Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 96-07-23

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CONTENTS

[01] Clinton wants ''pragmatic steps'' to help Cyprus solution

[02] President congratulates Egyptian counterpart

[03] EU presidency representative in Cyprus

[04] No military dialoque with T/Cypriot participation, says President

[05] Britains welcome prospect for military dialogue

[06] Euro MP's stress need for coordination

1020:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Clinton wants ''pragmatic steps'' to help Cyprus solution

In his letter to Congress, attached to the President's bi-monthly report on developments in Cyprus, US President William Clinton said the US ''could help to facilitate a solution only if all the parties were sincerely interested in taking the pragmatic steps necessary for an intercommunal agreement.''

Clinton draws attention to the need ''to seize the unique opportunity that currently exists to make the long-elusive Cyprus solution a reality.''

''I have been engaged in a series of meetings with leaders from the region to underscore my interest in advancing a Cyprus solution,'' Clinton said in his letter to the Speaker of the US House of Representatives and the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Jesse Helms.

Clinton said he was ''encouraged'' that one of his top aides, John Kornblum, Acting Assistant Secretary, ''found broad appreciation of the need to move ahead on Cyprus.''

The two-page report, which covers the period between April and end of May, outlines the number of meetings various US officials have held during the period under review.

The report notes that ''leaders in Turkey, Greece and on the island told Kornblum they recognised the need to try to move forward on Cyprus.''

It also said that Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash ''described security and the question of guarantees as a defining issue within the comprehensive approach.''

CNA MM/AP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1130:CYPPRESS:02

[02] President congratulates Egyptian counterpart

In a congratulatory message to Egyptian President Mohamed Hosni Mubarak, to mark Egypt's National Day today, the President said ''I am certain that the traditionally close relations of friendship and cooperation between our countries and peoples will be further enhanced in the coming years.''

President Clerides extended ''warmest greetings and heartiest congratulations'' to Murbarak on the occasion of the anniversary of the National Day of the Arab Republic of Egypt and wished him ''the friendly people of Egypt constant progress and prosperity.''

CNA MM/AP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1210:CYPPRESS:03

[03] EU presidency representative in Cyprus

Heaslip's visit follows his contacts in Brussels, where he is seeing today EU Commissioner for External Affairs Hans van den Broek, to discuss matters pertaining Cyprus' application for accession to the Union.

During his two-day visit, Heaslip, who will be accompanied by Ireland's Athens-based Ambassador to Cyprus Liam Rigney, will meet President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash and Foreign Minister Alecos Michaelides.

The purpose of the visit, the same sources have said, is to ''see, meet and talk to the people in Cyprus who are involved in the Cyprus question.''

Heaslip, expected to arrive from Dublin, is likely to see Greek Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos and Turkey's Foreign Minister Tansu Ciller in the coming days, CNA has learned.

The Irish presidency representative has told CNA in Dublin that ''I will try to do my best'' in his capacity as Ireland's envoy for Cyprus.

Heaslip's appointment, the sources said, is an indication of EU interest in the Cyprus problem and in the Cypriot accession course.

CNA MM/AP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1400:CYPPRESS:04

[04] No military dialogue with T/Cypriot participation, says President

Speaking to the press, the President said ''the Greek Cypriot side will not to take part in a military dialogue between the Commander of the National Guard and the Commander of the Turkish occupation forces if, the so-called commander of the Turkish Cypriot forces participates in this dialogue.''

The President said he made this position clear to US Presidential Emissary Richard Beattie during a telephone conversation he had with him last night.

Clerides has also said that Beattie had reassured him that the agreement on a military dialogue, announced last week by US Permanent Representative to the UN Madeleine Albright during her brief visit here, does not envisage Turkish Cypriot participation.

The President's comments came only a day after Albright told a press conference in New York that Turkish Cypriot participation in the military talks is a ''subject under discussion'' following a request to that effect by the Turkish Cypriot side.

The US Ambassador has also said that ''not much ought to be made of this'' and pointed out that this should not become a ''cause celebre.''

However, Albright said she believed it was appropriate that the Turkish commander should be present at the talks.

CNA MM/MCH/1996

1415:CYPPRESS:05

[05] Britain welcomes prospect for military dialogue

Speaking after a meeting with President Glafcos Clerides today, Madden said he thought ''it is an excellent idea to bring together the Commander of the Greek Cypriot National Guard to discuss the various technical military issues, which will help to reduce tension along the buffer zone.''

Madden also noted that reducing tension along the buffer zone would ''help the atmosphere for discussion of the Cyprus problem.''

''Our feeling is that a meeting of the sort proposed would have a helpful effect on the overall atmosphere if you could agree to the various measures set out in the operative paragraph of UN Security Council resolution 1062'', Madden said.

Resolution 1062 calls on ''the military authorities on both sides to enter immediately into intensive discussions with UN Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) with a view to extending the 1989 unmanning agreement to cover all areas of the buffer zone where the two sides are in close proximity.''

Asked to comment on statements by Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash that the so-called commander of the Turkish Cypriot forces should be present at such a meeting, Madden replied ''I am not going to be drawn into the details of exactly how a meeting should take place or who could be there because it is not a matter for the UK and it's now a matter of the UN and the two sides to agree on the practicalities.''

Replying to questions, Madden said there is no separate British initiative'' on Cyprus, and noted there is ''an enhanced British effort to assist the UN in bringing about a settlement in the Cyprus problem.''

Madden also said that there is no intention on Britain's part ''to separate any of the aspects'' of the Cyprus problem but that they should all ''be dealt as part of a comprehensive overall settlement''.

CNA MCH/MM/1996

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[06] Euro MP's stress need for coordination

Speaking after a meeting with President Glafcos Clerides, the Chairman of the European Liberal Democratic and Reforming Party Gijs de Vries and Jan Willem Bertens noted the EU should actively contribute in the search for a Cyprus settlement.

The Euro-MP's said they are here for a three day familiarisation visit to ''see in what way the EU can help diplomatically in resolving the tension in the area''.

De Vries described the future of the island as of ''great geopolitical importance in terms of peace and stability in the entire eastern Mediterranean and the southern side of the European Union''.

In relation to this, he stressed the need for close coordination of EU and other efforts to solve the problem on the island.

Asked whether he supports the appointment of a permanent EU representative for Cyprus, de Vries noted the importance for continuity ''to be part of any diplomatic effort''.

''It is up to the member states to decide how best to organise that continuity,'' he added.

De Vries welcomed the American initiative for a Cyprus settlement, but stressed ''there should not be a proliferation of separate initiatives from the UN, the US, the UK and the EU.''

''It is a matter of better coordination and that is a message which we will take home to Brussels when we return,'' he added.

Asked on Cyprus' EU entry prior to a solution of its political problem, Bertens reminded the EU's unanimous position that there is no condition on its membership and ''especially no condition that the Cyprus problem should be solved''

The two, he added, are parallel processes, but noted the EU should contribute actively to the search for peace and stability in Cyprus and the region as a whole.

On his part de Vries said ''it would be highly preferable'' to reach a solution before EU accession and noted there is enough time ''before accession negotiations finish''.

The Dutch Euro-MP also stressed that ''no-one should exercise a veto over the decision making process in the EU, in respect to which country should join.''

''Turkey should not have a veto, Greece should not have a veto, no country should have a veto,'' de Vries added..

He noted the EU should make its decisions ''on the basis of the merits of the case, and without undue pressure by anyone'' and said ''there should not be a direct link between the question of the future of Cyprus, the two communities and accession.'' CNA/EC/MCH/MA/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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