For Immediate Release January 14, 1998
TEXT OF A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
TO THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
AND THE CHAIRMAN OF THE SENATE COMMITTEE
ON FOREIGN RELATIONS
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
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