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Thursday, 21 November 2024
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Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 97-08-20Cyprus Press and Information Office: News Updates in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>News UpdateWednesday, 20/08/97CONTENTS[01] Cyprus Government expects an objective picture of the Cyprus talks from the Security CouncilThe Cyprus government expects that an objective picture of the Cyprus talks will be presented to the UN Security Council by Diego Cordovez, the UN Special Advisor, who will be briefing Security Council members today (20.8.97).Government Spokesman Manolis Christofides said on Tuesday (19.8.97) during his daily press briefing that the government, having responded positively to the UN Secretary General's invitation for direct talks with the Turkish side, has shown good will and a constructive attitude during the talks the second round of which ended with no result at Montreux, Switzerland on 15th August. On the contrary, he said, the Turkish side's positions were offensive to both the UN and the European Union, in their refusal to discuss the UN documents and in attempting to blackmail the EU on its accession policy towards Cyprus. Mr. Christofides then called on the UN to examine alternative ways of implementing its own resolutions on the Cyprus problem, adding that "whenever the Security Council wished to implement its resolutions it found ways to do so". Referring to comments internationally about the Cyprus talks, the Cyprus government Spokesman said that a correct interpretation shows that the efforts for a Cyprus solution must be intensified and that the island's EU accession process will continue its course. [02] British special envoy sees a long haul for Cyprus peace talksDespite some disappointment with the outcome of two rounds of direct negotiations between President Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash, the peace process is now moving into a new gear with the preparation of the legal texts of a settlement. In an interview to London Greek Radio (LGR) on 18.8.97 Sir David Hannay, Britain's Special Representative for Cyprus, said: "I don't think that there is any cause for despair. That there is some cause for disappointment, yes, and I share that." He noted the two rounds of direct talks "were not put to the best possible use", but said a work programme will go ahead this autumn as neither President Clerides nor Denktash had a problem with this."The peace process is now going to move into a new gear with the working by the UN, in consultation with the two parties, on the actual legal texts that will be needed for a settlement," Sir David added, noting they will cover issues such as a draft constitution, territorial adjustments, arrangements for security matters, refugees and compensation. Asked to comment on the Turkish side's threats not to participate in another round of negotiations unless the European Union postpones accession talks with Cyprus next year, Sir David reiterated that "the EU remains committed to the opening of negotiations with Cyprus, six months after the end of the Intergovernmental Conference". He noted he had made this position clear in all his contacts and added he had told Denktash that the EU dimension should be discussed "in great detail" this autumn. The British envoy said he also told the Turkish Cypriot leader that he "wasn't at all convinced that his approach was one that would really bring benefits." Commenting on the lack of results after two rounds of talks, Sir David said: "I do not think one should draw too many conclusions from one episode and one meeting. This is a long haul, most of us involved in this issue-and I am quite sure that President Clerides is one of those-have always known that it was going to be a long haul, there is no magic key to a solution, if there had been a magic key to the solution it would have been found years ago. [03] Russia clear on Turkish responsibility for failure of Cyprus talksRussia's Foreign Ministry issued a statement in the wake of UN-sponsored talks on Cyprus on Tuesday (19.8.97). The statement said that "unfortunately the outcome of the Glion talks did not match the hopes of the international community".The statement goes on: "The responsibility for the lack of success of this important effort... rests on the Turkish Cypriot side, which at Glion took a totally negative attitude to the UN Representative's proposals and ideas both procedural and substantive, by linking the possibility of progress on a Cyprus solution to their wish for freezing the EU-Cyprus relations as well as the abandoning of the deal for the sale of Russian missiles to Cyprus. [04] Excavations in Larnaca districtExcavations at the site of Panayia Ematousa, near Aradippou village, in the Larnaca District were completed for this period. They were carried out by a team of the University of Copenhagen. The archaeological team was working on three trenches leading to a building complex of the Late Hellenistic - Early Roman period. It was found that some walls were built over larger stone walls of an earlier building.Hellenistic pottery and also some Archaic pottery items were found, as well as some bronze coins. From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/Cyprus Press and Information Office: News Updates in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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