Cyprus News Agency: News in English (AM), 97-06-09

Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

CONTENTS

[01] British envoy believes there is "convergence"

[02] House President receives British envoy

1130:CYPPRESS:01

[01] British envoy believes there is "convergence"

He welcomed the Cyprus government view that there should be progress in next month's UN-sponsored talks, expected to take place near New York.

The British diplomat, who arrived here yesterday, said a Turkish Cypriot proposal for rotating presidency, which President Glafcos Clerides has rejected, will come up in the negotiations.

Sir David acknowledged that negotiations should aim to bridge long standing difficulties, dividing the views of the Greek and Turkish Cypriot sides.

Speaking after a working breakfast with President Clerides this morning, Sir David said "it is very clear what the two leaders will be asked to discuss when they go to negotiations -bicommunal, bizonal federation encapsulating political equality as defined by UN Secretary-General with provisions on security which assure both sides, these are the areas of convergence."

Noting that "no deals have been struck" ahead of the talks, he underlined the view that "there is convergence and there is rather clear framework in which all this is taking place."

His discussions, he explained, focused "on how it should be possible for this negotiating process to bring what I would like to call an early harvest, some early progress to demonstrate the credibility of the process and also to start moving things forward, off the point where they have been stuck for many years."

Sir David stressed that whether early progress can be achieved or not "depends on a lot of other people as well."

The British envoy refrained from disclosing details of the "many ideas" he discussed with the Cypriot President and welcomed "the Cyprus government's view that it attached a lot importance to making progress in the talks."

He also called on the UN and others involved to "bring this about."

"The amount of convergence means the negotiations should be able to get their teeth into real issues, which we know divide the two communities, and the problem is how to crack those difficulties," he added.

Commenting on the agenda of the talks, he said this concerned the two community leaders and the UN "when they get into the talks, they will set the agenda."

"There are a number of aspects of this problem on which there is sufficient convergence to mean that there should not have to be a discussion from first principles from the very beginning (of the talks)," he said.

Replying to questions, Sir David said the issue of a rotating presidency will probably come up in the negotiations, even though President Clerides "has not accepted the request made from the other side that there should be a rotating presidency."

Turkish Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktash, attaches "some importance to it", Sir David said.

But, he pointed out, "this is not the only one issue and not necessarily the most important one."

The British envoy was quick to stress that the Cyprus peace effort is a "common and concerted effort" in which maximum transparency among the various envoys is sought.

This is not a "solo effort" but in support of UN, Hannay said, and added that it will not take the form of having blue prints or proposals.

After the Presidential Palace, the British envoy went to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where he held talks with Minister Ioannis Kasoulides. No statements were made after the meeting.

Later this morning, he will meet Cyprus House of Representatives Spyros Kyprianou.

Tomorrow, he will cross into the Turkish-occupied part of Cyprus to meet Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash.

CNA MM/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1320:CYPPRESS:02

[02] House President receives British envoy

The two men agreed to refrain from making substantive statements on their meeting, which they described as "extremely useful".

"We discussed all the fundamental issues and the situation in general," Kyprianou said.

On his part, Sir David said the meeting was "extremely useful", but noted they agreed "we shall not talk in any substance about what we've been discussing this morning".

The British envoy noted he finds the views of the House President "of great value" to him and expressed the hope that he would be able "to make some useful points to him from time to time."

Sir David is in Cyprus for talks with the two sides in view of direct negotiations between President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash, expected to take place early in July, near New York.

Earlier today he called on President Glafcos Clerides and met Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides.

This afternoon he will cross into the Turkish-occupied part of the Republic for a meeting with Denktash.

CNA MK/MA/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article