[House Document 106-247]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



106th Congress, 2d Session - - - - - - - - - - - House Document 106-247


 
                PERIODIC REPORT ON THE CYPRUS QUESTION

                               __________

                             COMMUNICATION

                                  from

                   THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

                              transmitting

PROGRESS TOWARD A NEGOTIATED SETTLEMENT OF THE CYPRUS QUESTION COVERING 
  THE PERIOD FEBRUARY 1-MARCH 31, 2000, PURSUANT TO 22 U.S.C. 2373(c)




May 23, 2000.--Referred to the Committee on International Relations and 
                         ordered to be printed

                               __________

                    U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
79-011                     WASHINGTON : 2000

                                           The White House,
                                      Washington, DC, May 18, 2000.
Hon. J. Dennis Hastert,
Speaker of the House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Speaker: In accordance with Public Law 95-384 (22 
U.S.C. 2373(c)), I submit to you this report on progress toward 
a negotiated settlement of the Cyprus question covering the 
period February 1-March 31, 2000. The previous submission 
covered events during December 1999 and January 2000.
    As noted in my last submission, the United Nations has held 
two sessions of proximity talks, December 3-14, 1999, in New 
York and January 31-February 8 in Geneva. The next session of 
talks was scheduled to begin on May 23 in New York. This 
session will likely be postponed several weeks to allow 
President Clerides time to recover from surgery on May 5.
    The United States, under the guidance of my Special 
Presidential Emissary Alfred H. Moses and Special Cyprus 
Coordinator Thomas G. Weston, has been actively engaged in 
supporting the United Nations effort to bring about a 
comprehensive Cyprus settlement. Ambassador Moses and his team 
were present during the Geneva talks and afterwards traveled to 
Cyprus in March to prepare for the next sessions of talks.
            Sincerely,
                                                William J. Clinton.
      President's Bimonthly Report on Cyprus, February-March 2000

    As reported in the previous Bimonthly Report, United 
Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan resumed proximity talks on 
Cyprus in Geneva on January 31. UNSYG Annan and Special Advisor 
Alvaro de Soto continued the discussions with the leaders of 
the two communities that began in New York in December. Special 
Emissary Moses, Special Coordinator Weston and U.S. Ambassasor 
to Cyprus Bandler were also in Geneva and held consultations 
with Mr. de Soto as well as separate meetings with both sides. 
On February 8, Mr. de Soto reported that following a total of 
14 meetings with both parties, the process is on track and was 
scheduled to resume on May 23 in New York. Resumption will 
likely be postponed for several weeks to allow President 
Clerides time to recover from surgery on May 5.
    Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Thomas 
Pickering traveled to Greece on February 2. He met with Prime 
Minister Simitis, Foreign Minister Papandreou and Defense 
Minister Tsohatzopoulos. Under Secretary Pickering applauded 
Greek and Turkish efforts to forge stronger ties and hoped they 
could open a way to a negotiated settlement on Cyprus.
    U.S. Ambassador to Cyprus Donald Bandler traveled to the 
Karpas region in northern Cyprus on February 23 to meet with 
representatives of the Greek Cypriot population and discuss 
their living conditions.
    On February 25, Ambassador Bandler met with Cypriot 
President Clerides to follow up on the Geneva proximity talks. 
The next day Ambassasor Bandler met with Foreign Minister 
Kasoulides.
    Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright testified before 
the Senate Appropriations Committee on March 2. During the 
question and answer session, Senator Mikulski asked Secretary 
Albright about the prospects for a Cyprus settlement. The 
Secretary assured Senator Mikulski that the Administration was 
working hard to facilitate a comprehensive Cyprus settlement.
    Ambassador Bandler met with Turkish Cypriot leader Denktash 
on March 2 and discussed the February UN-sponsored talks.
    Special Coordinator for Cyprus Thomas Weston traveled to 
Berlin to meet with German Cyprus Coordinator zu Rantzau and 
Foreign Office Southern Europe Director Pauls on March 2. Mr. 
Weston then attended the March 3 bi-annual EU-Troika meeting in 
Brussels and met with the EU Presidency Representative on 
Cyprus Mathias and EU Commission Southern Europe Director van 
der Linden. He held separate meetings with EU Commission 
Director General Landaburu, EU Commission Cyprus Negotiator 
Maurer, Belgian MFA Director General de Ruyt, Turkish 
Ambassador to NATO Oymen, Turkish Ambassador to the EU Akyol 
and Greek Ambassador to the EU Tsilas. Mr. Weston then joined 
Ambassador Alfred Moses in Cyprus on March 7.
    UN Secretary-General Special Advisor on Cyprus Alvaro de 
Soto traveled to Cyprus March 1-7 for meetings with Messers. 
Clerides and Denktash. He then traveled to Ankara and Athens 
for meetings with Turkish Foreign Minister Cem and Greek 
Foreign Minister Papandreou.
    Special Presidential Emissary Alfred Moses and Special 
Cyprus Coordinator Weston visited Cyprus from March 7-10. 
Ambassador Moses met with Mr. de Soto prior to Mr. de Soto's 
departure from Cyprus on March 7. Ambassador Moses and Mr. 
Weston, accompanied by Ambassador Bandler met separately with 
Messrs. Clerides and Denktash to help prepare for the third 
session of UN-sponsored Cyprus talks. They encouraged both 
parties to remain flexible and make further progress in moving 
toward a comprehensive settlement. During their visit, 
Ambassador Moses and Mr. Weston also met with other prominent 
Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, visited Varosha and 
Famagusta, and traveled to the Karpas region to meet with Greek 
Cypriots living there.
    Ambassador Bandler met with Messrs. Clerides and Kasoulides 
on March 27 to exchange views on the current UN process.

                                  
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