Cyprus News Agency: News in English (AM), 97-12-17

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

CONTENTS

[01] Clinton wants badly a Cyprus Solution

[02] Government to cover Turkish Cypriots' tuition

0940:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Clinton wants badly a Cyprus Solution

Washington, Dec 17 (CNA) -- US President Bill Clinton wants a resolution to the Cyprus problem very badly.

He told a press conference yesterday in Washington that "I want a resolution of the Cyprus issue very badly. You have evidence on that when I asked Mr. (Richard) Holbrooke to head our efforts to try to resolve it."

Clinton spoke about the differences between Greece and Turkey and said "I think it is terribly important for us to do everything we can to resolve the differences between Turkey and Greece."

The US President said the differences between the two countries "are deeply held, historic and I am convinced at bottom ultimately irrational".

Clinton believed that "to allow the potential that Greece and Turkey both have for future economic growth and cooperation, for political cooperation, for security cooperation to be broken on the rocks of their differences over Cyprus and other territorial differences in the Aegean is in my view a grave error."

President Clinton said on the relationship between Turkey and the European Union that "it is very important that we do everything reasonable to anchor Turkey to the West. They are a secular Islamic government that has been a dependable ally in NATO, they have also supported a lot of our operations in and around Iraq since the Gulf War and they have been a good ally of ours. I think is terribly important."

President Clinton said "if you look at the size of the country (Turkey), if you look at its geostrategic significance, where it is, what it can block and what it can open the doors to it is terribly important."

Clinton said regarding the Cyprus problem that "our long friendship, our long alliance with Greece, the role that many Greek-Americans have in our national life would if nothing else impose on us a heavy responsibility to try to work out the problems on Cyprus."

President Clinton said about the situation in Greek-Turkish relations that "this is a case where not only does the United States need to be on good terms with Greece and Turkey, they need to be on good terms with each other.

If the could sort of take off their blinders about each other and look at what they're really up against for the next 30 or 40 years in their neighborhood in terms of opportunities and threats, this world would be in considerably better shape moving into a new century," Clinton added. CNA/DA/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1425:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Government to cover Turkish Cypriots' tuition

Government Spokesman Manolis Christofides said this amount will cover expenses, including tuition fees, for Turkish Cypriot children, attending private English-language schools for the academic year 1997-98.

Since the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus, most Turkish Cypriots live in the northern Turkish occupied part of the island. About 450 Turkish Cypriots have chosen to live in the southern government controlled areas.

Most of the children attend private schools and not the state-run schools where tuition is in Greek.

CNA RG/MA/MM/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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