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05 August, 2000
Cyprus Government Spokesman Michalis Papapetrou, said on Friday that it was not possible to break the deadlock in this phase of the UN-led proximity talks on the Cyprus problem, due to the insistence of the Turkish side on its unacceptable positions, but expressed hope that the Turkish side would shift its stance until the fourth round of talks in September and urged the international community to work in this direction.
Papapetrou announced that in the time until the September talks, which will take place in New York, the Cyprus and Greek governments, as well as the political parties, would initiate a campaign toward this goal.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded and occupied the northern third of the island.
Two rounds of UN-led proximity talks, separate meetings of the UN with President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash, have already been held since December. A third round was wrapped up in Geneva on Friday. A fourth round is scheduled to start September 12 in New York.
The talks aim at preparing the ground for substantive negotiations, leading to a comprehensive settlement.
Papapetrou said that although President Clerides tried to break the deadlock during the third round of talks, the Turkish side appeared fixed on its positions.
Commenting on positions expressed earlier by the UN chief's Special Adviser on Cyprus, Alvaro de Soto, who is conducting the talks, that all issues are under discussion according to UN Resolution 1250, Papapetrou said one could not refer to only some points of the resolutions, which also provide for a federation solution, as opposed to the confederation settlement aimed at by Denktash.
The government spokesman also said that the UN process "must lead somewhere" and noted that the third parties involved in the peace effort must take "the necessary measures".
He added that if Denktash insists on his unacceptable positions, then "there will be no progress" in efforts to reach a settlement.
Source: Athens News Agency
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