[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1991, Book I)]
[May 3, 1991]
[Pages 464-465]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Letter to Congressional Leaders Reporting on the Cyprus Conflict
May 3, 1991

Dear Mr. Speaker:  (Dear Mr. Chairman:)
    In accordance with Public Law 95-384 (92 Stat. 739; 22 U.S.C. 
2373(c)), I am submitting to you this report on progress toward a 
negotiated settlement of the Cyprus question. This report covers the 
period from January through March 1991.
    This was a period characterized by developments that hold promise 
for reopening negotiations, under the aegis of the United Nations 
Secretary General, for further work on a draft outline for a final 
settlement. As I reported on January 30, the Secretary General's Special 
Representative in Cyprus, Ambassador Oscar Camilion, and his Director 
for Cyprus in New York, Mr. Gustave Feissel, had for several months been 
meeting with leaders of the two communities to explore elements of the 
outline on which they might agree.
    In support of this process, Mr. Feissel held during January and 
February a series of discussions with a representative of the Turkish 
Government. After concluding these discussions, Mr. Feissel traveled to 
Cyprus during the first week of March where he joined Ambassador 
Camilion for separate meetings with President Vassiliou and Mr. 
Denktash.
    On March 27 the Secretary General reported orally to the members of 
the Security Council on the status of his good offices mission on 
Cyprus. His assessment included the main issues that require further 
clarification. The Secretary General noted that ``current conditions are 
favorable. Progress is within reach if all concerned are willing to 
seize the moment and make their contribution.'' He called for a 
continuation of the discussions of the last few months in order to 
resolve outstanding issues, and said that once this was accomplished, it 
would then be possible to complete the draft outline and invite the two 
leaders to meet with him again.
    On March 28 the President of the Security Council issued a statement 
in response to the Secretary General's oral report. The statement 
renewed the full support of the members of the Security Council for the 
Secretary General's efforts, and encouraged him to continue those 
efforts. It also urged ``all concerned to act in a manner consistent 
with resolution 649 (1990), to cooperate fully with the Secretary-
General and to continue the discussions that have taken place over the 
past few months in order to resolve without delay the outstanding 
issues.''
    On the island, other developments contributed to a more positive 
environment between the two communities. First, on February 12, several 
Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot political leaders met jointly for the 
first time in almost a year at the Ledra Palace Hotel in the buffer 
zone. On March 18 several Greek Cypriot political leaders crossed the 
buffer zone to north Nicosia to attend an anniversary reception for a 
Turkish Cypriot opposition political party. Additional intercommunal 
contacts among political party delegations followed.
    Second, on March 21 the Minister of Defense of the Government of 
Cyprus, Mr. Andreas Aloneftis, announced that his government's defense 
fund expenditures for 1991 were to be cut in half. This is a welcome 
development.
    With respect to U.S. involvement in the Cyprus issue, I am pleased 
to report that Secretary of State James Baker met on March 1 with 
Foreign Minister George Iacovou of the Republic of Cyprus for a thorough 
discussion of prospects for movement on the Cyprus issue. Foreign 
Minister Iacovou also met with my Assistant for National Security 
Affairs, Brent Scowcroft, Assistant

[[Page 465]]

Secretary of State Raymond Seitz, and my Special Cyprus Coordinator, 
Ambassador Nelson Ledsky.
    In mid-February Foreign Minister Alptemocin visited Washington to 
continue a dialogue on Cyprus that he and Secretary Baker had 
established through an exchange of letters in January. He had meetings 
with Secretary Baker and me. On March 15, during his trip to Ankara, 
Secretary Baker discussed the Cyprus question with Turkish President 
Ozal and Foreign Minister Alptemocin.
    On March 23 I discussed the Cyprus issue with President Ozal during 
his visit to Camp David. At that time Secretary Baker also continued his 
discussions with the Turkish President. In all of these discussions 
Secretary Baker and I have had as our firm objective the facilitation of 
the U.N. Secretary General's good offices mission.
    I believe these developments provide hope that we are on the right 
path to completing a draft outline. I note with pleasure the cautious 
optimism of the Secretary General that, with the help of the leaders of 
the two Cypriot communities, the task can be completed within the next 
few months. The United States will continue to do all it can to 
facilitate this process.
    Sincerely,

                                                             George Bush

                    Note: Identical letters were sent to Thomas S. 
                        Foley, Speaker of the House of Representatives, 
                        and Claiborne Pell, chairman of the Senate 
                        Foreign Relations Committee.