Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 97-07-17

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

News Update

Thursday, 17/07/97

CONTENTS

• [01] President Clerides sees EU accession talks as catalyst to a solution
• [02] British Foreign Secretary's statement on EU's "Agenda 2000"

[01] President Clerides sees EU accession talks as catalyst to a solution

"I agree with the prevailing general opinion that our course towards (EU) accession will be a catalyst to a solution of the Cyprus problem", he said yesterday on his arrival to Cyprus from London where he met with Prime Minister Tony Blair following the end of the first round of direct peace talks in Troutbeck, New York.

He rebuffed, however, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit's threats made Wednesday (16.7.97) that Turkey would react strongly if accession negotiations undercut the Turkish Cypriots' position.

"I don't attach great importance to (the threats), even though we have considered them and have taken all the necessary measures", Clerides said.

Ecevit has told a meeting of his leftist party's MPs that "any step taken in connection with Cyprus which we or the Turkish Cypriots do not accept will be more than met by our own steps". He warned that the occupied areas would be integrated with Turkey if the EU followed through with accession negotiations with the Cyprus government.

Asked to comment on the talks, President Clerides said the atmosphere was good but "there were no developments on the substance of the Cyprus problem".

He noted, however, that he "did not expect any developments as it is still too early".

"A process has started and is continuing", President Clerides said, pointing out that "progress will occur when the gap between the positions held by the two sides is bridged".

He explained that the UN Secretary General's Special Adviser on Cyprus, Diego Cordovez, who coordinated the talks, prepared "a non-paper that will become a paper if the two sides agree to it", adding that the Greek and Turkish Cypriot sides submitted their observations and Cordovez made certain changes.

The two sides, he said, will study the non-paper and then express their positions.

Referring to his meeting with Richard Holbrooke, the US presidential envoy for Cyprus, President Clerides said he was briefed about Mr Holbrooke's targets and he was satisfied. On Mr Holbrooke's upcoming visit to European capitals, the President said he was fully briefed and has thanked Mr Holbrooke for this initiative.

[02] British Foreign Secretary's statement on EU's "Agenda 2000"

The statement included the following reference to Cyprus:

"The UK fully supports Cyprus' application to join the EU, and the UN-led effort to reach a bicommunal settlement on the island. Cyprus is a good candidate for EU membership. I am confident that accession would bring considerable benefits to both communities on the island".

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

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