[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1992, Book I)]
[June 30, 1992]
[Pages 1050-1052]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Letter to Congressional Leaders Reporting on the Cyprus Conflict

June 30, 1992
Dear Mr. Speaker:  (Dear Mr. Chairman:)
    In accordance with Public Law 95-384 (22 U.S.C. 2373(c)), I am 
submitting to you this bimonthly report on progress toward a negotiated 
settlement of the Cyprus question. This report covers the last 21 days 
of March, all of April, and the first 15 days of May, 1992.

[[Page 1051]]

    In mid-March, U.S. Special Cyprus Coordinator Nelson Ledsky traveled 
to the Eastern Mediterranean to see if he could clear up what Turkish 
officials had described as a ``misunderstanding'' on the part of U.N. 
negotiators, and thus get the U.N.-sponsored negotiating process 
restarted. He remained in the area for 10 days, during which time he 
consulted directly with President Vassiliou of Cyprus and Turkish 
Cypriot leader Mr. Rauf Denktash, as well as the Prime Ministers of 
Turkey and Greece. All of his conversation partners signalled their 
willingness--indeed, desire--to see a new round of U.N.-led negotiations 
begin.
    On March 25, on the occasion of Greek National Day, I publicly 
restated the U.S. commitment to serve as a catalyst for the U.N. Cyprus 
effort. Two days later, President Vassiliou arrived in New York and met 
with the U.N. Secretary General. After additional meetings in New York, 
including consultations with the representatives of the permanent 
members of the U.N. Security Council, President Vassiliou visited 
several Greek- and Cypriot-American communities around the United 
States. I saw him in Washington on March 30 and reassured him of the 
commitment of the United States Government to do all it could to assist 
the U.N. to bring the Cyprus negotiations to an early, successful 
conclusion. On March 31 and April 1, the Cypriot leader had a number of 
meetings with individual Members of Congress and with congressional 
groups and committees and made a number of public appearances.
    Mr. Denktash arrived in New York on March 30 for separate 
consultations with the U.N. Secretary General. Ambassador Ledsky also 
met with Mr. Denktash in New York on April 3.
    Also on April 3, the U.N. Secretary General signed a lengthy report 
to the U.N. Security Council on his good offices mission in Cyprus (a 
copy attached). The Secretary General reported on the status of the 
negotiations and included some paragraphs describing the contents of the 
``set of ideas'' on Cyprus as they then stood and on developments 
relating to the U.N. Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP). In the section on 
conclusions and recommendations, he decried the lack of progress since 
the summer of 1991 and asked the U.N. Security Council to actively 
support another determined effort on Cyprus that he was prepared to 
undertake, and to work directly with him and his representatives and all 
concerned to achieve a fair, permanent, and peaceful solution to the 
problem.
    The Security Council responded on April 10 with Security Council 
Resolution 750 (a copy also attached), which commended the efforts of 
the Secretary General, reaffirmed the U.N.'s ``good office mandate,'' 
endorsed the Secretary General's report of April 3, specifically his 
description of the ``set of ideas,'' and asked the Secretary General to 
pursue intensive efforts during May and June to complete the ``set of 
ideas'' and submit a further report to the Security Council by July 
1992. During this period, the Security Council also decided to ``remain 
seized of the Cyprus question on an ongoing and direct basis.''
    During the 2 weeks that followed April 10, the Greek and Turkish 
Governments and the leadership of the Turkish Cypriot community in 
Cyprus accepted the Secretary General's ``set of ideas'' as the basis 
for further negotiations. After some internal debate, President 
Vassiliou sent a letter to the Secretary General outlining general Greek 
Cypriot agreement as well. On the basis of all these assurances, the 
U.N. Secretary General wrote to each of the parties again and sent his 
negotiators back to the area on May 8. Prior to their departure from New 
York, the U.N. negotiators briefed members of the Security Council on 
their plans.
    In Cyprus, the negotiators met separately with Mr. Denktash and 
President Vassiliou from May 8 through May 12. The Nicosia meetings were 
followed by consultations in Ankara and Athens with the Prime Ministers 
and other officials of the Turkish and Greek Governments. These talks 
lasted through May 15. The U.N. negotiators briefed ambassadors of the 
permanent members of the Security Council at meetings hosted by 
Ambassador Lamb in Nicosia on May 11 and 18.
    On the completion of this round of discussions, the negotiators, 
seemingly satisfied with the results, returned to New York to

[[Page 1052]]

prepare a report for the Secretary General on the status of the 
negotiating effort. Based on this report the Secretary General will 
decide on his next steps.
    I remain convinced that the Secretary General's ``set of ideas'' 
provide a sound basis for further negotiations and eventual agreement. 
The United States Government and the U.N. Secretary General have 
received assurances from all parties that they also accept the ``set of 
ideas'' as the basis for further work and that they will make a good 
faith effort to bring this process to a successful conclusion. I 
continue to believe that a negotiated solution can be reached.
    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 
                        Committee on Foreign Relations.