Rantzau ‘gave the wrong impression’

By Jean Christou

FOREIGN Minister Yiannakis Cassoulides said yesterday that Germany’s Cyprus envoy had given the wrong impression in comments he made about President Clerides’ stance on the Turkish Cypriot side’s status.On Friday envoy Detlev Graf zu Rantzau told reporters in Nicosia his impression was that Clerides was willing to discuss all issues on the negotiating table at the proposed UN-sponsored talks initiated by the G8. The talks are slated for New York in October.”When Clerides said there are a number of central issues and he is ready to discuss all of them, my impression is that amongst those 6-7 issues is also the question of status,” Rantzau said.His comments prompted the local press to assume that the Greek Cypriot side was ready to discuss the issue of recognition of the breakaway Turkish Cypriot regime in the north.Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash has said he will not attend the New York talks unless they are held on a state to state basis.At a hastily convened news conference yesterday morning Cassoulides speedily disposed of the idea that the Greek Cypriot side would consider the possibility.”The opposite of the impression created concerning the government’s policy towards Mr Denktash’s demands is true,” Cassoulides said.”The plea from the G8 and the Security Council is that we go to New York to discuss a solution to the Cyprus problem, and not to discuss anything that implies a non solution of the Cyprus problem or what would happen if the Cyprus problem was not solved.”Cassoulides said documents to be put before the National Council tomorrow “will prove what I say — that President Clerides’ position is the exact opposite”.He said if Denktash put forward his demand for a confederation in Cyprus he would be informed that such a proposal is not in the framework of the UN resolutions on Cyprus.Rantzau on Friday also hinted that proximity talks for Greek and Turkish Cypriots could be a distinct possibility in New York if direct negotiations fail to materialise between the two sides.He said that although Denktash has not said he is ready for proximity talks, the envoy’s impression was that he had left the door open for the possibility.

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