Cyprus News Agency: News in English (PM), 97-07-06

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

CONTENTS

[01] President Clerides departs for New York

2100:CYPPRESS:01

[01] President Clerides departs for New York

Speaking at Larnaca airport, before his departure for New York to attend the talks scheduled to start on July 9 at Troutbeck, north of Manhattan, President Clerides stressed that "we are not going to the direct talks to fail but to find a solution to the Cyprus problem."

Invited to comment on recent threats expressed by Turkish political leaders in Ankara, President Clerides said that "if the Turkish side is intransigent and a solution is not reached", then the Turkish side will be blamed for the failure and pressure should be exerted towards Ankara, he added.

Turkish Vice President, Bulent Ecevit, who was Prime Minister during Turkey's invasion of Cyprus in 1974 which resulted in the de facto division of the island, threatened that if Cyprus joins the European Union then the occupied areas will be annexed to Turkey.

"We handle such threats with great seriousness", President Clerides said, while he noted that Turkey's claim that Cyprus cannot join the EU as a result of the London-Zurich agreements reached in 1960, which established the Republic, have already been turned down by many European Union countries.

"It has been made clear by many EU countries that if a solution to the Cyprus problem is not reached due to Turkish intransigence, this will not form an obstacle to the Republic's accession course", President Clerides pointed out.

Asked whether the Confidence Building Measures, proposed by the UN in 1992, will be on the negotiating table, President Clerides answered negatively, saying that "this meeting has been called in order to discuss the substance of the Cyprus problem."

Asked to comment on a statement by German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel that Cyprus cannot join the EU with its political problem unresolved, President Clerides said the answer has been given by the Greek government.

"Greece will not agree to an enlargement of the EU that does not include Cyprus", Clerides said, adding that this was the position which the Greek government clarified to the President during his talks in Athens earlier this week.

President Clerides is accompanied by two advisors, who will be with him during the negotiations to be held July 9-13. Political party leaders will also be in the area to consult with the President.

Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash will also be accompanied by two advisors.

Envoys from 12 countries will be in the wings of the direct talks, including representatives from the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and the European Union.

On July 8, President Clerides will hold a meeting with US Presidential Emissary Richard Holbrooke.

On the evening of the same day, the UN Secretary-General will host a dinner for President Clerides and Denktash, with the participation of representatives of the three guarantor powers (Britain, Greece and Turkey) and the Special Representatives for Cyprus of Canada, the US, Finland, Germany, Russia and Sweden.

The talks will open with a special ceremony on July 9 with a statement by Annan and will be followed by a private lunch attended by the UN Chief, the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Cyprus, Diego Cordovez.

In the afternoon of the same day there will be a meeting between Clerides and Denktash in the presence of Cordovez. The programme for the remaining days will be decided on site.

Annan may attend the closing ceremony of the talks on Sunday, July 13.

Returning to Cyprus, the President will stop in London for a meeting with British Prime Minister Tony Blair on July 15. He returns to Cyprus on July 17.

CNA MAN/MCH/EC/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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