USIA - Transcript: Cavanaugh Remarks Following Meeting with Denktash, 97-01-13

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TRANSCRIPT: CAVANAUGH REMARKS FOLLOWING MEETING WITH DENKTASH

(Clerides, Denktash support UN plan to reduce tensions) (950)

Cavanaugh gave a press briefing following his meeting with the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community, Rauf Denktash, January 13. Earlier that day he met with President Glafcos Clerides in Nicosia.

The UN proposals "include a code of conduct, the unloading of weapons along the cease-fire line, and further unmanning along the cease-fire lines," Cavanaugh said. "This morning I received full support for the immediate implementation of those measures (from President Clerides). Mr. Denktash is equally on board with full support for that immediate implementation. We hope to see steps towards those goals very, very quickly. There will be meetings, in fact, later this week to begin putting that into motion."

He said he believes there has been "a serious reduction in the tension as regards the situation with the Russian missiles" the Cyprus government said it planned to acquire, and the United States hopes there will "very quickly be steps taken to reduce the tensions along the cease-fire lines."

Following is a transcript of Cavanaugh's remarks:

(Begin transcript)

We also had a lengthy discussion on other issues that I had raised this morning, particularly the moving forward with the U.N. package of proposals to reduce tensions along the cease-fire lines. As many of you are aware, these include a code of conduct, the unloading of weapons along the cease- fire line, and further unmanning along the cease-fire lines. This morning I received full support for the immediate implementation of those measures. Mr. Denktash is equally on board with full support for that immediate implementation. We hope to see steps towards those goals very, very quickly. There will be meetings, in fact, later this week to begin putting that into motion. We were very pleased about that.

The other issue we discussed this afternoon was the value of enhanced bicommunal contacts, the importance we attach to both communities drawing closer together to better understand their own situations, plights, histories, and the conditions in which they live, their hopes and their dreams, and we hope that that will continue and be expanded.

QUESTION: Mr. Cavanaugh, are you telling us now that the tensions have been reduced?

CAVANAUGH: I would say it's too early to say the tension has fully been reduced. I think what we have seen is a serious reduction in the tension as regards the situation with the Russian missiles. What we hope is what we now see are indications that there will very quickly be steps taken to reduce the tensions along the cease-fire lines and there are other issues still at play which we believe to help relieve tensions further on the island. I will continue to work on those issues in Athens and in Ankara this week.

QUESTION: But the contract has been signed and unless it is canceled, it's going to be implemented.

CAVANAUGH: As I think I've made clear, the United States thinks that decision to sign that contract was a mistake, and we're opposed to the policy of deploying those missiles.

QUESTION: Mr. Denktash stated that if those missiles come in sixteen months, Turkey will attack. I'd like your opinion.

CAVANAUGH: The desire of the United States of America is to see no conflict, is to see no strife, is to see no loss of life, anywhere, but in particular, in this corner of the world. We do not want to see a conflict between Greece and Turkey. We do not want to see a conflict between Turkey and Cyprus. We do not want to see fighting or death on this island. I think if anything is clear, it's that the effort of the United States in the past several years, and in particular, in the last year, has been to take every step we can to reduce any prospect for that kind of action.

QUESTION: After seeing Mr. Denktash, are you still optimistic that in the period of 18 (sic) months, a solution is feasible?

CAVANAUGH: I think a solution is feasible as long as everyone is committed to finding a solution, and I think my government has made clear its commitment to try to help wherever we can to find such a solution. It should be obvious from my visit to the island this week that we are very engaged on working on that.

QUESTION: Within that time limit?

CAVANAUGH: I think many things are possible but it depends on, again, the goodwill of people to find these solutions.

QUESTION: Did Mr. Denktash give you that impression today after you had this meeting?

CAVANAUGH: I have a very clear indication of his goodwill and his hope to find a better future on this island.

(End transcript)

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