Cyprus News Agency: News in English (AM), 98-03-23

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From: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org.cy>

CONTENTS

[01] Clerides receives German envoy, UN chief to meet Denktash

1140:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Clerides receives German envoy, UN chief to meet Denktash

German special envoy on Cyprus Detlev Graf zu Rantzau, who arrived on the island Sunday afternoon for a four-day visit, was received today by President Glafcos Clerides, with whom he exchanged views on the long- standing Cyprus question.

Speaking to the press, Graf zu Rantzau said President Clerides and himself "agreed and we are of the same opinion that the UN process (on Cyprus) must continue."

He also expressed his support to the mission of UN Secretary-General's special advisor for Cyprus, Diego Cordovez.

"Cordovez should continue his search for a solution and his efforts to contribute to the solution," he said.

The German envoy added that tomorrow he will cross into the Turkish- occupied areas of Cyprus to meet with Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash.

Graf zu Rantzau will later today have meetings with Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides and George Vassiliou, Cyprus' chief negotiator in the accession talks with the EU.

During his stay, he will meet EU ambassadors accredited to Cyprus. He leaves on Wednesday.

Graf zu Rantzau and Cordovez had a brief meeting Sunday at Larnaca International Airport and exchanged views on their missions.

Cordovez completed yesterday a six-day visit here, during which he had talks with President Clerides and Denktash in a bid to resume the Cyprus peace talks.

The UN envoy's efforts failed to achieve the resumption of the talks because of Denktash's refusal to attend future negotiations unless his secessionist entity was internationally recognised.

Only Turkey recognises the puppet regime established in the areas occupied by Turkish troops since 1974.

The UN branded it "legally invalid" and called on all states "not to recognise" or "facilitate or in any way assist the aforesaid secessionist entity."

Cordovez is currently in Athens for talks on Cyprus with the Greek government. Tomorrow he will visit Ankara to continue the talks with Turkish officials, before flying to Geneva on March 26 to brief foreign envoys appointed to follow developments in the Cyprus problem.

Meanwhile, according to Turkish Cypriot press reports, UN Secretary- General will meet Denktash in Geneva on March 27.

Cordovez, a former Ecuadorean Foreign Minister, brokered last summer the UN-sponsored Cyprus direct talks between President Clerides and Denktash in the US and Switzerland, which ended in a deadlock due to the Turkish negative stance.

Turkish troops have been occupying 37 per cent of Cyprus territory since 1974, in violation of repeated UN resolutions calling for their withdrawal.

CNA AP/GP/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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