    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1998, Book I)]
    [January 13, 1998]
    [Page 48]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Letter to Congressional Leaders Transmitting a Report on Cyprus
    January 13, 1998

    Dear Mr. Speaker:  (Dear Mr. Chairman:)
        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 October 1 to November 30, 1997. The
    previous submission covered events in the period covering August 1 to
    September 30, 1997.
        U.S. diplomacy to advance progress toward a Cyprus settlement
    continued at an intense pace during the reporting period. Special
    Presidential Emissary for Cyprus Richard C. Holbrooke, Special Cyprus Coordinator Thomas J.
    Miller, and other U.S. officials met in the
    United States and overseas with key participants in the process.
    Ambassadors Holbrooke and Miller met extensively with Cypriot President
    Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader
    Denktash during their visits to the United
    States. The two U.S. Envoys also traveled to the region in October to
    meet with the Turkish and (in the case of Ambassador Miller) Greek
    leadership to follow up on discussions begun with Secretary of State
    Madeleine K. Albright at the U.N.
    General Assembly in September, and again in November when Ambassador
    Holbrooke brought the two Cypriot leaders together in the buffer zone
    for an informal exchange of views on achieving a Cyprus solution.
        Also during November, Ambassador Holbrooke moderated a privately sponsored conference of business
    leaders from both Cypriot communities in Greece and Turkey to discuss
    the mutual benefits of the economic cooperation in the region.
    Ambassador Miller and U.S. Ambassador to
    Cyprus Kenneth C. Brill also participated.
        Senior U.S. officials met extensively during the reporting period
    with officials of the European Union, EU member states, and others to
    support Cypriot EU accession prospects and to encourage stronger EU-
    Turkish relations.
        Tensions rose on the island during the October and November
    (respectively) Greek/Greek Cypriot military exercise NIKIFOROS and the
    Turkish/Turkish Cypriot military exercise TOROS. The exercises
    effectively ended the May 9 moratorium on overflights of Cyprus by
    combat aircraft. Interceptions by Turkish fighters of the Greek Defense
    Minister's transport aircraft during the NIKIFOROS exercise further
    exacerbated tensions in the region.
            Sincerely,

                                                          William J. Clinton

    Note: Identical letters were sent to Newt Gingrich, Speaker of the House
    of Representatives, and Jesse Helms, chairman, Senate Committee on
    Foreign Relations. This letter was released by the Office of the Press
    Secretary on January 14.