Newsgroups: bit.listserv.hellas
Date:         Wed, 15 Apr 1992 20:44:45 EDT
Reply-To:     "Efstratios N. Kontogiannis" <enkontog@MAILBOX.SYR.EDU>
From:         "Efstratios N. Kontogiannis" <enkontog@MAILBOX.SYR.EDU>
Subject:      US, Turkey & Cyprus

The Bush Administration is considering a new push to unify Cyprus and get
Turkey to withdraw its troops from the east Mediterranean island, says
Cypriot President George Vassiliou.

State Department sources confirmed that a new iniatiative is being studied
to extend the much-vaunted "new world order" to Cyprus, particularly since
Turkey is no longer the guardian of the exposed south-eastern flank of the
North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

The United States does not inyend to "dump Turkey" but seeks to persuade
it that occupation of foreign territory is not keeping with the spirit
of freedom spreading throughout the world, the sources said.

The U.N. Security Council is expected to play a direct role in the proposed
 diplomatic maneuvers, Mr. Vassiliou said in an interview after a meeting this
week with President Bush.

Turkey's military prescence in Cyprus has hampered its efforts to join the
European Community and its search for international respectability.
Recently, Turkey's reputation was also tarnished by its repression of
Kurdish separatists.

"President Bush is committed to find a solution,"Mr. Vassiliou said OA
after his talks with Mr. Bush and other U.S. officials. "He was let down
by Turkey when he promised a solution. Now we are in a decisive period
when Turkey will cooperate.

"The breakthrough will come when Turkey sees it has no other choice."

There were no immediate indications that Ankara has changed its demands
for a loose partnership of two Cypriot states, one Turkish-speaking
and one Greek-Cypriot. Turkish troops control 37% of the island, where a
self-styled "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" has been proclaimed.

Efforts to break down the hostility between the Greek Cypriot majority
and the Turkish minority have failed despite repeated mediation by the
United Nations and its leading members, including the United States.
Last August, Mr. Bush had hoped to break the deadlock but UN mediated
talks subsequently broke down.

"Turkey now wants to portray itself as a force stopping Islamic
fundamentalism, an example of a secular developing state," Mr. Vassiliou
said. "I wish it luck. But you cannot do that unless you are consistent
and stop the occupation (of Cyprus).

Earlier this week, Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash proposed a
meeting with Mr. Vassiliou to end the drawn-out crisis between the
feuding communities. The two leaders last met in March 1990 when earlier
talks for a bicommunal federal state in Cyprus collapsed.

"Mr. Vassiliou is duty-bound to meet me and to make people believe we are
talking terms,"Mr. Denktash said. "It will show people that there is hope
for a settlement."

"All Dentash wants it to meet," Mr. Vassiliou reported. "But so far he
has refused point-blank to negotiate.Naturally, I am frustrated."

Despite growing isolationist tendencies in the United States, Mr.
Vassiliou feels that Washington "cannot resign (its) international
responsibilities."

"The world is not safer after the Cold War. The danger of chauvinism and
nationalism is huge.I hope that Turkish leadership realizes it can not win by
 force," he said.

Turkish troops landed on Cyprus in July 1974, ostensibly to protect the
Turkish Cypriot minority aftr a coup staged by the ruling military junta
in Greece.  They eventually extended the area under their control to more
than a third of the island.

-------------------
THE WASHINGTON TIMES, APRIL 2, 1992
-------------------


-In addition to this article, my chat with Mr. Pickering, US ambassador to
the UN, also expressed his frustration with Mr. Denktash for delaying
any possible negotiation concerning Cyprus.

STRATOS KONTOGIANNHS
SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY, MAXWELL SCHOOL
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