Cyprus Mail: Press Review in English, 99-04-22

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From: The Cyprus Mail at <http://www.cynews.com/>

Thursday, April 22, 1999

Balkan crisis could affect Cyprus initiative

THE CYPRUS peace efforts were given a Yugoslavia angle yesterday as one newspaper reported American displeasure with the island's stance in the Kosovo crisis.

Politis reported that the United States had made it very clear to Nicosia that its stance on the Kosovo crisis would "have negative consequences on the prospect of a new American initiative being undertaken for Cyprus". According to diplomatic sources, similar warnings had been conveyed to Nicosia by at least three European governments.

In the last 48 hours, US ambassador Kenneth Brill had issued stricter warnings about the support expressed in Cyprus for President Slobodan Milosevic. Americans are said to be particularly annoyed about the demonstrations outside their Nicosia embassy and about the resolution, voted by the House of Representatives that made no mention about the violation of the rights of Kosovars.

US reactions have prompted the Cyprus Foreign Ministry into action. It has decided to undertake a "damage limitation" diplomatic campaign. Meetings would be arranged with officials of European countries so that Cyprus could explain its positions.

This report was contradicted by the lead story in Phileleftheros, which claimed that Nicosia had been "receiving assurances" that there would be efforts aimed at a resumption of the Cyprus talks. The visits of mediators from different countries constituted the precursor of this initiative, which is expected to take place in the summer.

The main protagonists of the initiative are the Americans and the British, who are working on specific ideas which will be used as the basis for a package of proposals for a Cyprus settlement. It was not yet clear whether the Americans and the British had been co-operating in the formulation of the ideas.

Haravghi led with a preview of the anti-Nato forum which was organised by Akel and is being attended by left-wing parties from abroad. The leaders of the Russian Communist Party and of Greece's Left Wing Alliance have arrived for the forum.

After his meeting with these leaders, Akel chief Demetris Christofias said he hoped the left wing movement in Europe would defend the rights and values for which it had always fought. He also accused the government of not taking a clear stand against the Nato bombing and added: "Using the alleged ethnic cleansing in Kosovo as a pretext, Nato is conducting this beastly and inhuman raid against Yugoslavia."

Simerini reported that the war had prompted a new dispute between Serbia and Croatia over the Prevlaka peninsula just south of Dubrovnik. The Croatian government reacted strongly when some 300 Yugoslav soldiers entered the disputed area, which is demilitarised and under the control of a small UN force.

Croatia warned that if the Yugoslav soldiers were not pulled out it would also send army units to the area. It has been suggested that the entry into Prevlaka was a tactical move by Belgrade to show that there was a real danger of the war spreading to the whole Balkan area.

Alithia, quoted a report which appeared in the Washington Post, claiming that President Milosevic "has transferred 30 million dollars to secret accounts in Cyprus". The German Bild magazine also carried the report, saying that Cyprus "is an ideal place thanks to the absolute secrecy offered by banks and thanks to the traditionally good ties between Greeks and Serbs".

Machi said that Disy leader Nicos Anastassiades' authority was being challenged by the decision of a party member to stand against him in June's leadership elections.

© Copyright Cyprus Mail 1999

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