By Jean Christou
U.N.-BACKED shuttle talks aimed at restarting stalled peace negotiations resumed yesterday, but progress is not expected to be swift despite Cyprus cancelling the deployment of the S-300 missiles.
President Clerides met separately yesterday with UN Chief of Mission Dame Ann Hercus and US Ambassador Kenneth Brill while politicians continued to criticise his decision on the missiles.
“We are on the threshold of significant initiatives for Cyprus,” the president said on Sunday.
No statements were made after his meeting with Dame Ann, in line with the hush-hush policy surrounding the three-month old talks.
Dame Ann said she would meet Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash later this week.
Following his one-hour meeting with Clerides, Brill indicated that nothing specific should be expected from the US at this time and that there was no time frame for an initiative.
“Moves will become apparent once they are made,” he said. “You will see us working consistently in a way that is designed to get results,” not make headlines.
Brill said the US would work very closely in support of the UN’s initiative and with others to move the situation in Cyprus forward and bring about a settlement.
He said Dame Ann worked “very hard and skilfully” and that her efforts so far provide a foundation for sustained efforts this year. He also hailed President’s Clerides’ decision not to deploy the missiles as “courageous”.
“The US is determined to work very hard to seize the opportunities created by the President’s decision,” Brill said.
On the missiles themselves, Brill said however that Greece and Russia will have to sort out their deployment.
House President Spyros Kyprianou has attacked Clerides over the missiles and his comments on new initiatives.
Kyprianou said Clerides’ statements on Sunday were “clearly aimed” at political leaders disillusioned with his decision not to bring the missiles.
The House President said the statements were insulting and he wouldn’t hesitate, “if it came to it”, to release the contents of a letter sent by Clerides to Simitis but which was never sent. He refused to elaborate.
“I don’t want to attack him (Clerides) but now he tries to attack those who have different opinions,” Kyprianou said. “I will not yet reveal certain things which have been said at the National Council nor the text of a letter that Clerides read out to the National Council which was destined for the Greek prime minister, which I’m given to believe was not sent in the end.”
Government spokesman Christos Stylianides refused to comment on the issue of the letter. However he did confirm that “at least so far” there is no specific proposal or initiative from the Americans on Cyprus.
