DATE=2/8/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=CYPRUS TALKS (L ONLY)
NUMBER=2-258941
BYLINE=LISA SCHLEIN
DATELINE=GENEVA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Peace talks for Cyprus are failing to make
progress on efforts to reunify the divided island.
But, as Lisa Schlein reports from Geneva, leaders of
the Greek and Turkish communities on Cyprus have
agreed to meet again in May in New York.
TEXT: U-N mediator Alvaro De Soto refuses to get into
the substance of the talks. The most he will say is
that the process is on track. He says the two sides
worked in what he calls a constructive manner and
explored in greater depth the issues before them.
Mr. De Soto met separately throughout the past week-
and-a-half with Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash
and Greek President Glafcos Clerides.
The U-N mediator says he is upset because the two
sides did not observe a U-N imposed blackout on the
talks and engaged in a war of words outside the
negotiating room. But he says that in the end, that
did not matter very much.
/// DE SOTO ACT ONE ///
We would have preferred that these public
statements had not been made. That would have
been our preference. Having said this, they did
not affect the course of the talks. No meetings
were shortened or cancelled or postponed as a
result.
/// END ACT ///
Mr. De Soto held seven separate meetings with each
side. He says the talks focused on four core issues
linked to the establishment of a proposed federation
of the divided island -- security, the borders of the
two communities, the sharing of power, and the return
of refugees including compensation for lost property.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded
the northern third of the island to keep it from being
unified with Greece. Turkey is the only country that
recognizes the Turkish-Cypriot government.
Mr. De Soto says he is neither optimistic nor
pessimistic about the peace process. But, he says
there is reason to believe that Greece and Turkey are
well poised to help break the negotiating deadlock.
/// DE SOTO ACT TWO ///
The improving of the climate in relations
between and Greece and Turkey give grounds for
hope. Perhaps hope is a better word. We hope
that this will be reflected in the proximity
talks. What we can simply say now is that the
talks remain on track.
/// END ACT ///
Mr. De Soto says issues surrounding the long-standing
dispute are complex and difficult, and will not be
resolved anytime soon. He says achieving a
comprehensive settlement on Cyprus will take time and
considerable patience. (SIGNED)
NEB/LS/JWH/RAE
08-Feb-2000 09:01 AM EDT (08-Feb-2000 1401 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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