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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- MAY 1, 1997

DENKTASH BLOCKS PILGRIMAGE TO OCCUPIED AREA

"Sincere regret" was expressed by members of the National Coordinated Effort of Hellenes over the decision of Turkish-Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash to interfere with signs of possible positive movement on Cyprus.

A pilgrimage of between 600 and 800 Greek-Cypriots to the Turkish-Cypriot occupied monastery of Apostolos Andreas had been arranged with assistance of the United Nations to take place on Easter Sunday, April 27. The pilgrimage did not take place following the insistence of Mr. Denktash to sensor the list of visitors. U.N. spokesman in Cyprus, Waldemar Rokozsewski, expressed regret for the outcome and stated that, "it goes without saying that any form of censorship or interference to the list of names presented were unacceptable." No such censorship was placed on the list of 460 Turkish-Cypriots visiting the Hala Sultan Tekke mosque in the area under control of the government of Cyprus 10 days earlier.

"We believe that the Turkish-Cypriots greatly appreciated the government of Cyprus' unrestricted invitation to them to participate in a pilgrimage to the Hala Sultan Tekke mosque in the free area of Cyprus," said Andrew A. Athens, national chairman of the United Hellenic American Congress (UHAC) and president of the World Council of Hellenes Abroad (SAE).

"The fact that 460 Turkish-Cypriots went to the free area of Cyprus to pray showed their enthusiasm for the pilgrimage. It also showed how comfortable the Turkish-Cypriots feel being among Greek-Cypriots in a free situation," said Philip Christopher, president of the Pancyprian Association of America and PSEKA.

"Responses by Turkish-Cypriots to other movements toward a possible settlement suggest that they do not support Denktash's actions," said Andrew E. Manatos, president of the National Coordinated Effort. "Turkish-Cypriot and Greek-Cypriot women warmly received each other at a meeting which took place in Brussels on April 17, partly arranged by the European Commission. Similar sentiments were expressed at the meeting on March 13 between Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot journalists," said Nikos Mouyiaris, executive vice president of the Pancyprian Association. "The Turkish-Cypriots seem to want a Cyprus settlement, accession to the EU and all the benefits which result therefrom," said Panicos Papanicolaou, president of the Cyprus Federation of America.

"We sincerely regret that Mr. Denktash is placing obstacles to events such as this and others which aim at developing further contacts between Greek-Cypriots and Turkish-Cypriots and which the Government of Cyprus, the European Union, the United Nations and the United States support," said Charles Marangoudakis, president of UHAC New York.

For more information, please contact Mike Manatos at (202) 393-7790.