Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 97-02-27

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From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>

News Update

Thursday, 27/02/97

CONTENTS

• [01] Cyprus Foreign Minister on the recent EU position
• [02] "Goalposts for Cyprus EU accession not changed" Van den Broek says
• [03] Russia blasts Turkish threats to colonise Famagusta
• [04] UN determined to arrange a Cyprus high-level meeting by mid-year

[01] Cyprus Foreign Minister on the recent EU position

"We believe this reference is not in the spirit of the decision of March 6 1995", Michaelides added.

The Cyprus Government had earlier said it would welcome Turkish Cypriots in the official Cyprus Republic delegation and is prepared to take this further if the Turkish side responds accordingly.

But it wants the European Union to stick to its original decision of 6 March 1995 that the Cyprus Government is the "sole interlocutor" with the EU.

The postponement of the EU-Cyprus Association Council came about after the 15 members failed to agree on a common communique. Greece objected to the proposal by Germany, Britain and France and put forward clarifying counter proposals which were not accepted.

Referring to the EU stance, Michaelides said earlier in Brussels that these moves certainly create "tension and unnecessary complications" and added "it is crystal clear that the (EU) are going to organise something as an offering to Turkey".

Acknowledging that the road to EU accession will not be "a bed of roses", the Cypriot Foreign Minister stressed that although the government wishes to see Cyprus join the EU, its primary concern is to find a solution of the Cyprus question.

"We call on all those who are concerned about the absence of a solution to work in a serious and effective manner towards a solution", Michaelides said.

He announced he will be visiting London, Paris, Rome, the Hague and Bonn next week, for talks with his counterparts on the EU role in solving the Cyprus issue.

[02] Goalposts for Cyprus EU accession not changed" Van den Broek says.

He is meeting with President Glafcos Clerides and Foreign Minister Alecos Michaelides on Thursday morning and will later meet Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash in occupied Nicosia.

"1997 should be a crucial year for Cyprus", Van den Broek told reporters, pointing out that "in about a year from now we hope to open accession negotiations".

He added "we really have to invest during this year also in trying to make real progress regarding a political solution for which the UN has the mandate to lead the process". He noted both the EU and the United States "are very much interested to give their backing to this essential process" and said the Union "is firmly committed to assist where it is called upon to bring a solution closer by".

The EU official pointed out that "every advance in that political process will certainly also bear fruit and give an additional impulse to those (accession) negotiations that are going to start at the beginning of next year".

In a clear reference to the issue which caused the postponement of the Cyprus - EU Association Council on 25.2.97, Hans Van den Broek stressed that "there has been no common decision by the EU to change the goalposts of the (accession) process in any way" and added "the commitment to open negotiations by next year stands".

However, he pointed out that EU member states are concerned about mounting tensions in Cyprus, since last August, and the obstacles in its relations with Turkey.

Referring to the Turkish Cypriot community, he said it is "extremely important" to make it "familiar with what the prospects of EU membership really mean, what benefits, what advantages they can derive also from the membership of a unified Cyprus".

He said it is also important to "allay certain fears that may exist within the Turkish Cypriot community, that EU membership would mean a breach for them with their partners in Turkey".

[03] Russia blasts Turkish threats to colonise Famagusta

The statement said that the so-called Turkish Cypriot Republic of northern Cyprus has often chosen the threat to colonise Famagusta during critical periods in Cyprus. "This time" it added, "the Turkish Cypriot side is trying to make a linkage between these threats and the signing of an agreement by the Cyprus Government for the purchase of Russian anti- aircraft missiles S-300.

It is evident, however, that such linkage is unreasonable and lacking in seriousness. The Russian Foreign Ministry statement also recalled UN Security Council Resolution 550 which stated that "to settle any part of Varosha by people other than its inhabitants" is considered "inadmissible" and underlined the direct responsibility of the government of Ankara and its occupying army for preserving the status quo in Famagusta, as repeatedly mentioned in the Reports of the UN Secretary General.

[04] UN determined to arrange a Cyprus high-level meeting by mid-year

All UN efforts will be geared towards this direction, he stressed. Feissel underlined that "the target is to get the two leaders together for comprehensive talks, and we are going to work very hard between now and then to give this the best chance of success".

On the Turkish threat to colonise the occupied Greek town of Famagusta, the UN Representative said: "the UN position on Varosha is well known", adding that the UN "expect everyone to live up to their obligations and we expect that is what is going to happen at this time".

Referring to the UN-sponsored indirect military dialogue between the National Guard and the Turkish occupation troops, Feissel said the UN "are talking with the two sides on the entire package of measures we put forward, which is unmanning, the prohibition of loaded weapons along the cease-fire line and the code of conduct".

He said, each side is expected to take a stand on the entire UN package.

On Wednesday, Cyprus Minister of Defence Costas Eliades said the Greek side has submitted its positions to the UN, whereas the Turkish side has not done so yet.

From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/

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