Cyprus Mail: Press Review in English, 98-03-14

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From: The Cyprus Mail at <http://www.cynews.com/>

Saturday, March 14, 1998

Positive response to proposal

THE POSITIVE response of the British presidency of the EU to the government's proposal for the participation of Turkish Cypriots in accession talks was the lead story in all papers except one.

Alithia said that accession talks would begin on March 31, with or without the Turkish Cypriots, but noted that difficulties would arise. It quoted British Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, who congratulated President Clerides for his stance, describing the government proposal as "very fair".

However, the pro-Turkish stance of France was bound to cause problems in the future, it said. France agreed to the start of talks but proposed that the European Commission drafts a report about the participation of Turkish Cypriots.

Simerini, said the proposal had weakened France's position. It added however that President Chirac believed the Cyprus negotiating team should be bi-communal. Inevitably, this would delay the accession procedure, because it meant waiting for the unification of Cyprus.

European Commissioner Hans van den Broek, who described Cyprus proposal as "generous", raised the issue of the EU funds, earmarked for Turkey, which have been blocked by Greece. He said that Greece should now lift its objections.

Phileleftheros, quoting Clerides, said that the proposal was only the first step. The modalities about the Turkish Cypriot participation would be discussed only after the Turkish Cypriots had accepted the proposal.

The next step would be for the British presidency to convey the proposal to the Turkish Cypriot side, which, has been refusing any contact with the EU, having decided not to participate in the accession procedure.

Agon said that Britain would brief the other EU countries about Cyprus proposal at the weekend meeting of Foreign Ministers in Edinburgh. It also said that the Foreign Office was saddened by Rauf Denktash's refusal to meet Robin Cook.

Haravghi said that the EU had directly linked accession talks with the Cyprus peace process and the purchase of the S-300 missiles. Both the US and Britain insisted that the missiles should not be deployed.

Diplomatic sources said that there would be two parallel procedures - accession talks, which would start with out the Turkish Cypriots, and peace talks - which at a certain point would coincide.

Machi reported that the government would buy a significant number of Russian-made T-80 tanks in 1998, at a cost of £85 million. It noted that the government had originally asked that the provision for the expenditure on the tanks, included in a budget proposal submitted to the House Defence Committee, should be scrapped, but then changed its mind.

© Copyright Cyprus Mail 1998

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