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Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 99-12-09Cyprus 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/>Thursday, 9 December 1999[01]The proximity talks on Cyprus continued in New York yesterday morning with a meeting between President Clerides and the UN Secretary-General's Special Adviser for Cyprus, Mr Alvaro de Soto.Respecting the news blackout President Clerides made no statements after the meeting, which lasted one and a half hours. Yesterdays round talks on Cyprus ended with a meeting between Mr de Soto and Turkish Cypriot leader Mr.Rauf Denktash. On the sidelines of the talks, contacts between the envoys of various countries continue to take place in New York, among themselves, with the UN and the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot sides [02]Cyprus Government Spokesman Michalis Papapetrou, who is currently in New York for the proximity talks on Cyprus, made a statement regarding Turkish Cypriot allegations that unknown persons in Cyprus National Guard uniform yesterday attacked and shot in the thigh a Turkish Cypriot "policeman" in the area of occupied Lefka.In his statement Mr Papapetrou stressed that the UN believe that the slight injury sustained by a Turkish Cypriot and the presence of two Greek Cypriots in the buffer zone are two unrelated incidents. "What I can say is that UNFICYP does not link the two events, namely the presence of two Greek Cypriots in the buffer zone and the slight injury of a Turkish Cypriot 240 meters away." The Government Spokesman said "the incident does not lend itself to political exploitation as the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mr Denktash, is attempting to do." [03]"Let me just repeat the appeal I've made to the parties and all the countries concerned. To refrain from making any statements that may inflame tensions, complicate the talks", United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan stated yesterday.Mr Annan said that there would be a statement at the appropriate time when the talks have been completed and a press briefing as to what has been achieved. "I would appeal to all the parties once again to respect this understanding and this agreement. I don't want to get to finger pointing here, all I want to do is to repeat my appeal. I think it is crucial for all of us to respect the rules of the game and generally I think it has been done and I would urge them to continue to do so", he concluded. [04]The Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union and High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy, Mr Javier Solana, in a statement after the completion of the work of the General Affairs Council on 5 December, on Cyprus' European Union accession said that all possible efforts are being made for the settlement of the Cyprus problem.There can be no veto to Cyprus' EU accession if Cyprus respects the rules, he said adding that the only condition for its accession is in reality the respect of the rules. [05]An early day motion signed by seven British Labour Members of Parliament expresses the House of Commons' support to all initiatives to bring about a just and viable solution to the Cyprus problem.The early day motion, which will be tabled today, underlines that the House looks forward "to a positive outcome to the current round of negotiations which will enable all the citizens of Cyprus whatever their ethnic origins to live together again peacefully in a free, united Cyprus." 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 |