Cyprus News Agency: News in English (AM), 97-07-14

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

CONTENTS

[01] Cordovez pleased with Cyprus talks

[02] 17th DEMYC Congress elects Cypriot vice-president

[03] President Clerides meets British envoy

[04] Foreign Minister on UN talks

1015:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Cordovez pleased with Cyprus talks

United Nations, Jul 14 (CNA) -- Diego Cordovez, who brokered direct talks between President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash in Troutbeck, is said to be very pleased with the course of the process.

Sources close to the process told CNA that the UN Secretary-General's special advisor on the Cyprus problem will tell UN Security Council today that he is "very pleased" with the outcome of the four-day direct talks.

Cordovez briefed the various special representatives, who have been following the talks, by means of a conference telephone call last Saturday evening and is reported to have told them that the talks succeeded in terms of identifying the issues of common concern which were discussed in a cordial atmosphere.

Reliable sources noted, however, that President Clerides and Rauf Denktash have for the present "agreed to disagree" albeit in the friendliest of terms.

"Nothing much appears to have been agreed during the first round but there is a willingness and a commitment to continue with the next round in mid-August outside Geneva", the sources said.

The Cordovez paper, given to the two leaders on Wednesday was revised and re-submitted on Friday.

"Neither leader", noted one diplomat, "could afford to be the one to walk out even if they had reason to.

"And although the world, as the UN Chief said last Wednesday, is not preoccupied with events in Troutbeck this week, that part of the world that does matter to Cyprus, namely Britain and the US is watching", the same sources added.

CNA JD/MCH/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1220:CYPPRESS:02

[02] 17th DEMYC Congress elects Cypriot vice-president

Youth Organisation of Democratic Rally (NEDISY) Representative to the Congress, Sophia Michailidou, garnered an unprecedented 100 percent of votes in support of her bid to become Vice-President of DEMYC.

Greek Youth Organisation of New Democracy (ONNED) Representative, Stavros Papastavrou was elected President of DEMYC with 68 percent of the vote.

The representatives of Germany, Denmark, Poland and Slovenia won the other four vice-presidential positions.

DEMYC is comprised of 42 youth organisations of European Christian Democratic and Conservative parties.

The Congress, which ended this mormning, was hosted this year by NEDISY at the seaside town of Paralimni and had as its theme "Peace, Stability and Cooperation in Europe towards the 21st Century".

NEDISY is the youth organisation of the ruling right-wing Democratic Rally Party (DISY).

Some 120 representatives from all over Europe, including parliamentarians and Euro-parliamentarians, participated in the Congress which passed motions relating to the European Union's Monetary Union and expansion, and other issues.

Head of the European Commission's Delegation to Cyprus, Gilles Anouil, earlier addressed the Congress on the issue of Cyprus' course towards Europe.

Meanwhile, DEMYC's summer school gets underway at Paralimni today and runs through to July 18.

The summer school, whose theme is "Young People Towards the Conflicts in the Eastern Mediterranean Basin", will be addressed on Wednesday by Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides.

CNA MH/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1315 :CYPPRESS:03

[03] President Clerides meets British envoy

New York, Jul 14 (CNA) -- Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides had a meeting here yesterday with British Representative for Cyprus, Sir David Hannay, in the light of the four-day talks on Cyprus held in Troutbeck last week.

The British diplomat described the meeting as "very useful" and "very agreeable", but steadfastly refused to comment in any way on the outcome of UN-led direct talks.

Speaking after the hour-long meeting with President Clerides, Sir David said "the President briefed me on the talks that had taken place" and added "I do not want to say anything more."

He said he took "a vow of silence until after the end of all these discussions that are taking place, here, the report by the UN Secretary- General's Special Advisor for Cyprus, Diego Cordovez to the Security Council and to special representatives on Monday afternoon."

Sir David is seeing Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash today lunch- time.

President Clerides also met with leaders of the Greek American community, headed by Panicos Papanicolaou, President of the Cypriot Federation of America.

CNA MM/MCH/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1500:CYPPRESS:04

[04] Foreign Minister on UN talks

New York, Jul 14 (CNA) -- Foreign Minister, Ioannis Kasoulides said the Greek and Turkish Cypriot sides, together with the UN Secretariat, will decide how to proceed if no agreement is reached on a joint statement promoted for approval during the second round of direct talks on the Cyprus problem, to be held next month in Geneva.

Kasoulides also said the two sides will submit "a draft constitution" as well as documents and legal instruments concerning other aspects of the Cyprus problem, such as security, territory and refugees, mentioned in a non-paper the UN Secretary-General's special advisor, Diego Cordovez, has submitted during the New York talks.

Cordovez had coordinated the four-day negotiations on the Cyprus issue, between President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktas, held July 9 - 12.

Speaking to Greek Cypriot journalists in New York, Kasoulides said he could not say whether progress was made during the negotiations, in the sense that there was no change in the positions of the Turkish Cypriot side on the fundamental aspects of the Cyprus problem, but added that "nobody can claim that the talks have failed."

There was, he said, a "pleasant" atmosphere and noted the "spontaneous decision" of President Clerides and Denktash to meet in order to discuss mainly humanitarian issues.

The Foreign Minister refrained from speculating on the outcome of the second round of direct talks, scheduled for August 11-16, but noted that even though common ground has not been reached in the US, a better climate has been created.

Both sides believe, he added, that "the UN Secretariat should know certain of their positions before any documents are discussed".

He also said that all fundamental aspects of the Cyprus question will be discussed in Geneva and noted the National Council, the top advisory body to the President on the Cyprus issue, will decide whether the Greek Cypriot side will participate.

The Foreign Minister stressed, however, that President Clerides believes "it would be extremely difficult for our side to refuse to go to Geneva."

Referring to the methodology of the direct talks, Kasoulides said that once the two sides submit their positions on the fundamental aspects of the Cyprus problem, by the end of December, a joint statement on these issues should be prepared.

"After Geneva we will proceed with the preparation of a draft constitution and the legal instruments, as mentioned in the Cordovez non- paper (such as the constitutional and territorial issues)", Kasoulides explained.

The joint statements, which the two sides maintain should be prepared, will be the guidelines for a Cyprus solution and the new constitution.

Kasoulides refrained from commenting on Cordovez's methodology of non- papers, suggestions and common statements, saying that "it is a new system which is on trial."

Replying to a relevant question, he also stressed that "the priority is the solution of the Cyprus problem and then Cyprus' accession to the European Union."

CNA MM/MCH/MA/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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