Cyprus News Agency: News in English (AM), 98-04-06

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

CONTENTS

[01] Russia: Efforts for Cyprus settlement should intensify

[02] Holbrooke warns about US involvement in Cyprus

[03] US Ambassador refers to EU decision

[04] Italian Deputy FM arrives Tuesday for talks

0930:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Russia: Efforts for Cyprus settlement should intensify

Speaking on departure at Larnaca airport yesterday, Tchizhov said "1996 was once pointed out as the year for a Cyprus settlement".

Noting he will not set dates or deadlines concerning a Cyprus solution, the Russian envoy stressed: "Efforts for a solution should continue and be intensified".

Asked whether he could see a resumption of bi-communal talks between President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktash, he described it as "difficult but not impossible".

Tchizhov said recent European Union decisions concerning Cyprus' accession to the Union "introduce the time factor that could prove helpful in efforts for a solution to the Cyprus problem".

The Russian envoy paid a four-day visit to the island seeing President Clerides, Denktash and other politicians from the two sides. Prior to his Cyprus trip, the Russian envoy visited Ankara and Athens.

CNA MCH/GP/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1000:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Holbrooke warns about US involvement in Cyprus

Speaking before departing Sunday, Holbrooke said he will be back in May for intense negotiations and called on both sides to "move" and expressed his support to contacts between the two communities.

Holbrooke, the chief architect of the Bosnian deal, said he will return after a request from the two leaders for "some intense negotiations and discussions with the two sides".

He described his May talks as "very important, possibly decisive, in allowing the US to determine what its role is going to be, are we going to be heavily engaged or are we going to back off."

"That depends on the parties. The US in not going to spend the rest of the century wondering around trying to create a settlement between sides if they don't want a settlement."

Holbrooke said the US will not dictate terms to the two communities of Cyprus or force an agreement on Greece and Turkey.

He compared the settlement of the Cyprus problem to an engagement, adding that "if people don't want to go to the next step no outside pressure can make them do it."

"We're not going to do a shotgun wedding here, we're going to try to help the two parties, so I say to the leaders of both sides of Cyprus you must decide whether you wish progress or not."

Hoblrooke reiterated US support to the UN Secretary-General's good offices mission in Cyprus, but stressed that the American government's involvement "is dependent on the degree to which the two parties want us to be involved."

"We're not going to just be part of a theatre without meaning," he warned, stressing "when we come back in a month we will look for evidence of a real desire to move forward otherwise there is not point in continuing this kind of shuttle diplomacy until it becomes empty and sterile."

He said that if the two sides want to reach an arrangement and a federal solution "each side is going to have to make some movement."

Holbrooke stressed that "if one side or the other doesn't want to move there is nothing you can do to force them, because the use of force is out of the question."

"It is in the interest of both sides to reach an agreement, because the current situation disadvantages the people of both communities," he added.

The US envoy said there are people on the island "who want to reach out to each other, economically and socially, to reduce the tension, to remove the barriers that divide them, but the leaders are going to have to both figure out ways to move."

Referring to Cyprus' bid to join the European Union (EU) Holbrooke welcomed a Union decision to open accession talks with Cyprus, but reiterated his view that it was a "mistake" not to start the process with Turkey.

"I don't see how Cyprus can move forward without Turkey's support and Turkey is moving against any efforts in this area now because of what happened with the EU."

The EU decided in Luxembourg last December to start accession talks with Cyprus, that finally opened in Brussels on March 31.

It had set terms for closer ties with Turkey, that include the improvement of human rights, betterment of its economic situation and its contribution to solving the Cyprus problem.

The US Presidential Emissary, accompanied by State Department Special Cyprus Coordinator Tom Miller, had two separate meetings on Friday and Saturday, with President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash.

He said their aim was not to try to reach an agreement but to see whether there was a basis for the US to continue its support of UN mediation.

Cyprus has been divided since Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37 per cent of its territory in 1974.

The Turkish side has said it will not return to the negotiating table unless the illegal regime set up in the occupied areas in 1983 is recognised.

Numerous UN resolutions call on all states not to recognise or in any way facilitate the secessionist entity in the Turkish-occupied areas, which is recognised only by Turkey.

CNA MA/GP/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1400:CYPPRESS:03

[03] US Ambassador refers to EU decision

Asked whether there is a connection between Turkey's accession to the EU and a solution to Cyprus problem, Brill said:

"One of the things that were seen in the regions and not just in Cyprus is the result of the decision of December. So clearly there are connections between regional developments and relationships between some of the actors in these regional developments."

According to last December's Luxembourg European Council conclusions, Cyprus began accession negotiations March 30 while Turkey's application was put on hold because "political and economic conditions allowing accession negotiations to be envisaged were not satisfied".

The US Ambassador was speaking after a courtesy call to Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment Minister, Costas Themistocleous, with whom he discussed bilateral cooperation on issues concerning the Ministry.

Brill refrained from commenting on a reference made by the US Presidential Emissary for Cyprus, on "Cyprus" and the "Republic of Cyprus", in regards to accession to the EU.

He said, Richard Holbrooke "is a very articulate spokesman for himself and there is no benefit for outsiders to try to be helpful".

Replying to a question, Brill said both him and State Department Special Cyprus Coordinator Tom Miller will continue working in view of another visit by Holbrooke, in May.

Speaking after the meeting, Themistocleous referred to the issues discussed with Brill and said "I believe the US will assist technically and in other ways in the resolution of difficult problems, such the water shortage".

CNA MCH/GP/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1420:CYPPRESS:04

[04] Italian Deputy FM arrives Tuesday for talks

A spokesman for the Italian embassy in Nicosia told CNA today "the Deputy FM is not coming here for the specific issue of the sale of military material to Cyprus."

"The important matter at hand is to try and help the efforts for a solution in Cyprus," the spokesman added.

Commenting on press reports that Italy refuses to sell military equipment to Cyprus, he said "there is no embargo by Italy on the sale of military equipment to Cyprus, there is a suspension of supplying military material."

Asked why Italy has suspended this type of sales to the Republic, the spokesman said "the reason maybe because the government of Italy considers that perhaps now it is not the right moment" to sell military material to Cyprus.

"It was deemed to wait for a while," he explained.

He said the purpose of the visit is to give Fassino the opportunity to "make contact with President (Glafcos) Clerides" after his re-election, in continuation of his visit to Cyprus in December last year.

Asked if Fassino would discuss the issue of the sale of military spare parts to Cyprus, the spokesman said "I think the government of Cyprus may raise the issue" and pointed out that the Italian diplomat "is not here for that specific subject".

Fassino, who arrives in early afternoon on Tuesday, will be received by President Clerides on Wednesday morning and see Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides on Tuesday afternoon.

Shortly after his arrival, Fassino will see UN Secretary-General's Deputy Representative Gustave Feissel, and immediately afterwards he will go to the Foreign Ministry for talks.

Later on Tuesday, he will sit at a working dinner.

On Wednesday morning, after his meeting with the President, he will see Cyprus' chief negotiator for accession to the EU George Vassiliou.

During his stay, Fassino will also cross into the Turkish-occupied part of the island for talks with representatives of the Turkish Cypriot side.

CNA MM/GP/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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