Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 98-03-03

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

News Update

Tuesday, 03/03/98

CONTENTS

• [01] President in his investiture speech calls on Denktash to build a common home
• [02] New cabinet
• [03] Hannay calls for "generous proposal" regarding Turkish Cypriot participation in EU accession talks
• [04] US believes there's an opportunity for progress but it will be difficult
• [05] US praise for Cyprus in combating drug trafficking and money laundering

[01] President in his investiture speech calls on Denktash to build a common home

The President also stressed that Cyprus' increased defence capability should be seen as an adequate deterrent to avert the military option as a method of solving differences, noting that "it is absurd to talk about a balance of power."

Speaking before the House of Representatives, at his investiture on Saturday 28 February, President Clerides said his main objective is "to achieve progress in the efforts to secure a solution of the Cyprus question."

He also said he would promote the Republic's application for accession to the European Union and utilise the dynamics created to reunify Cyprus.

Moreover, Clerides stressed that he intends to maintain close co-operation with Greece, build the country's defences and implement the Cyprus-Greece joint defence doctrine.

Referring to his "compatriot Rauf Denktash," the President said "I call on you to work with us for our common homeland. Let us start the process for creating a new Cyprus in a new century."

He pointed out that "it is our duty to do so and it is the best gift we can give to our children and grand-children, to all Cypriot children."

Clerides pledged he would "help Mr. Denktash to bring about together the new reality" and underlined that although third parties can help towards this goal, "a lot depends on us ourselves."

"I look forward to co-operating with the Turkish Cypriot leadership in the coming months so as to turn this ideal into a reality in Cyprus," he added, noting the forthcoming period would be one of intensive consultations on the Cyprus problem and political activity behind the scenes.

The President urged the Turkish Cypriots to "think about the future and bequeath to future generations a heritage of peace, not a heritage of confrontation and conflict."

Acknowledging that both communities have suffered a lot and paid dearly for their mistakes, Clerides said a solution in Cyprus should have "a system ensuring that each community will manage its own affairs in absolute equality."

Nevertheless, he stressed that Cyprus, as a united country, should be "one state, with a single sovereignty, single international personality and single citizenship, regardless of decentralisation and specific differences."

A Cyprus settlement, he said, is "not difficult, provided there is goodwill on all sides."

President Clerides said moreover that Turkey must realise that a solution in Cyprus "will give the necessary impetus, offering at the same time tremendous benefits."

He called on Turkey to allow the Turkish Cypriots to "participate in the journey of no return" towards EU accession, or face the isolation of Turkish Cypriot community and an obstacle in the way of Turkey's own aspirations.

"If the Turkish Cypriot community has the necessary political will, it would not be difficult to find ways for it to participate in Cyprus' accession course," the President said.

Commenting on defence issues, he reiterated that "we have no intention of attacking anyone, our intention is to have an adequate deterrent to avert the military option as a method of solving differences.

On the home front, the President promised to promote the principles of meritocracy and good government, maintain a strong and dynamic economy, upgrade the island's role as an international services centre and strengthen and upgrade democratic institutions.

[02] New cabinet

The Ministers gave the prescribed affirmation before President Clerides, during a ceremony at the Presidential Palace.

The new Council of Ministers is as follows:

Ioannis Kasoulides - Minister of Foreign Affairs

Dinos Michaelides - Minister of the Interior

Christodoulos Christodoulou - Minister of Finance

Yiannakis Omirou - Minister of Defence

Lykourgos Kappas - Minister of Education and Culture

Leontios Ierodiaconou - Minister of Communications and Works

Nicos Rolandis - Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism

Costas Themistocleous - Minister of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment

Andreas Moushouttas - Minister of Labour and Social Insurance

Nicos Koshis - Minister of Justice and Public Order

Christos Solomis - Minister of Health

Christos Stylianides is the new Government Spokesman. Pantelis Kouros retains his position as Under-Secretary to the President. Spyros Arotis is appointed Press Spokesman for the President of the Republic.

Speaking at the ceremony President Clerides urged his new cabinet, whose members come from different political spheres, to work together in a constructive manner to the benefit of Cyprus.

Clerides said the Council of Ministers embarks on its task at a time when "we anticipate significant developments in the Cyprus problem and our accession course to the European Union."

[03] Hannay calls for "generous proposal" regarding Turkish Cypriot participation in EU accession talks

"If there is a serious and generous offer from the Greek Cypriot side, which is what we are working for, this will be warmly welcomed and endorsed by the EU," he said, speaking at a press conference for Greek and Turkish Cypriot journalists, at the end of his visit to Cyprus last week.

Sir David pointed out that such an offer "could provoke a response from the other side (Turkish Cypriot), but if it does not, I think everyone would wish to see it stay on the table and be available throughout the negotiations".

He pointed out that whatever "innovative arrangements" will be reached for EU negotiations need not involve a recognition by the Republic of Cyprus of the pseudostate nor would the illegal regime have to recognise that the "Republic of Cyprus was the sole government of Cyprus."

Sir David stressed that March 31, when accession talks will begin, is "an absolute and fixed date on the calendar" and sees "no circumstances under which that will not take place".

He added that for the talks "to be meaningful" the Cyprus government's position would have to be known well in advance "so that we can discuss it with the Turkish Cypriots and see whether there is any possibility of reaching an agreement on that."

The British Representative said he was saddened that Turkish Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktash, had refused to see him.

"I would have liked to have heard his views on all these subjects", he said and pointed out that "we are not going to get solutions on any of them without the co-operation of the Turkish Cypriots whose community he is the leader".

Sir David said, moreover, that British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook has invited Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash to London later next month in the hope the issues can be pursued fruitfully but there has as yet been no response,.

He said the EU was also working on developing closer ties with Turkey and that the EU Commission would on March 4 table a paper which will set out a number of practical ways in which the Customs Union can be developed.

"The whole of Cyprus is at a rather important turning point", the British Representative said, noting that "decisions are going to be taken in the next few years which will be of fundamental importance for everyone who lives in Cyprus".

Such decisions, he explained, relate to Cyprus' European course as well as to the "possibility of a political settlement or the lack of possibility of a political settlement".

"One should not simply assume that we are in front of a static situation. Things are going to move on".

"The solution that most people would like is that a bicommunal federal Cyprus join the EU," Sir David said. "That is the best for everyone. In my view it is the best for the people of Cyprus and certainly best for the European Union and for others and that is what we should be trying to achieve."

The British envoy said he may return to the island this week when EU External Affairs Commissioner Hans van den Broek arrives.

It was also reported last week that the UN Secretary-General's special adviser on Cyprus, Diego Cordovez, would come to the island on March 16.

[04] US believes there's an opportunity for progress but it will be difficult

In an interview with the Greek "Kathimerini", US ambassador to Greece, Nicholas Burns, said "there is an opportunity here and we think that all of us must try to take the opportunity to make some progress."

"We think that 1998 is the year in which progress should be made on Cyprus. That does not mean it will be made. That is up to the partners whether or not it will be made," Burns pointed out.

"Getting there is going to be extremely difficult. We are going to work with anyone involved, the Turkish government, the Turkish Cypriots, the Greek government, the Cypriot government in Nicosia on this basis," he added.

The American ambassador said the US works closely with the UK and its Cyprus envoy and the UN.

"I will expect that you will see the next couple of weeks a series of visits by representatives of all these countries and the UN to begin now intensively trying to devise a way to restart the negotiations on Cyprus and to point the way to a positive solution," Burns said.

[05] US praise for Cyprus in combating drug trafficking and money laundering

The State Department's International Narcotics Report for 1997 says "the (Cyprus) government enforces tough anti-drug laws," and praises the government for the introduction of legislation to implement the EU Convention on Laundering, Search, Seizure and Confiscation of the Proceeds from Crime, passed in April 1996.

The US report remarks that Cyprus' success as an international offshore centre has made it vulnerable to international money laundering activities but adds that the Central Bank's efforts in recent years have reduced money laundering activity" and there has been a "falloff in detected illicit financial activity on Cyprus during the past two years."

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

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