Cyprus News Agency: News in English (AM), 97-10-23

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

CONTENTS

[01] US admits error of judgement

[02] US promotes conflict resolution programmes in Cyprus

[03] Commonwealth names Cyprus envoy

0950:CYPPRESS:01

[01] US admits error of judgement

The US also called on its close NATO ally, Turkey, not to provoke its neighbours during next month's military exercises in the region.

"I would hope that in this discussion you would not quote what I was saying on Monday, and leave it as follows: that we believe that based on the public accounts, there is compelling evidence that it occurred precisely where it was indicated publicly that it occurred. We have no reason to dispute that," James Rubin told his press briefing Wednesday.

On Monday he said the US had no means of verifying reports from the Greek government that Turkish jets harassed Defence Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos' C-130 on its way to and from Cyprus within Greek air space.

He said on Monday he meant to urge for a return to a moratorium on overflights of Cyprus by combat aircraft and added "obviously I did not do my job as well as I should."

Rubin said the US "did indicate its views directly to the Turkish government. We do find that kind of flying close to the airplane of the Greek Defence Minister disturbing."

Describing the public accounts on the incident "indeed disturbing", Rubin said "it is clear that flying provocatively close to the Greek Defence Minister's aircraft would not be consistent with Turkey's stated desire to reduce tension with Greece."

The US spokesman also said senior American officials raised these events with the Turkish government and added "we have made clear to our Turkish allies the seriousness with which we view the information we have received and the need to ensure that any future Turkish activities do not contribute to an atmosphere of tension between Turkey and its neighbours."

"It is important that Turkey and Greece both ensure that the Turkish military exercise scheduled for early November not any new confrontation," Rubin said.

The spokesman underlined the inherent dangers in the cycle of exercise and reaction and said "it is time to focus on the future."

He added the US "remains committed to working with Athens and Ankara to improve relations."

CNA DA/MM/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1000:CYPPRESS:02

[02] US promotes conflict resolution programmes in Cyprus

Nicosia, Oct 23 (CNA) -- A US institution is funding yet another bicommunal training programme as part of its policy to give grants to conflict resolution programmes in Cyprus.

The 40-hour programme, for an initial 48 persons from both sides of the divide, will begin early next month and has been specially designed to apply mediation process to cases of interpersonal as well as intercommunal violence.

The man in charge of the programme, Marco Turk, a lecturer in Social Ecology in the Department of Criminology, Law and Society, at the University of California, told CNA in an interview he intends to work in two groups of 24 persons (12 Greek Cypriots and 12 Turkish Cypriots) for the next several months.

"The aim of the programme is to train people through the four-part programme to acknowledge, but not necessarily agree with the other person's point of view in an attempt to transform the relationship between the parties involved," Turk said.

He said the training would help people "acquire skills that are not political and then it would be easier for them to transcend their differences."

Turk also told CNA since he arrived in Cyprus, in August, he has been asked to train others, including police officers on how to interact with the public and mental health care professionals with a view to setting up a bicommunal mental professional training programme as well as a local college to help them develop a law programme to obtain accreditation their law school.

The programme Turk will apply consists of an introductory process to help participants understand each other and a basic mediation process where a third neutral party, independent to the parties involved, tries to bring people closer.

"I use the transformative approach, which is therapeutic in nature and is based on two points, the principle of empower and the principle of recognition, which means acknowledgement of the other person's position, but not necessarily agreement with his views or positions," he explained.

The training scheme also includes the use of video tapes of families involved in programmes dealing with domestic violence and discussion of the behaviour of family members.

The final part of the programme is a supervisory session in which participants assume role playing in a bid to understand each other better.

Turk said the programme will take place at the Fulbright Centre on the Green Line, that cuts Nicosia into two (the northern Turkish occupied part and the southern government controlled part of the capital).

The American professor will report back to the Fulbright Commission on the outcome of his work after it is completed in May next year and pointed out the Commission offers grants in conflict resolution only in Cyprus.

CNA MM/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1415:CYPPRESS:03

[03] Commonwealth names Cyprus envoy

Edinburgh Oct 23 (CNA) -- Kris Srinivasan, Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General for political affairs, has been appointed Commonwealth envoy for Cyprus.

The announcement was made here today by Commonwealth Secretary General Chief Emeka Anyaoku at a press conference ahead of tomorrow's summit.

Srinivasan has served as Foreign Minister in India.

CNA MCH/MM/MA/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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