PRESS CONFERENCE BY GREECE

28 May 1997

Press Briefing

PRESS CONFERENCE BY GREECE

19970528 FOR INFORMATION OF UNITED NATIONS SECRETARIAT ONLY

The Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs of Greece, Yannos Kranidiotis, met with correspondents at a Headquarters press conference yesterday afternoon, following his meeting with Secretary-General Kofi Annan, to exchange views on Cyprus.

Any new round of talks on the Cyprus problem should be based on a set of principles, Mr. Kranidiotis told correspondents. Unfortunately, there had been no progress, common ground or even convergence of views between the two sides during the proximity talks held in Cyprus in recent weeks. That was mainly because of Turkish intransigence and its negative approach to the Cyprus problem, he said.

If there had been progress during the proximity talks, the prospect of success during direct talks would have been greater, Mr. Kranidiotis said. Nevertheless, Greece would support the Secretary-General's plan to call for direct talks, because it had a duty to support any effort to find a just and lasting solution to the Cyprus problem. Any solution should be based on relevant United Nations resolutions and the high-level agreements of 1977 and 1979. Greece supported the good offices of the Secretary-General and believed any initiative should be within a United Nations framework.

Mr. Kranidiotis said he told the Secretary-General that Turkey was the key to the Cyprus problem. The Turkish Government had to take the necessary steps, show political will and make concessions. If Turkey was not willing to abide by the relevant United Nations resolutions and comply with international law, there would be no progress. The international community should exert its influence and pressure Turkey to proceed in good faith to find a just and viable solution, which would involve the end of the illegal occupation and the presence of Turkish troops and settlers on the island.

The prospect of Cyprus becoming a member of the European Union was a new element which, if supported, might act as a catalyst to help find a solution, Mr. Kranidiotis said. The Union had made a political commitment to start accession negotiations with Cyprus six months after the intergovernmental conference. Therefore, any solution to the Cyprus problem should be compatible with the European legal order and include its full membership in the European Union. He said he had also underlined, in his meeting with the Secretary-General, the problems of the "enclaved people", refugees, missing persons and settlers -- all important political problems with considerable humanitarian dimensions.

Asked if he would agree to Dayton-type negotiations involving the Greek and Turkish communities of Cyprus, Turkey and Greece, Mr. Kranidiotis said Dayton-style talks would not be the proper framework for addressing the Cyprus problem. Negotiations on Cyprus had been ongoing, the problem was complicated and such talks would not help to find a lasting and viable solution.

Was the Cyprus problem more complicated than the one in Bosnia and Herzegovina? the correspondent asked. Mr. Kranidiotis said they could not be compared. There had been no progress on Cyprus during the last 23 years, mainly because of a lack of political will by Turkey to take steps to end its illegal presence on the island. The problem was how to exert pressure and influence on Turkey and convince it to abide by the resolutions and decisions of the international community, the United Nations and the European Union.

On what particular issues had Turkey been intransigent? a correspondent asked. "On all issues", Mr. Kranidiotis said. Turkey had not complied with United Nations resolutions. It had insisted on keeping its army on the island and had continued to bring in settlers. It had created an illegal entity there and did not allow free movement. It did not accept international law, did not respect human rights on the island, and had put forward separatist ideas such as separate sovereignty. Unless Turkey realized it could not stay on Cyprus for ever, or for long, violating international law and international decisions, the prospects for a solution were very dim.

In response to another question, Mr. Kranidiotis said the Secretary- General had not mentioned a specific date or place to hold direct talks, but had indicated his intention to send invitations in June to the two parties to meet sometime in July.

The Greek Cypriot side and Greece had, for some time, said there was no need for direct talks since the Turkish side had not changed its position during the proximity talks, a correspondent said. Why had they changed their mind? Mr. Kranidiotis said no invitation for direct talks had been sent yet, and it was up to the Government of Cyprus to decide if it would attend such talks. Greece would liked to have seen progress at the proximity talks, as common ground was absolutely necessary for future progress. However, if the Secretary-General invited the two parties to direct talks, the Greek Government would support any efforts which would contribute to a peaceful, negotiated, just solution of the Cyprus problem.

What was Turkey's long-term strategic and economic objective in the Turkish part of Cyprus? a correspondent asked. Mr. Kranidiotis said he was not convinced that Turkey's presence in Cyprus was just to protect the Turkish Cypriot minority there, whose rights and fears could have been accommodated during the last 23 years of discussions and attempts at a solution. Turkey's aims in Cyprus were more strategic, in the sense that it wanted to play a wider role in the area, be a regional Power, and exercise political control over Cyprus.

Greece Press Conference - 3 - 28 May 1997

It had the same attitude towards Greece, Mr. Kranidiotis added. Turkey systematically violated international law and international agreements and did not cooperate with its neighbours for stability and peace in the area. Turkey had long-term strategic interests which defied the rights of the people of Cyprus and international legal order, he said.

Citing a recent meeting in Athens between Mr. Kranidiotis and his Turkish counterpart, a correspondent asked for his assessment of future Turkish-Greek relations. Mr. Kranidiotis said the two men had met at a social event and exchanged views. They were both trying hard to improve the climate between Greece and Turkey. However, unless there was progress and a solution to the Cyprus problem, he did not see how there could be a normalization of Greek-Turkish relations. Greece had made concrete proposals for a step-by- step approach to the problems between them, but he was not very optimistic about prospects for improved relations. Nevertheless, every effort possible should be made to find ways to cooperate.

During that meeting, Mr. Kranidiotis said, he had emphasized that Greece did not have a dogmatic approach to relations between Turkey and the European Union. Neither did it have any philosophical objections to improved relations between Turkey and the Union. However, there were political problems between the two countries -- one of which was Cyprus. If those were solved, Greece would be willing to support a European orientation by Turkey. The Cyprus problem was not a bilateral matter between Turkey and Greece, although it certainly influenced relations between them. The problem was an international issue of invasion and occupation, and the international community had a direct responsibility to find a solution based on international legal principles and United Nations rules.

Had the Secretary-General indicated whether he would invite Greece and the other guarantor Powers to be around for the talks? a correspondent asked. Had he asked for anything from Greece in order to achieve progress on the Cyprus problem? Mr. Kranidiotis said the Secretary-General had been interested in hearing his country's position and views and had asked for its support. However, he had not indicated whether he would be sending invitations to Greece or any other country. The Greek Government would be in contact with the Secretary-General during the direct talks if they took place.

Asked what the Secretary-General was planning to achieve by direct talks, Mr. Kranidiotis said the Secretary-General believed the best approach to the Cyprus problem was through direct talks. To another question, he said the Secretary-General would start his efforts in the summer, but had given no indication of how many rounds of talks might be needed.

Would Greece use the Cyprus issue as leverage with respect to Turkey's membership in the European Union? a correspondent asked. Mr. Kranidiotis said the idea of membership for Cyprus aimed at having it become part of a wider organization, based on the notion of legal order and respect for human rights.

Greece Press Conference - 4 - 28 May 1997

Membership would give both communities the chance to have their rights and privileges guaranteed and to have European order applied to the island. It would also give the Turkish Cypriots a lot of benefits and encourage them to cooperate with the Government of Cyprus in becoming a full member of the Union.

That, in turn, would help promote a solution in Cyprus, improve Greek- Turkish relations, and help return peace and stability to the area, he added. The Union would also benefit by expanding its influence in that part of the world. Greece did not have any dogmatic or philosophical objections to Turkey's membership in the European Union. However, it did have concrete political objections. If those were solved, Greece would not object to Turkey moving ahead with membership.

Had Mr. Kranidiotis raised any new elements in his talk with the Secretary-General? a correspondent asked. Had there been any changes which might hold out hope for progress in July? Mr. Kranidiotis said he had brought up new elements. He had explained Greece's position and tried to be helpful, indicating his Government's concerns and priorities for discussion. Although he was not very optimistic about the direct talks, efforts should be made and everyone should try and help find a solution. Things would have been easier if there had been common ground during the proximity talks, but his Government hoped the direct talks would succeed.

A correspondent asked Mr. Kranidiotis for his view of the proposed bizonal, bicommunal federation, which "seemed to call for a very weak central State and two rather strong federated States". Mr. Kranidiotis said he could not go into details of the proposed solution, which was the purpose of the talks. The United Nations resolution mentioned a bizonal, federal, bicommunal State. Such an entity should be functional and viable and should not have separatist elements. It should also have a strong central authority which should secure the unity of the State.

To another question, Mr. Kranidiotis said he had not tried to dissuade the Secretary-General from holding the direct talks in July, as it was up to him to decide on the appropriate time.

Asked about efforts to exert pressure on the parties, Mr. Kranidiotis said Greece had asked the Secretary-General to exert his influence on Turkey because it should be the one to make the necessary moves. The Governments of Greece and Cyprus were also trying to convince the international community, particularly the European Union, to exert pressure on Turkey to comply with the decisions and resolutions of the United Nations and of the European Union. The President of the Union had proposed the establishment of a committee of experts to exchange views on a legal framework to govern relations between Greece and Turkey. The committee had not yet met, but Greek experts had sent their position paper to the President and Turkey was expected to reply soon.

Greece Press Conference - 5 - 28 May 1997

Mr. Kranidiotis went on to say that any legal framework should ensure there would be no threat of war or violence between the countries and that Turkey would withdraw its illegal threat of war against Greece. If Turkey legally applied its right to expand its territorial waters, Greece would like the various international treaties -- such as the Lausaunne Treaty and the Paris Treaty -- to be the legal framework for the Aegean. Problems of interpretation could be addressed in international litigation through the International Court of Justice.

The Greek Government and the Greek Cypriots maintained that there was no common ground for direct negotiations, a correspondent said. What was Mr. Kranidiotis' view of the "set of ideas" prepared by the two sides and endorsed by the Secretary-General and the Security Council? Was it still on the table? Mr. Kranidiotis said the set of ideas proposed in 1992 was an "obsolete paper". Since then, there had been new developments -- namely, the proposal for Cyprus to become a member of the European Union -- which had completely changed the picture.

Would there be problems with provisions in the 1960 Constitution and Guarantors Agreement which stipulated that Cyprus could not join any organization that did not have Greece and Turkey as members? the correspondent continued. There was no problem, Mr. Kranidiotis said. Cyprus was a sovereign State and had already concluded a customs agreement with the European Union without any problem. Turkey, not the Cyprus Government, had violated the 1960 Agreements. Moreover, the European Community already considered Cyprus eligible for membership.

Was it possible that the Secretary-General would not call for direct talks, considering that they could jeopardize future efforts? a correspondent asked. Mr. Kranidiotis said the Secretary-General's initiatives should be supported and encouraged. However, unless Turkey realized it must make concessions, the prospects were not good. Therefore, the international community should put pressure on Turkey to cooperate in finding a just and lasting solution.

Asked whether another failure could have negative effects on future efforts, Mr. Kranidiotis said he hoped not.

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