Cyprus News Agency: News in English (AM), 97-04-04

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From: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org.cy>

CONTENTS

[01] Ambassador says US efforts on Cyprus still going hard

[02] UN envoy to submit report on Cyprus

[03] Academic forum continues

0910:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Ambassador says US efforts on Cyprus still going hard

"I expect we'll continue to be very deeply involved here in finding ways to promote progress towards direct negotiations and a settlement (but) a lot of what we do is probably not visible. We try to do effective diplomacy, not public diplomacy," Brill said.

In statements made last night following the opening ceremony of an international study forum on the Cyprus problem being held in Nicosia, the US Ambassador said the present US administration remains steadfast to its goal of maintaining stability in this region.

"The goal of the Clinton administration is what it was from the beginning - a strong commitment to promoting stability in this part of the world through a political process that leads to negotiations and a settlement," he said.

Brill denied there is a rift between British Foreign Secretary Malcolm Rifkind and his US counterpart Madeleine Albright, on ways of handling the Cyprus problem.

"I don't think there's any daylight between us at all," Brill added.

The Ambassador said US efforts on Cyprus are part of a team of players involved here which includes the UN, the European Union and "other states that are interested in promoting constructive approaches".

He also referred to messages sent by high-ranking Greek and Turkish officials to each other as a positive development that would help in getting things on the right track in Cyprus.

"I think that's a much better dynamic and positive dynamic that we've seen in years between Greece and Turkey...", Brill said.

He reiterated the US proposal to end military overflights in the island's airspace as a way of toning down existing tensions in Cyprus.

In a recent string of airspace violations, Turkish military reconnaissance aircraft have flown over Cyprus' air space as well as violating Nicosia FIR (Flight Information Region).

Turkish troops have been occupying 37 per cent of Cyprus territory since 1974, in violation of repeated UN resolutions calling for their withdrawal.

CNA MH/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1330:CYPPRESS:02

[02] UN envoy to submit report on Cyprus

The report is expected to be submitted prior to Annan's scheduled meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash, on April 9, in Geneva. Feissel will be present.

Feissel had a meeting today with Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides, with whom he discussed the preparatory work for direct negotiations between the two sides, including good will gestures.

After the meeting, Feissel was asked to comment on the difference between common ground and preparatory work, but refrained from answering directly, saying that there was no need "to go into definitions".

Commenting on gestures of good will, Feissel said that "obviously there has to be give-and-take in everything" and noted that Turkish Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktash, "knows it and everybody else knows it".

Asked if the UN are looking forward to getting the two leaders to the concert of Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot musicians, as a gesture of good will, Feissel said "maybe".

Furthermore, he said that "there will be two concerts, one in May and one in June".

To a question whether there is enough ground for him to decide what he will recommend to the UN Secretary-General in his report, Feissel said "there comes a time when you just have to do it, whether it is enough or not. What I am expected to do", he added, "is to give a report and assessment of the situation".

Asked if he has things clear in his mind as to what he will recommend at this point, Feissel said: "I probably do".

Speaking about the forthcoming visit to Cyprus of UN Secretary- General's Special Representative for Cyprus, Han Sung Joo, Feissel said the purpose of Han's visit is "to have a look at the situation and to focus on certain things, to give it an extra push to move it along".

Feissel explained that "we will not have finished all the work that needs to be done between now" and Han's visit, scheduled to take place in about ten days, adding that "more work will need to be done after that (the visit) and that will be something he (Han) can also focus on".

Asked to comment on the military dialogue between the Republic's National Guard and the Turkish occupation army, under the UN auspices, Feissel said "it is continuing".

He pointed out, however, that "we should be much further along than we are at present, but we are persevering".

"There is no question", the UN official added, "that this is in the interest of both sides to make sure that the incidents and tensions do not reappear".

CNA RG/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1415:CYPPRESS:03

[03] Academic forum continues

"Confidence Building Measures (CBM's) don't answer the mail. They must be fostered, but followed up rapidly and decisively because they have a very short shelf-life and get stale quickly," US State Department Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Intelligence and Research, Daniel Kurtzer, told an audience of academics, diplomats journalists and students.

Speaking at the International Symposium entitled, "The Cyprus Problem: Its Solution and the Day After", currently being held in Nicosia, Kurtzer recounted his role in Middle East peace efforts and how the lessons learned there could be applied to Cyprus.

The reference to the CBM's was timely since UN Resident Representative in Cyprus, Gustave Feissel is shuttling back and forth between Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash, to get them to agree to mutual good will gestures which will help prepare the ground for direct negotiations between the two.

Kurtzer added that time, as a factor in negotiations, is a slippery slope because it may be misleading and lead to miscalculations.

The Cyprus problem has been a thorn in the side of the international community for 23 years without progress, but Kurtzer said that time is of lesser importance in light of a slow, but steady process towards a solution.

He added that although symbolism plays an important role in the minds of conflicting sides, it is also of far less importance than the actual peace process.

The US State Department official also said the pain associated with intercommunal conflict that happened in the past, pales in comparison to the enormous gains that will come out of a solution.

"The pain-side of the equation is of limited importance and impact, but the gains (from a solution) are enormous," he said.

Kurtzer pointed out the intimate relationship between physical and political security and how it provided ways towards conflict resolution in the Middle East, through mutual trade-offs at the negotiating table.

He recounted how peace negotiations between Israel and its neighbours were made smoother and more effective by tackling practical issues of common concern like water sharing in the region, and how that could be applied in Cyprus.

Kurtzer concluded by saying that peace must come to Cyprus in order to secure the island's economic prosperity by attracting both tourists and foreign investment.

In an earlier speech, Kudred Akay, from the University of North London, posited his theory that national identity not only arises from psychological and cultural factors, but also has political roots. He also traced the development of Turkish and Turkish Cypriot nationalism.

The symposium continues through April 6, with more than 20 academics sharing their perspectives on the Cyprus problem.

CNA MH/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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