mission and objective'' the former South Korean Foreign Minister added.

Later today Han will be received by the President of the Republic Glafcos Clerides.

During his six day visit the UN envoy will also meet Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash, leaders of political parties and trade unions, academics and business people, ''to learn as much as possible about Cyprus and the Cyprus problem'' as he stated.

''The UN and I think the parties that are involved in this (the Cyprus problem) know what they would like to see, and that is a productive and peaceful resolution of the issue and the problem is how to get there'' Han said, reassuring he will do his best.

He noted that ''the important thing is to deal with the real situation and see if we can find a common ground''.

Asked to comment on the fact that many people consider his mission ''impossible'', Han said ''it depends upon how you define the mission''.

''If the mission is to find a magic formula that will resolve the issue in one big sweep, I think it is in fact a mission impossible'', he said.

However, he noted that ''if we take off the mission as something that will range from improving the situation towards a rather permanent and final resolution of the issue, I think there is room for a contribution to be made''.

The UN envoy noted ''the very important difference between the situation that prevailed during the past few years and decades and the situation that is going to evolve from now on which will be changing international and regional relationships''.

Han said that in other areas ''very difficult and intractable problems and issues are being resolved'' and noted that ''that says very much about the possibility of the Cypriot situation being improved''.

The UN envoy said that he will also be visiting other European capitals, including Athens and Ankara, before returning to New York to report to the Secretary-General about his trip.

''Then we will devise a way, including my schedule from then on and how we go about dealing with the problem' CNA TA/MA/MCH

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1755:CYPPRESS:05

[05] Adamides leaves for Brussels

The purpose of the meeting is both to inform the Cyprus Government of the future actions of the EU in promoting its policies as well as to provide Cyprus the opportunity to brief EU ministers on the ways it plans to make use of EU research programmes.

Adamides will also explain Cyprus' position on the further development of bilateral relations and the promotion of the island's participation in research programmes and initiatives at present undertaken only by EU member states.

Italian Minister of Universities and Scientific Research Luigi Berlinguer, and European Commissioner for matters of research and technology, Edith Cresson, will also attend the meeting.

Adamides will return to Cyprus on Thursday, June 27.

CNA MCH/RG/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1900:CYPPRESS:06

[06] Christodoulides: Turkish intransigence escalates tension in Cyprus

This was pointed out by Cypriot MP Doros Christodoulides, in his debate on behalf of the United European Left (UEL) Group at the Assembly of Current Affairs of the Council of Europe (CoE) in Strasbourg.

Christodoulides stressed that ''with incidents like that, pessimism can only reign, despite international efforts to help solve the problem, including those of the CoE''.

''The UEL'', he added, ''considers the Cyprus problem as one of foreign invasion and violation of basic human rights by a member-state of the CoE, namely Turkey''.

He also condemned, on behalf of the UEL Group, ''the aggressive and expansionist attitude of Turkey against Greece's integrity'' and urged ''the Turkish government to fully comply with the international law and respect its conventional commitments''.

CNA RG/MCH/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

2030:CYPPRESS:07

[07] Han: Two approaches for solving the Cyprus problem

Asked after an hour long meeting with the President of the Republic Glafcos Clerides whether he will try moving forward on the Cyprus issue in stages, Han said there are two approaches, ''trying to make incremental improvement or to work for a quantum jump.''

He added: ''I think we should work for both.''

The UN envoy repeated that at this point he is ''in the process of exploring possibilities, what the difficulties are and trying to understand the concerns and interests of the parties concerned.''

Replying to a question he said that at this stage he is exploring the issues on which he should concentrate his attention.

Han said he had ''a very good and constructive discussion'' with President Clerides, whom he met for the second time.

The two men first met in Geneva on June 11, but, he said, today they had ''a much more in depth discussion of the issues and possibilities.''

Tomorrow the UN envoy will meet Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash and will have a second meeting with President Clerides on Friday.

He described his six-day first visit to the island, during which he will meet political party leaders, the trade unions, academics and business people as ''a very good beginning.''

Asked whether he considers his meetings with the two sides as part of the proximity talks for finding common ground, Han said that ''ultimately you can consider that as such an effort.''

However he noted that ''there was no specific proposal or idea suggested at this time, but trying to cover the fairly wide ground.''

Asked whether there is a possibility of improving a situation of foreign occupation, as in the case of Cyprus, other than implementing UN resolutions, Han replied that ''there is a whole range of possibilities between the status quo and what you might call a basic solution of the problem.''

''Where you put that point is another question and I think there is always a possibility of moving forward'' he added.

The Secretary-General's Deputy Special Resident Representative for Cyprus Gustave Feissel and Laura Vaccari, who works on the Cyprus issue at the UN headquarters, also attended the meeting.

CNA MA/MCH/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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