USIA - Transcripts: Cavanaugh Comments to Press in Ankara, 97-01-15

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TRANSCRIPTS: CAVANAUGH 1/15 COMMENTS TO PRESS IN ANKARA

(Crisis averted, discusses Cyprus with Oyman and Batu) (2190)

Cavanaugh, shuttling from Nicosia to Athens to Ankara in an effort to defuse the tense political situation in Cyprus "that was created by the Cypriot government's decision to go ahead with the idea of purchasing a Russian missile system and by the Turkish response," said he believes his meetings "have been very useful, and, we believe, successful in helping to defuse the situation."

He added, "My government had made clear, from the beginning, our belief that this decision was a mistake, that this decision is a step down the wrong path. I have repeated this message, and the fact that this will remain our policy, at every single stop I have made on this mission. We have been equally steadfast in our conviction that no aggressive response can be justified or accepted."

Following are transcripts of Cavanaugh's statement at the airport in Ankara and the following question and answer session with the press, as well as his remarks at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Ankara:

(Begin transcript of comments at airport in Ankara)

My meetings on Cyprus with Mr. Denktash and President Clerides and in Athens have been very useful, and, we believe, successful in helping to defuse the situation that was created by the Cypriot government's decision to go ahead with the idea of purchasing a Russian missile system and by the Turkish response. My government had made clear, from the beginning, our belief that this decision was a mistake, that this decision is a step down the wrong path. I have repeated this message, and the fact that this will remain our policy, at every single stop I have made on this mission. We have been equally steadfast in our conviction that no aggressive response can be justified or accepted.

I reviewed in detail with the government of Cyprus our concerns about military upgrades. We received some needed assurances here. One of those assurances was a concrete commitment that not even one component of the S- 300 missile system would be brought to Cyprus in the next 16 months. We have also discussed other steps which we believe could help reduce tensions in the region. I will raise these today and tomorrow in my meetings with the Turkish government.

Another positive development that came out of my visit to Cyprus was the commitment of Mr. Denktash and President Clerides of their full support for the immediate implementation of a package of measures developed by the United Nations to reduce prospects for incidents along the ceasefire lines. We believe that this will make a much more positive atmosphere on Cyprus and enable the international community to work to try to advance a solution to the problems on Cyprus. We hope to see this happen in the very near future, to see all of this package implemented.

I am looking forward to my visit here today in Turkey. I hope that the outcome of this stop will be just as positive as we have had at the other stops and that we will be able to continue to move things forward. I hope that we will be able to continue to reduce prospects for tensions here and that we will be able to continue to shift things, as I said, into a more positive, constructive direction. Thank you.

Q: You insisted on saying that the crisis is over, but after your (inaudible) Mr. Denktash says that the crisis is still going on. What do you say?

CAVANAUGH: I would say that it is very clear that concerns that were being expressed about this missile system, concerns that had been raised that this missile system could be brought to Cyprus in the near term -- there was no is no basis for those concerns. As I said, there is a very concrete assurance that this missile system is not coming in the near term. Concerns that Turkey might make a response to that have also been allayed. We have seen the discussion the governments had, the statements your leaders have made, and I see no sign and no reason that there would be further actions beyond this. I think, what is also clear, is that the United States has taken a very strong position to the effect that this is a mistake. This is not something that we support, this is not something we favor, this is not something we will favor in 16 months. We think a solution has to be found. It is my personal expectation that those missiles will never come to the island of Cyprus. Thank you.

(End transcript)

(Begin transcript of remarks at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Ankara)

I think my trip this week has been successful in helping to defuse what could have turned into a crisis. It was clearly a crisis atmosphere on Cyprus at the beginning of the week. I think it is not there any more. It does not mean that all of the problems have been resolved, but it does mean that the tempo, the concerns, for the moment, have been put off. And I think it provides time to fully resolve these problems. As I stated in every stop I have made on this trip, the United States was opposed to this decision. We think the decision to purchase these Russian missiles was a mistake. We'll remain opposed to that decision. But, what's useful now is we that have a very clear commitment that for 16 months not a single component of that system will be arriving in Cyprus. It's my hope that none of that system would ever arrive in Cyprus, and we will work to see what we can do to make sure it doesn't.

Q: Could you convince the Turks about that? The Turks were saying that the crisis was continuing. This was only yesterday. And could you convince the Turks that the tensions have been defused with the latest statement by Greek Cypriots that there will be no deployment for 16 months.

CAVANAUGH: I walked through the full range of progress we had reached in Cyprus. There were a number of items, I think, that moved forward. This 16- month commitment was one, progress along the cease-fire line was another, there were other items as well. I think they understand in fact that the atmosphere is changing. This has put a different cast on the situation of the island today. When you use the word crisis, crises are things that happen very quickly. They are very difficult to control. If you look at what we have now, we have an issue that has to be resolved, but something that, in theory, might appear in 16 months isn't much of a crisis. We have more than enough time, I believe, to sort out a resolution so this doesn't happen.

Q: What about other the measures -- have you -- because there were some other measures -- confidence-building measures being considered. For instance, the (inaudible) training from Karenau (phonetic), military flights over Cyprus and all that. Are there any problems?

CAVANAUGH: As I said, when I was in Cyprus, I received from Mr. Denktash and also from President Clerides their full support to move forward immediately with the U.N. package of confidence-building measures. I think that's also a very positive thing. That's been on the table for a long time. It's been hard to get movement on it. The U.N. believes this would truly help reduce the risk of incidents along the ceasefire lines. And I count on their support to see that to happening in the very near term. As regard overflights, this is an issue, as everyone is aware, which has also been discussed during this trip. It's still on the table. Those discussions are continuing. But I am somewhat optimistic that there should be a potential to try to move that forward.

Q: Has the Greek side accepted them (inaudible)?

CAVANAUGH: As I said, it's still being discussed -- the parameters, exactly how it would work. But I am somewhat optimistic that this may be worked out.

Q: If this "problem" of missiles is not solved, do you still believe that the Turkish side will have a positive attitude during the negotiating period?

CAVANAUGH: My hope is to take, what we have made clear is, in our view, a step down the wrong path, and to turn it back to the right path, to a path that would help promote work on a comprehensive settlement in Cyprus. I think what we've seen this week is a number of steps being taken in that direction. I think the decision has somewhat spoiled the political atmosphere. It would be impossible to deny that. It makes it harder to move ahead. I've mentioned in Athens and I think in Nicosia, the United States in fact regards this as a setback for some of our diplomatic efforts. Places we had hoped to be in the next few weeks or months are probably now moved back two, three months, maybe more. It's hard to gauge the full impact of how that decision to purchase missiles in the future will affect the negotiating process. At the same time, I think, it should also be clear that we have responded very quickly to this problem in an attempt to defuse it and to put things back on the right track. A number of European countries have done the same. This is not a decision that I think the Cypriot government will find was a wise one. They have argued that they have a right to self-defense. It's true, countries do have rights to self-defense, but it doesn't mean you can't make decisions that in fact impede your security, or, in this case, impede efforts in moving forward toward a settlement for Cyprus.

Q: Have the Americans postponed this problem for 16 months or will your effort continue to...?

CAVANAUGH: No, our efforts are going to continue, I think it is clear, without a stop. What we are working on is ways to regress the problem that just arose today, to eliminate any crisis atmosphere and to move things back in a positive direction. We think that this system should never be in Cyprus. We'll continue to work on that.

Q: Then you will continue your trip or will you have any other meetings in the future? Let me put it this way, do you think there might be any possibility that Messrs. Clerides and Denktash come together in Washington and discuss the problem?

CAVANAUGH: I think that's much farther into the future. As for questions regarding my trip, I'll be in Turkey for another day or two. I will go to Brussels on Monday to meet with the European Union and NATO and then, perhaps, after that return to Washington. That's not yet clear.

Q: Do you think arms transfers should be limited to the region?

CAVANAUGH: I think we've had a very clearly pronounced policy on Cyprus; our view is that additional arms and additional troops in Cyprus provide no further security. This is already one of the most militarized regions of the world. Our view is that security for Cyprus would be much better served with far fewer troops and far fewer arms.

Q: Does this include Turkey and Greece as well?

CAVANAUGH: Obviously. Are you talking about troops in Cyprus or do you mean the situation between Turkey and Greece?

Q: Turkey, Greece and Cyprus.

CAVANAUGH: I think that's a different question. But I would say that we would like to see a much firmer, healthier, stronger relationship between Greece and Turkey. And we are prepared to work where we can to help achieve that.

(End Transcripts)

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