Cyprus News Agency 96-07-07.

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From: Giorgos Zacharia <lysi@MIT.EDU>

CONTENTS

[01] Turkish Cypriot journalist assassinated

[02] Hannay reaffirms overall approach to Cyprus problem

1510:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Turkish Cypriot journalist assassinated

Andale, 61, who worked as a columnist for ''Yeni Duzen'' daily newspaper, published by the left-wing Turkish Cypriot, ''Republican Turkish Party'' (CTP), was shot dead near his home in occupied Nicosia.

CTP leader Mehmet Ali Talat stated ''this is definitely a political assassination'' and described it as ''a very severe blow to democracy''. He expressed certainty it was pre-meditated.

Last week the illegal ''government'' in the Turkish occupied areas was forced to resign after major differences between the so called ''coalition government'' of the CTP and the right wing Democratic Party, supporting Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash.

Andale often spoke out against Denktash's policy on the Cyprus issue supporting it was leading to a permanent division of the island. He was also against the influx of settlers from Turkey to the occupied areas and had warned they would soon outnumber Turkish Cypriots.

According to the illegal radio station in the occupied areas ''Bayrak'' the so called ''police'' has began a manhunt is search of the culprit. Bayrak also reported Denktash as saying the illegal police is looking into the possibility of political motives behind the assassination.

Meanwhile, Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides condemned the assassination, noting the killing of a journalist is an unacceptable act, wherever it may take place.

It is the first killing of a journalist in the areas Turkey occupies since its 1974 invasion of the island.

In 1963 two Turkish Cypriot journalists, Aihan Hikmet and Ahmed Giourgan, who were against Denktash's policy in Cyprus, were also assassinated.

CNA MA/MCH/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1530:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Hannay reaffirms overall approach to Cyprus problem

Commenting on Hannay's statements on arrival in Cyprus yesterday, Cassoulides noted that ''an overall approach to the Cyprus problem is reaffirmed, contrary to fears that his meetings would be confined to discussing the issue of security.''

He said that ''we are now talking about the substance of the Cyprus problem and not about confidence building measures.''

During his five-day visit Sir David Hannay will meet both President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash, as well as ''a wider range of people'', as he told reporters.

He described his visit as ''a preparatory phase before a new attempt is made to find a political settlement'' noting that this is the objective of all those in the international community who aim at ''a concerted effort to help the UN and its negotiator to bring about a political settlement.''

He explained that during the preparatory phase the aim is ''to try to identify where the obstacles are, and whether the elements which have been discussed over the years before are still useable.''

Hannay said he will certainly discuss areas covered by a set of ideas put forward by the UN Secretary General in 1989, which include constitutional, security and geographical issues as well as the return of refugees.

Noting that security is a ''crucial element in any settlement'' the British representative said ''it has to be discussed'' but added he is ''not here to focus on that to the exclusion of other matters.''

He also noted that the Confidence Building Measures, put forward in 1993, in an effort to boost inter-communal contacts in the island, have not been raised with any emphasis by either the Greek or Turkish Cypriot communities. The British former diplomat added he is ''focusing more on the elements that would be necessary for a full political settlement.''

Hannay stressed he is not here ''to try to sell a particular solution'', noting that ''Britain does not see its role in this matter as being that of a kind of a solo effort.''

''Our role as a guarantor power is set up in the Treaty of Guarantee and the British government at each stage will take its own decision as to what its role is to that respect'', he said.

However he said that ''in the context of trying to get a political settlement Britain is also obligated by resolutions of the Security Council and that is the track we are following at the moment.

Asked about his recent visit to Ankara, Hannay said he ''had some extremely useful talks'' and ''found a very serious, genuine willingness to try to move things forward towards a settlement.''

He added however that he ''did not get into a great deal of specifics'' and that ''obviously there will have to be a number of visits to Athens, Ankara and Nicosia, who have a big interest in this matter, before we move to the stage of actual negotiations.''

Clarifying that his appointment is a British one, he stressed that neither he nor the British government are seeking that he should represent the European Union (EU) adding that the EU already has ''a very good team who are working on the question of accession.''

Answering a relevant question, Hannay said he did not know ''whether or not the EU as such can play a role in search of a political settlement beyond that of supporting the efforts of the UN Secretary General's representative'' at the moment.

The British representative said ''there has already been a European initiative which was the response to the request by Cyprus to join the EU.''

He also noted that the ''setting of the date for the opening negotiations six months after the intergovernmental conference was in itself a European initiative and a very important one,'' which ''has brought new elements, some of them very positive to the discussion of a political settlement.''

CNA TA/MCH/MA/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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