Statement by the President of the Republic
Mr. Glafcos Clerides on his arrival in Cyprus

28 September 2000

The fourth round of proximity talks began with a meeting of our delegation with the UN Secretary-General, who also read out the statement he intended to make after meeting with the Turkish Cypriot as well.

We immediately expressed our strong objections to the content of his. We warned that it could be interpreted in a manner that be exploited by Turkey and Mr. Denktash. We stressed that we not attend the talks if we were not given satisfactory.

After the statement, I addressed a letter to the Secretary-General clarification of certain points and refutation of the Turkish. The well-known statements of the Secretary-General his Special Adviser, Mr. Alvaro de Soto, followed. Mr. de Soto also to me the Secretary-General's clarifications regarding the raised in my letter. I sent a second letter to the Secretary-General the clarifications given to me by the Secretary-General with to his statement.

A meeting followed between myself and the Secretary-General in the of my delegation during which he confirmed the clarifications question and the fact that a solution to the Cyprus problem must fully into account the Security Council resolutions. The National Council aware of my letters. There was no suggestion that we should leave proximity talks. However, apart from clear suggestions about with negotiations, the following suggestions were also made:

(a) Before returning to the proximity talks, we should insist on a public by the Secretary-General, amending his initial statement.

(b) We should request postponement of the proximity talks so as to return to Cyprus and hold meetings of the National Council regarding current situation in order to rethink our strategy and tactics.

(c) The Greek Cypriot community should appoint as negotiator a other than the President of the Republic so as to stop Mr. from putting the question of inequality forward as a pretext, that he complains that he is described as leader of a community I as President of a state.

There was no unanimous decision of the National Council as regards above and therefore the responsibility for deciding whether we continue with the proximity talks or not had to be taken by the.

After the statements made by the Secretary-General and Mr. de Soto the oral but clear replies to my questions and following my letter codified the clarifications of the Secretary-General as well as the he gave to our delegation that the Security Council must be taken fully into account, I considered that a refusal our part to continue with the talks would be construed as termination the talks because of a reluctance on our part to continue with the talks, would provoke international criticism against our side would have a negative effect on our EU accession course. This is I stated to the Secretary-General that, in the light of his and clarifications, on which I rely, I will continue to in the negotiations.

It is with regret that I followed the uproar created by certain circles I was in New York as regards the way the national problem has handled by the Cypriot and Greek Governments. Fortunately we in a democracy where people express their views freely. But those express views must have a sense of responsibility when they talk national issues as national issues are neither personal nor party.

Everyone should realize that the Cyprus problem does not lend itself to disputes or accusations which could destroy the relations and -operation between the Governments of Greece and Cyprus.

Everyone should remember that the past fanaticism and insistence on positions had disastrous effects on developments in our national. If we have not learnt from the tragic past that fanaticism, on extreme positions and constant confrontations between the of Greece and Cyprus have disastrous consequences, we do not have the political sense to express correct political views the national issues.

Accusations leveled against the Government of Greece that it has accepted a confederal solution or that, by its actions, it is promoting such a solution are completely unfounded and. The support the Greek Government is giving Cyprus to a solution within the parameters laid down by the Security Council is consistent, sincere and invaluable.

I am not upset by criticisms about the alleged inadequacy of the Greek side to handle the Cyprus problem, mainly during the fourth of talks which has just ended, because after analyzing them, I the conclusion that they are the result of insufficient information, with a manifest absence of a cool-headed political analysis of current international situation, the present phase of the Cyprus, the Cyprus EU accession course, the political will of the Council to find a solution to the Cyprus problem and the cost be paid if our side does not handle the negotiations with the seriousness, or is carried away and takes frivolous actions, may be applauded within Cyprus, but in reality will permanently the future of our homeland.

I call on all those who so easily, dogmatically and sometimes ex level such charges, without suggesting at the same time positive or specific, and resort to incessant demagogy, taking us back to the era of unbridled competition and of patriotic posturing, to realize that the times we are passing through are and do not allow such behavior.

Personally, I always had full confidence in the sound judgment of the people. This is why I am optimistic that demagogy is not going carry away the overwhelming silent majority of our people. The voice reason, which is the only one that serves our national cause, shall.

It would be an omission, if at the same time I did not reject some and improper comments against the members of the Council.

During the fourth round, the United Nations did not table any proposals acceptance or rejection. Certain ideas were mentioned, the aim of was to gauge our reaction as well as the reaction of the Turkish delegation. Due to the news blackout, I cannot refer publicly to ideas. The party leaders who were in New York during the fourth were fully briefed on these ideas.

As was natural and in any case politically incumbent upon us, we our views and reactions to these ideas, having always as our the resolutions of the Security Council, International Law, rights and the best interests of the Cypriot people. We did not, but rejected in toto those ideas, which in our view were outside framework laid down by the Security Council resolutions, the human conventions and International Law or were incompatible with accession to the EU or did not serve the best interests of.

We have repeatedly stated and we repeat emphatically, following the General's statement at the beginning of the fourth round, that shall not accept a solution outside the framework of the UN Council resolutions. We also insist that a comprehensive should fully conform to international human rights conventions, UN Charter and the Acquis Communautaire.

We are passing through a critical phase as regards the future of our. Nobody can seriously question that on the part of the United, the Security Council and its Permanent Members a serious is being made to help the two communities in Cyprus reach a acceptable solution to the Cyprus problem.

I believe that we have the political duty - and in any case this is my - to exhaust all possibilities so as to establish whether it is feasible find a solution in accordance with the UN resolutions.

Glafcos Clerides is not going to these negotiations in a negative or with the aim of finding a pretext for the suspension of the. Glafcos Clerides is going to the talks with the aim of finding a of the Cyprus problem, within the framework of the UN, for the salvation of Cyprus from the great dangers it.

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