US Change Language on Cyprus

Under Secretary of State Nicholas Burns, and Assistant Secretary Daniel Fried, Meet with Greek American Leaders –
Washington, D.C.- Leading members of the Greek expatriate community ascertained that the United States is determined to inaugurate a “new beginning” in efforts to solve the issue of Cyprus, following a meeting they had at the State Department with Assistant Secretary of State Nicholas Burns and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs Dan Freed.

Speaking on behalf of the expatriates who attended the meeting, the President of the International Coordinating Committee of the Cypriot Struggle (PSEKA), Philip Christopher, termed it as the “best, most substantive and most open we have ever had with American officials” and attributed the climate of understanding that existed to Burns’ knowledge of the region.

He added that what was also conducive was the fact that Greek-American relations are at their best point ever at the moment, as well as the recent successful visit to Washington by Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis.

Christopher said that “we presented our positions and the American side its own” and pointed out that the position of the U.S. is the creation of a bizonal, bicommunal, federal state, which will be a member of the EU, and which could, if it desired, even join NATO and whose citizens will have one nationality.

“The results of this meeting were very positive and should become visible in the coming weeks. Burns and Fried seemed to agree that the American policy toward Cyprus of the last 25 months has not produced positive movement. They expressed a willingness to undertake a new approach on this issue and a fresh start with respect to negotiations,” said CEH leaders.

“Undersecretary Burns also clearly stated that the U.S. objective on Cyprus is for a bi-zonal, bi-communal federal solution, with one government, one citizenship, and one international identity, with Cyprus a member of the EU and hopefully also NATO.

“Burns expressed great satisfaction with the recent meeting between Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, which included discussions on the Cyprus issue, and which preceded her meeting with President George Bush. Burns added that U.S.-Greece relations are perhaps the best they have ever been.

“We look forward to working with them on an approach which will help make progress for the U.S. and all Cypriots, both Greek-Cypriots and Turkish-Cypriots,” concluded CEH leaders.

Those who participated in this meeting included: Andrew A. Athens, CEH Chairman, SAE World President and UHAC National Chairman; Philip Christopher, CEH Vice Chair, PSEKA President and Pancyprian Association of America President; Andrew E. Manatos, CEH President, UHAC board member and PSEKA board member; Panicos Papanicolaou, CEH Board Member and Cyprus Federation of America Supreme President; Savas Tsivicos, Cyprus Federation of America Past President; Costas Tsentas, Cyprus Federation of America Vice President; and Mike Manatos, CEH Executive Director.

DANIEL FRIED
The United States supports reunification of Cyprus as a bizonal, bicommunal federation, US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Daniel Fried said, speaking at an international journalists’ roundtable discussion here on Thursday.

“We do not believe in separatism or cessation,” he said.

“I myself have met with Mr. [Mehmet Ali] Talat. We do not recognize him as president; we do not recognize the government, but we do understand that he is a leader of the Turkish Cypriot community, and we appreciate the fact that he supports a negotiated settlement to reunify the island. We encourage that. It’s the right policy,” he added.

Fried stressed that the US “looks forward to the day when a reunited Cyprus with a secure Turkish community is in the European Union as a whole island. Now we understand that bizonal, bicommunal federation also means that there have to be certain arrangements.”

Referring to the plan drafted by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, Fried said that the US supported it, but “it didn’t pass. I regret that, but we have to find a way to make progress,” he noted.

“We look forward to working with the government of Cyprus, with the Turkish Cypriot community, with the United Nations, with Turkey, with Greece to advance a settlement which will help everyone,” Fried said.

The US Assistant Secretary of State also referred to the stance maintained by the Turkish Cypriot leader and Turkey.

“We frankly appreciate the Turkish government’s support for a settlement. I don’t think that Talat could have done what he did without Turkey’s backing. This is a significant change. It means that Turkey also supports a bizonal, bicommunal federation,” he said.

Finally, referring to US support for Turkey’s EU accession, Fried said: “We have always supported Turkey’s accession to the European Union on the basis that Turkey ought to be treated like every other candidate. Turkey meets the criteria, it should join. If it doesn’t, it shouldn’t. But no special rules.

SECRETARY OF STATE
Replying to a question before the Foreign Operations, Export Financing and Related Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee by Representative Steven Rothman why the US has zeroed out funding the United Nations Peacekeeping force in Cyprus in the president’s 2007 budget, Rice said “we have not provided funding for the peacekeeping force,” adding that “if it remains needed, we’ll find a way to deal with its needs.”

Rice said she did not think anybody could misinterpret U.S. interest in Cyprus or a Cyprus settlement.

“During the time of the Annan plan, the United States all the way to the level of the president worked tirelessly to try and get that plan accepted. We believe that it was a good compromise for both sides. We recognize that the Greek Cypriots did not agree, and they voted it down. But we’re back at it. We’ve — we’re working again very hard to see if we can help narrow the differences,” he added.

She noted that she talked with the Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyiannis when she was in the US, just last week, about this exact problem.

“And so I don’t think anybody can say that the United States is not totally devoted to trying to find a Cyprus settlement. We are,” she added.