Cyprus News Agency: News in English (AM), 97-09-03

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

CONTENTS

[01] US backs Cyprus' entry into EU

[02] Clerides signs Princess Diana condolence book

[03] US goal is to move political settlement forward

[04] Four new HIV infections in Cyprus last month

[05] Cyprus wants peaceful solution, not threats

[06] Government considers mistaken reference issue finished

0930:CYPPRESS:01

[01] US backs Cyprus' entry into EU

Washington, Sep 3 (CNA) -- The US State Department has avoided to comment directly on statements made by Luxembourg's Foreign Minister Jacques Poos, regarding Cyprus' accession to the European Union and Turkey's possible membership to the EU.

Asked to comment on Poos' statement, Deputy Spokesman of the State Department, James Foley, said the US "as a general matter believes that the issue of EU membership and EU accession is one for the EU to decide, We are not going to inject ourselves in the debate."

Poos, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, stated during a recent visit to Turkey that Cyprus' admission to the EU would help resolve the Cyprus problem and urged Ankara to support Cyprus' entry.

He said US believes "the prospect of Cyprus' accession to the EU can be a positive factor in helping produce progress towards a negotiated settlement".

Foley said the US also believes that "Turkish membership in western institutions, including the EU, is an extremely important element in overall stability in Europe and in the Eastern Mediterranean. It is something that we (the US) support".

Commenting on whether the US would accept Cyprus' accession to the EU even if Turkey is not admitted to join, Foley said "this is a matter for the EU to determine in terms of the timing but we think that both are important and can contribute to a resolution of tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean".

Foley reaffirmed US support to UN efforts towards a Cyprus settlement, expressing hope that when UN-led direct talks resume, "they will begin to bear fruit".

A solution to the Cyprus problem is "our number one focus", he noted.

CNA DA/MCH/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1220:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Clerides signs Princess Diana condolence book

The President, accompanied by his wife Irini, visited Madden's residence in the capital to sign a book of condolences.

Also signing the book of condolences were Government Spokesman Manolis Christofides and Under Secretary to the President Pantelis Kouros.

Princess Diana died tragically early Sunday morning in car crash in Paris.

The government of Cyprus will be represented at Princess Diana's funeral in Westminster Abbey this Saturday.

CNA MH/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1240:CYPPRESS:03

[03] US goal is to move political settlement forward

This was pointed out here today by US Ambassador to Cyprus, Kenneth Brill after a meeting with President Glafcos Clerides, during which they discussed, among other issues, the details of the visit to the island of US State department Coordinator for Cyprus Thomas Miller, later this month.

Answering to questions, Ambassador Brill said US Presidential Emissary for Cyprus, Richard Holbrooke is also expected to visit Cyprus "some time in the Fall", but "his schedule has not been set yet".

Brill stressed the US goal is "to keep people focused on how to move forward a political settlement and to avoid things that cause tension" and expressed the wish talks in that direction will continue as agreed.

"We would like to see people thinking about steps that can be taken to deal with the political issue", he said, adding that for this reason the US is trying "to keep everybody focused on positive things and to avoid steps that might create tensions".

Asked whether he believed intercommunal talks would take place in March, Brill pointed out that "you can never take anything for granted" but "you have to keep working hard towards everything".

The goal of the US and of other interested parties is "to see the talks resume once the elections are over and hope that some things can be done in between to prepare for those, to make them constructive".

UN-sponsored direct talks held in Switzerland last month between President Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash ended in failure because of Denktash's intransigent position and his insistence to link the talks with a decision by the European Union to start accession talks with Cyprus next year.

Brill repeated US position concerning the purchase by the Cyprus Republic of Russian-made surface-to-air S-300 missiles, noting that "our position has not changed with regards to the missiles just as our position has not changed with regards to statements about what other states may do in response to them".

He stressed that there is no reason "for people to be talking war. We also have our consistent view about whether the missiles are appropriate here. That has not changed".

Asked whether any meetings have been planned during the stay of President Clerides in New York, where he will address the UN General Assembly session early next month, Brill said "schedules get sorted at the last minute".

He added, however, that if we (the US) do have some officials there (during Clerides' stay) there will be some effort made to arrange some meetings".

Invited to comment on joint US-Turkish-Israeli naval exercises later this year, Brill described them as "extraordinarily peaceful" noting that they concern search and rescue missions.

The US Ambassador added "the exercise will be designed in such a way that we do not violate Cyprus' air space.

CNA MCH/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1300:CYPPRESS:04

[04] Four new HIV infections in Cyprus last month

A total of 275 incidents of HIV infections have been diagnosed in Cyprus until the end of August.

Of the 275 HIV-infected persons, 161 are Cypriots and 114 are foreigners.

Four-fifths of 161 HIV-infected Cypriots are between the ages of 20 and 40, while 137 are men and the other 24 are women.

Almost all Cypriots diagnosed in the last four years as having the virus which causes AIDS, were infected in Cyprus.

CNA MH/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1440:CYPPRESS:05

[05] Cyprus wants peaceful solution, not threats

Christofides was commenting on threats by the so-called "vice president" of the puppet regime in the Turkish-occupied areas, Serdar Denktash, that if the Russian-made anti-missile system S-300 is deployed in Cyprus the Turkish occupation regime would settle the eastern town of Famagusta (Varosha).

Famagusta has been a ghost town since the 1974 Turkish invasion and occupation of 37 percent of the island's territory.

UN Security Council resolution 550 of 1984 "considers attempts to settle any part of Varosha by people other than its inhabitants as inadmissible and calls for the transfer of this area to the administration of the United Nations."

Christofides said the government "is preparing for any event, but is continuing with its policy for a peaceful solution to the Cyprus problem".

He added that Ankara and the pseudostate in the occupied areas, recognised only by Turkey, have made repeated threats, noting that "it is a policy which they (Turks) chose and think it is productive and serves their interests".

"To their bellicose threats, we reply with propositions for a peaceful solution to the Cyprus question," the Spokesman stressed, adding that a settlement "can be achieved only through peaceful means".

CNA KN/MA/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1440:CYPPRESS:06

[06] Government considers mistaken reference issue finished

"We consider the matter over and we expect that it will not be repeated in any way," Christofides said today, adding that it was an unacceptable act, which was denounced and which prompted an immediate positive response from Bases authorities.

A British Bases document circulated recently among Bases personnel, referred to the Turkish-occupied areas of Cyprus as the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus".

Bases authorities issued an immediate apology stressing that "this was a mistake which was much regretted" and reiterating the British government's clear policy that it does not recognise the self-styled entity in the Turkish-occupied areas.

Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash unilaterally declared the breakaway state in 1983 which is recognised by no country except Turkey.

Cyprus has been divided since Turkey invaded the island in 1974. Turkey continues to occupy 37 percent of the Cyprus' territory with a 35,000- strong force.

Britain retained two Sovereign Base Areas (SBA) on Cyprus, SBA Dhekelia on the southeast coast and SBA Akrotiri on the southwest coast, following the island's independence from British colonial rule in 1960.

The mistaken reference raised a raucous in the local media, prompting the Government Spokesman to state that the Republic of Cyprus would make representations to the British government over the issue.

CNA KN/MH/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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