DATE= 11/9/97
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-222389
TITLE=CYPRUS MEETING PREVIEW (LONG)
BYLINE=AL PESSIN
DATELINE=JERUSALEM
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: PRESIDENT CLINTON'S SPECIAL ENVOY FOR CYPRUS, RICHARD
HOLBROOKE, BEGINS HIS FIRST VISIT TO THE ISLAND MONDAY WITH
TENSION BETWEEN GREECE AND TURKEY HIGH AND RELATIONS BETWEEN THE
ISLAND'S GREEK AND TURKISH SECTORS SET TO BREAK DOWN EARLY NEXT
YEAR IF SOME AGREEMENT IS NOT REACHED. AL PESSIN REPORTS FROM
NICOSIA ON THE ISSUES AND SHARPLY DIFFERENT POSITIONS THAT AWAIT
MR. HOLBROOKE.
TEXT: THIS SMALL ISLAND IN THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN HAS BEEN A
POINT OF TENSION FOR MORE THAN 30-YEARS, WITH FIGHTING BETWEEN
ITS MAINLY ETHNIC GREEK AND TURKISH SECTORS BOTH REFLECTING AND
INCREASING TENSION BETWEEN GREECE AND TURKEY. THAT TENSION
NEARLY LED TO FIGHTING LAST MONTH WHEN TURKISH WAR PLANES
CHALLENGED GREEK AIR FORCE PLANES DURING MILITARY MANEUVERS.
ON CYPRUS, THE SITUATION HAS BEEN GENERALLY TENSE FOR MANY YEARS,
VIOLENCE HAS BROKEN OUT FROM TIME TO TIME. PRESIDENT CLINTON
TRIED TO MEDIATE A SETTLEMENT EARLY IN HIS FIRST TERM, BUT
FAILED. NOW, IN HIS SECOND TERM, HE HAS APPOINTED THE VETERAN
DIPLOMAT RICHARD HOLBROOKE -- THE MAN WHO MEDIATED THE
SEEMINGLY-IMPOSSIBLE BOSNIA SETTLEMENT -- TO TRY TO DO THE SAME
FOR CYPRUS.
MR. HOLBROOKE HAS ANOTHER DAUNTING TASK AHEAD OF HIM.
THE SOUTHERN, MAINLY GREEK, SECTOR OF THE ISLAND, KNOWN AS THE
REPUBLIC OF CYPRUS, HAS APPLIED FOR MEMBERSHIP IN THE EUROPEAN
UNION, AND NEGOTIATIONS ON ITS ACCESSION ARE TO BEGIN IN APRIL.
THE SMALLER, MAINLY TURKISH NORTHERN SECTOR, WHICH DECLARED ITS
INDEPENDENCE IN 1974, SAYS IF THOSE TALKS START, ALL TALK OF
REUNITING THE ISLAND WILL END. THE GREEK SIDE HAS ALSO ORDERED
RUSSIAN-MADE ANTI-AIRCRAFT MISSILES FOR DELIVERY NEXT SUMMER, A
MOVE THE TURKISH SIDE SEES VIRTUALLY AS AN ACT OF WAR.
THE NORTHERN SECTOR BROKE AWAY AFTER A BRIEF, BUT BLOODY AND
BITTER, WAR WHICH FOLLOWED A GREEK-BACKED COUP AND A TURKISH
INVASION, BUT ONLY TURKEY RECOGNIZES THE NORTHERN GOVERNMENT.
VARIOUS SETS OF NEGOTIATIONS IN THE 1970'S SET UP A FRAMEWORK FOR
RE-UNIFICATION, BASED ON A VAGUE CONCEPT CALLED BI-COMMUNALITY.
BUT THE TWO SIDES HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO AGREE ON JUST HOW TO
IMPLEMENT THAT IDEA.
A SOLUTION SEEMS NO CLOSER TODAY. THE TURKISH SIDE, WITH ONLY
18-PERCENT OF THE POPULATION, INSISTS ON EQUALITY IN A NEW
CYPRIOT FEDERATION. THE GREEK SIDE, IS RELUCTANT TO GIVE UP THAT
MUCH POWER.
MR. HOLBROOKE IS EXPECTED TO BRING THE GREEK-SIDE LEADER GLAFKOS
CLERIDES AND THE TURKISH-SIDE LEADER RAUF DENKTASH TOGETHER ON
TUESDAY, BUT NO QUICK SOLUTION IS EXPECTED.
THE TWO ELDERLY LEADERS HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN SIMILAR
NEGOTIATIONS FOR MORE THAN 30-YEARS. THEY BOTH SAY THEY WANT A
SETTLEMENT, AND BOTH SIDES POINT TO THE EUROPEAN ISSUE AND THE
MISSILES, AS NEW MOTIVATIONS. BUT IN TWO RECENT MEETINGS MR.
CLERIDES AND MR. DENKTASH HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO MAKE ANY
PROGRESS, AND HAVE ACTUALLY INCREASED TENSIONS SOMEWHAT.
MR. DENKTASH DESCRIBES THE MUCH-ANTICIPATED HOLBROOKE VISIT AS
DESIGNED ONLY TO RE-ESTABLISH CONTACT, NOT TO HAVE SUBSTANTIVE
DISCUSSIONS. WHILE MR. CLERIDES SAYS HE WOULD LIKE TO MOVE
FORWARD, HE IS FACING ELECTIONS IN FEBRUARY. (SIGNED)
NEB/AWP/RAE
09-Nov-97 3:09 PM EST (2009 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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