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Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 97-05-12Cyprus 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/>News UpdateMonday, 12/05/97CONTENTS
[01] US applauds Cyprus decision on military overflightsThe decision of the Cyprus government to cancel Greek military overflights during last week's TOXOTIS exercise has been welcome by the US State Department, Spokesman Nicholas Burns said during Friday's (9.5.97) briefing:"The US welcomes the decision of the government of Cyprus not to invite Greek aircraft to overfly Cyprus during the Toxotis-Vergina exercise and the information that no other such overflights are planned at this time". The US has also said it does not believe that cancellation of purchase of Russian missiles by the Cyprus government is the "most important next step" in the Cyprus peace effort. He also welcomed "the information from the government of Turkey that Turkey has no plans to overfly Cyprus as long as Greek aircraft do not overfly the island". These separate actions, Burns said, "contribute to a better atmosphere for the efforts currently underway under the auspices of the United Nations aimed at a solution of the Cyprus problem". In his remarks, Burns accentuated two points, first that "these are individual actions by the governments of Cyprus and by Turkey and by the government of Greece on the question of overflights. They were brought about because these governments decided to take these actions themselves, unilaterally". He noted the US had been pushing for this type of unilateral action on the part of the parties to the Cyprus conflict to make progress. The State Department Spokesman added also: "This is a significant step forward," he said and expressed the hope that it "will improve the climate for the negotiations that we hope will come this year to help resolve the Cyprus problem". [02] Primakov to hand Russian proposal on Cyprus to UN Secretary-GeneralRussia has confirmed that Foreign Minister Yevgeni Primakov will submit a comprehensive proposal on Cyprus to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan during their meeting next week in Moscow."Novosti" news agency quoted a Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Valery Nesteruskin, as saying they expect Kofi Annan to raise the Cyprus issue with Primakov. Nesteruskin urged the five permanent members of the UN Security Council to agree on the guiding lines of a Cyprus solution and the means and methods of achieving such a solution. The Russian proposal is based on an already prepared document which says that a settlement in Cyprus shall be based on a bicommunal and bizonal federation to ensure the existence of an independent and territorially integral state of Cyprus with a single sovereignty, single international legal personality and a single citizenship. The security of the Federal Republic of Cyprus, the document said, shall be insured by international safeguards and notes that the republic will be a demilitarized secular state. [03] UN Secretary-General addressed the missing persons issue in letter to the PresidentUnited Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan in a letter addressed to President Glafcos Clerides, outlines a number of suggestions on how to achieve progress in tracing the fate of the hundreds of missing persons since the Turkish invasion of 1974.Annan said it is vital that both Greek and Turkish Cypriots recognize that if it is to succeed, the work of the Committee of Missing Persons (CMP), an autonomous body set up for the express purpose of determining the fate of the missing, "cannot be subject to any political considerations or pressures". The UN Secretary-General added the CMP's work can only bearfruit "if both sides manifested their determination to move forward by implementing certain measures" agreed upon last year. These measures include the deletion of cases on persons believed to have perished and a final and thorough search for information on cases where there are no witnesses. "It is important that the two sides agree to conclude, as a priority, those cases on which sufficient information is already available", the UN chief said. Annan adds however, that this "in no way affects the right of families to seek the remains of their loved ones". The Greek Cypriot side has submitted 1,493 files on missing persons to the CMP and the Turkish Cypriot side about 500. [04] Turkish General in new threats against CyprusNew threats of military attack against Cyprus were fired by Turkish army's second-in-command, General Cevik Bir, when he arrived last weekend to visit the illegally occupied northern part of the island. "Turkey will not remain an observer" General Bir said, according to reports in the Turkish Cypriot Press.The Cyprus government's decision, announced earlier this year, to purchase surface-to-air missiles as part of its plans to upgrade the country's defences, was criticized by foreign observers, while Turkey responded with threats for a preemptive strike, if the arms deal goes ahead. The Turkish General said Turkey will continue with all its strength to support the self-styled Turkish Cypriot regime and the Turkish Cypriots. Turkey maintains an occupation army of 35,000 in Cyprus, while the Republic's National Guard numbers 8-10,000. Turkish military tanks number about 300. [05] Democratic Party leader re-electedThe two-day annual conference of the Democratic Party (DIKO) which ended Sunday 11.5.97, re-elected Spyros Kyprianou to the top party post, and gave Interior Minister, Dinos Michaelides, the second highest office in the party, that of the vice president.Spyros Kyprianou, a former President of the Republic, had no opposing candidate for his party presidency. However, balloting for the party's 10-member ruling body, the Executive Committee, was annulled after the votes were cast, amid protests about vote- rigging and disorganization. The Democratic Party has been supporting the present government of Glafcos Clerides, in return for half the Cabinet posts. But its leader Spyros Kyprianou has already declared his candidacy for February 1998's presidential election, although he does not demure from negotiating with the opposition parties with the aim of selecting a common opposition candidate. 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 |
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