15 September, 1997

The Foreign Minister, Mr. Ioannis Kasoulides, made the following statement:

"President Clerides had proposed to Mr. Denktash in Glion, Switzerland, that they start a dialogue in Nicosia to discuss a number of issues concerning security with the aim of reducing tension and creating conditions of security both for the Greek and Turkish Cypriots. He had proposed that as a first step they discuss all the issues mentioned in the recent UN resolutions regarding military forces, armaments and measures for reducing tension along the cease-fire line within the framework of a program for the overall demilitarization of Cyprus.

President Clerides accepted today a proposal by the Special Coordinator on Cyprus of the US State Department, Mr. Thomas Miller, to meet Mr. Denktash in Nicosia, under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General's Deputy Special Representative, Mr. Gustave Feissel, and discuss with him all issues relating to security without preconditions or an agenda.

President Clerides will attend the meeting with Mr. Denktash in a constructive spirit and with the determination to promote the above objectives."

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