By Jean Christou
DEFENCE Minister Yiannakis Omirou yesterday refrained from commenting on Greek press reports that Cyprus’ controversial S-300 missiles would finally be deployed in Crete.
He said it would be better to wait until Friday’s meeting between President Clerides and Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis in Athens.
Clerides left for London on Sunday and is due in the Greek capital on Thursday. Omirou said all aspects of the Cyprus problem would be discussed by the two leaders on Friday.
It has been widely reported that the government in Athens will impose a Cretan solution to the missile dilemma, which will save the government form having to take political responsibility for a humiliating climbdown in the face of international pressure and Turkish threats.
Turkey has threatened military action to prevent the deployment of the Russian-made missiles in Cyprus. Athens has said any such move would constitute a cassus belli, but is far from keen on any military adventure in the region.
But before leaving the island on Sunday, Clerides insisted that, as long as the current balance of power remained, the long-range anti-aircraft missiles were a “must” for the island’s defence.
He said this could only change if the Turkish side agreed to discuss demilitarisation. He also criticised the media for hyping up the missile issue, saying it did not serve the national interest.
Clerides, whose re-election campaign in February relied heavily on missile propaganda, also dismissed speculation that the talks in Athens would focus on the missiles.
“The criterion (for the final decision) on the missiles has always been whether the missiles are needed for the defence on Cyprus,” Clerides said.
“As long as the present balance of power exists, the criterion for the need of the missiles continues to be valid”.
Criticising the press for its missile reporting style, Clerides said: “I will never tell your whether the missiles will come and how they will come.”
He said the whole island seemed to be suffering from “missile mania” and that the press was merely facilitating the work of foreign secret services operating in Cyprus trying to obtain information on the missiles’ arrival in Cyprus.
Asked to comment on the Athens talks, Clerides said: “I am not going to Athens to discuss the issue of the missiles. The Athens meeting was not set up to discuss the issue of the missiles.”
Commenting of reports concerning a letter by Greek Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos to his American counterpart Madeleine Albright, suggesting ways be found to postpone the arrival of the missiles indefinitely, Clerides said: “Mr Pangalos’ letter does not include the word missile or military equipment.”
“The letter refers to the stalemate in the Cyprus question and notes the need for the international community, and in particular the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, to try and break the deadlock which the Turkish intransigence has created,” Clerides said.
