Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 98-04-21

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

News Update

Tuesday, 21/04/98

CONTENTS

• [01] US envoy visits Cyprus
• [02] EU Commissioner says Cyprus should not be victimised
• [03] President's Easter message
• [04] Austrian FM says much is possible if each side takes into account the other side's views
• [05] UN Human Rights Committee on Cyprus
• [06] New Dutch contingent in UNFICYP

[01] US envoy visits Cyprus

Soon after his arrival, Mr Miller had meetings first with Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash and later with President Glafcos Clerides.

Mr Miller's visit is seen as an effort to make progress towards the resumption of the intercommunal dialogue in advance of an expected visit to the island on 2 May by US Presidential Emissary Richard Holbrooke.

In statements, Mr Miller said the purpose of his very short trip is to set the stage for when Ambassador Richard Holbrooke returns "for what will be a very very important visit, in the early part of May."

This is an intensive American effort, he added, and the US is trying the best it can to address the core issues of the Cyprus problem.

Mr Miller is due to visit Ankara and Athens for talks.

[02] EU Commissioner says Cyprus should not be victimised

Speaking at a press conference in Washington, after talks with the US administration, Mr Van den Broek expressed regret that the Turkish Cypriots have chosen not to join the accession negotiations for membership and said he had asked the US to exercise its influence on Turkey to encourage them to reconsider. He said he found it difficult to understand why Mr Denktash keeps the Turkish Cypriot community isolated.

He said if lack of co-operation from the Turkish side leads to eventual acceptance of a divided Cyprus in the EU, this would be a very unfortunate situation for the Turkish and the Greek Cypriots as they would start thinking that the division of the island may well be a permanent affair.

The Commissioner said, moreover, that eventual accession of a divided Cyprus might signal the end of Turkey's aspirations for entry into the EU.

Asked about the possibility of suspending accession talks with Cyprus to give Turkey time to reconsider a change of heart, the EU official replied "the real question is should we victimise the Cypriot application for membership because Turkey at the present time is not in a position to co- operate?"

Mr Van den Broek said Turkey and Turkish Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktash, should change course on the issues of Cyprus' accession to the European Union and EU-Turkey relations.

He said that peace talks and accession negotiations "need not interfere with each other but they can cross-fertilise each other."

Commenting on Denktash's attempts to gain recognition, Van den Broek said "I am very sorry that would be against the international legality and there is no country in the world, except Turkey, that has recognised that 'state'."

[03] President's Easter message

"Those who believe in the resurrection of Christ look forward to justice, which requires patience, decisiveness, strength, hope and above all faith in achieving one's final goal," he said.

He said the start of accession negotiations with the European Union gives a fresh impetus "to our hopes and strengthens our faith in our resurrection."

He expressed the hope that "next year we shall celebrate Easter in a united, peaceful and happy Cyprus."

[04] Austrian FM says much is possible if each side takes into account the other side's views

He also pointed out that a Cyprus settlement should be based on UN resolutions and said the island's European Union course could facilitate the peace effort here.

Speaking at a joint press conference with his Cypriot counterpart, Ioannis Kasoulides, after official talks at the Foreign Ministry during his visit to the island last week, Mr Schussel expressed strong support for all efforts to settle the Cyprus question and pointed to the need for "new formulas to bring the two communities together."

"I hope that the present deadlock in the peace process could be lifted and we will do our utmost to support the possibilities of hope in the future," he reassured.

The Austrian official, who earlier had a lengthy meeting with the Cypriot President Glafcos Clerides, welcomed the latter's invitation to the Turkish Cypriot community to nominate representatives in the Cyprus official team that will carry out accession talks with the EU. He described the invitation as "very important for us."

He said that despite the fact that the Turkish Cypriots have turned down the invitation, "the door should be open" to them for as long as the EU talks with Cyprus are taking place.

"We want to have the unified island in the EU. This is a common hope and we should do our utmost to facilitate this possibility," he added.

He also praised President Glafcos Clerides' thinking in the sense that the President takes into account the views of the Turkish Cypriot community.

Mr Schussel said "I think we are now entering a very sensitive and interesting phase and a lot is possible if everybody agrees and joins in to find a permanent solution and think with the head of the other."

He said it was "very important and very interesting that the President tries not only to think with one head but also to think with the other community's head."

He described this as the main message he gleaned from his meeting with President Clerides.

Austria takes over the six-month presidency of the European Union on July 1, 1998.

[05] UN Human Rights Committee on Cyprus

Amongst Cyprus' positive achievements the Committee lists the establishment of a Commissioner for Administration with a mandate to investigate, inter alia, cases of ill-treatment and torture, as well as the establishment of a National Institution for Human Rights charged with monitoring the Cyprus government's compliance with obligations under human rights instruments.

It also expresses appreciation over the revision of legislation on prisons, the establishment of a register for detainees, and the creation of an independent Prison Council.

The incorporation of a human rights course element in the training of police officers and government officials, the establishment of a family court with jurisdiction over civil and religious marriage are also welcomed as is the agreement between the Cyprus government and Turkish Cypriots to resolve the fate of the missing persons.

Principal subjects of concern for the Committee and areas where improvements need to be made include the inequality between men and women both in law and in practise, the discriminatory legal provisions which penalise homosexual acts, the need for further measures for the prevention of violence within the family, the discriminatory treatment accorded to conscientious objectors, and the need for effective remedy for any victims of alleged police brutality.

[06] New Dutch contingent in UNFICYP

The UN Security Council has agreed to a proposal by the UN Secretary- General Kofi Annan, whereby a company of Netherlands personnel will be included in the British unit deployed in the United Nations buffer zone in Cyprus without increasing the overall strength of the unit.

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

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