[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (1999, Book II)]
[September 10, 1999]
[Page 1519]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Letter to Congressional Leaders on Cyprus
September 10, 1999

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 June 1, 1999, to July 31, 1999. The 
previous submission covered events during April and May 1999.
    Cyprus was one of the many issues raised at the G-8 Summit in 
Cologne, Germany, this past June. My colleagues agreed that a resolution 
to the dispute is long overdue and issued a statement urging U.N. 
Secretary-General Kofi Annan to ``invite the 
leaders of the two parties to negotiations in the fall of 1999.'' This 
is a positive step toward addressing the legitimate concerns of both 
sides and reaching a just and lasting solution for all Cypriots.
    In July, Secretary of Defense William Cohen traveled to Greece and Turkey to enhance our bilateral 
relations and underscore the important role Greece and Turkey play in 
maintaining stability in the southern European region. Secretary Cohen 
also emphasized the U.S. commitment to reaching a Cyprus solution.
        Sincerely,

                                                      William J. Clinton

Note: Identical letters were sent to J. Dennis Hastert, Speaker of the 
House of Representatives, and Jesse Helms, chairman, Senate Committee on 
Foreign Relations.