Cyprus News Agency: News in English (AM), 99-06-19

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

CONTENTS

[01] G8 - Cyprus - Revised draft extract

[02] G8 - Revised draft - Cyprus reaction

[03] US aid - Cyprus

[04] G8 - Britain - US - Cyprus

0915:CYPPRESS:01

[01] G8 - Cyprus - Revised draft extract

Cologne, Jun 19 (CNA) --Prior UN resolutions and relevant treaties should serve as "a point of reference for the negotiations", the new completely revised draft extract of the G8 summit on the Cyprus question says here Saturday.

The new draft, currently under consideration by the G8 leaders, calls on the two sides, to be invited by the UN Secretary General to negotiations in the US in early October 1999, to commit themselves to four principles.

There should be no preconditions to the negotiations, all issues will be on the negotiating table and there must be a commitment in good faith to negotiate until a settlement.

The draft also commits the two parties to have prior UN resolutions and treaties serve as a point of reference for the negotiations.

It also expresses the hope that by November this year, at the summit of the OSCE (Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe) in Constantinople (Istanbul), it will be possible to report on the outcome of the sustained backing of the G8 to the negotiating process.

The draft urges the two leaders to give their full support to a comprehensive negotiation "under the auspices of the UN Secretary General".

The revised text includes one element which the government of Cyprus had welcomed in the draft proposal G8 foreign ministers adopted last week, namely the commitment to talks without preconditions.

However, it does not stipulate as clearly as the FM text did, that negotiations will be on the basis of UN Security Council resolutions but instead calls on the Greek and Turkish sides to accept prior UN resolutions and relevant treaties as a point of reference for the negotiations.

CNA MM/EC/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

0900:CYPPRESS:02

[02] G8 - Revised draft - Cyprus reaction

Cologne, Jun 19 (CNA) -- The government of Cyprus is taking "all appropriate measures" in view of the fact that the G8 summit, currently underway here, has before it a completely new draft on the Cyprus question.

Observers describe it as an attempt to tone down strong Turkish objections to the involvement of the group of the seven most industrialised nations plus Russia in efforts to find a comprehensive settlement in Cyprus.

"The government of the Republic of Cyprus has always outlined its views to the governments of the G8 nations," diplomatic sources have told CNA, noting that these positions were reiterated to the G8 in the past couple of days.

The same sources said the "government is taking all appropriate measures" with a view to secure a reference to Cyprus which would be, as far as possible, in line with its positions.

These positions were conveyed in writing to all G8 capitals before the G8 foreign ministers met here last week, on the basis of a written text which states clearly that talks between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot sides will be held "within the framework of the Security Council resolutions on Cyprus and on the basis of the two high level agreements of 1977 and 1979."

Both agreements call for a bizonal, bicommunal federation, a solution which the Turkish Cypriot side rejects, demanding recognition of its self- styled regime in Turkish occupied Cyprus.

The text also points out that the government of Cyprus will remain "steadfastly committed" to the objective of establishing a bicommunal, bizonal federation.

The draft G8 extract on Cyprus, which was due to have been discussed last night by the high ranking aides to the G8 leaders, notes that "the Cyprus problem has gone unresolved for too long and resolution of this problem would not only benefit all the people of Cyprus but would also have a positive impact on peace and stability in the region".

Recognising that "both parties to the dispute have legitimate concerns that can and must be addressed", the draft says that the G8 members "are convinced that only comprehensive negotiations covering all relevant issues can do this."

G8 members, it adds, "urge the UN Secretary General to invite the leaders of the two parties to negotiations which would be hosted in the US beginning in early October 1999."

The leaders of the G8 call upon the "two leaders to give their full support to such a comprehensive negotiation, under the auspices of the UN Secretary General."

"In accepting this invitation, the two parties/leaders should commit themselves to the following principles," the draft says.

These are "no preconditions, all issues on the table, commitment in good faith to continue to negotiate until a settlement is reached and prior UN resolutions and relevant treaties serve as a point of reference for the negotiations."

The concluding paragraph of the draft says that members of the G8 "undertake to give their full and sustained backing to the negotiating process and hope that it will prove possible for its outcome to be reported to the meetings of heads of state and government at the OSCE summit" in Constantinople (Istanbul) this November.

Canadian government sources said that discussions at last night's working dinner, at which the Cyprus question was on the agenda, were taken up by the Kosovo issue but did not entirely rule out the possibility that the issue was discussed.

"Quite honestly, I would be surprised if it was discussed, as the evening was taken up by Kosovo," they said, noting that Cyprus was due to be discussed by senior aides to the G8 leaders in talks well into the night.

CNA MM/EC/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1040:CYPPRESS:03

[03] US aid - Cyprus

Even though Cyprus was among the countries to which US was scheduled to be cut efforts by Senators Barbara Mikulski, Arlen Specter, Judd Gregg, Tom Harkin and Frank Lautenberg succeeded in maintaining full funding.

These funds are designated for bicommunal projects in Cyprus and for scholarships for Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot students.

CNA DA/MCH/EC/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1525:CYPPRESS:04

[04] G8 - Britain - US - Cyprus

Cologne, Jun 19 (CNA) -- Leaders of the G8 group have not as yet discussed the question of Cyprus during their deliberations, which started here Friday afternoon, but they are expected to issue a statement on Cyprus at the end of their three-day summit, diplomatic sources have told CNA.

They added that Cyprus is expected to be discussed later today by the seven most industrialised nations plus Russia.

The G8 leaders held their first working meeting Saturday morning and they will continue their discussions later this afternoon.

Alistair Campbell, press secretary to British premier Tony Blair, said at a press conference here today that he expects the G8 to issue a statement on Cyprus but reserved judgement on its content until publication.

Asked by CNA if there were any discussions on Cyprus and if these have taken the G8 leaders further towards adoption of the draft text on Cyprus, he said "I believe there will be a statement on Cyprus."

However, he hastened to add that his own experience is to "wait until it is published."

Earlier today, British diplomatic sources refrained from commenting on the revised draft text on Cyprus, widely believed to have been prepared and promoted by the US.

Asked if the new draft was fair to both sides in Cyprus, the same sources told CNA "we do our best" to be fair.

According to US diplomatic sources, the US have long held the view that any talk about G8 involvement in Cyprus makes it more difficult for Turkey to accept any move from them.

The American view on the G8 interest in Cyprus can be described as "a calculated risk" which needs delicate and subtle handling and not outspoken statements on the part of interested parties, the sources said.

However, the US seems to have tried to encourage Turkey to think about G8 involvement in Cyprus but it appears Ankara's objections are too strong to bear, the sources added.

As far as the US is concerned, the sources further said, the main goal is to get the negotiations going, where all issues will be up for discussion between the two sides.

CNA MM/EC/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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