CONTENTS
[01] German president Rau pays homage at site of 1943 mass execution
[02] Simitis calls for consolidation of achievements
[03] Karamanlis promises to slash unemployment
[04] Coalition leader accuses major parties of attempting to
monopolize political life
[05] POL.AN cadres to support PASOK
[06] European Youth Parliament to meet in Athens April 6-16
[07] Greek bourse freezes ahead of Sunday's elections
[08] National Bank of Greece gets shares in FYROM bank
[09] Greece donates prefabricated homes for Serbian refugees
[10] IRS tax official in Athens next week to answer questions by US citizens
[11] OA begins flights with third Airbus 300-600 aircraft
[12] Greece gets election Internet address
[13] Peter Livanos new chairman of HELMEPA
[14] Rau inaugurates exhibition
[15] Europe, US must consider what will happen if Denktash insists on
two 'states' in Cyprus
[16] UN, US, UK agree on 'change of gear' in procedure at next proximity
talks on Cyprus
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
[01] German president Rau pays homage at site of 1943 mass execution
Athens, 05/04/2000 (ANA)
German President Johannes Rau on Tuesday paid homage to the victims of
one of the most heinous crimes committed by Axis occupation forces in
Greece during World War II, expressing what he called grief and shame
over the Kalavryta massacre.
More than 1,300 males were executed by Nazi occupation troops in
December 1943 as a reprisal against resistance activity in the
Kalavryta region, northwest Peloponnese.
As the highest-ranking German leader to ever officially visit
Kalavryta, Rau was accompanied by his Greek counterpart Kostis
Stephanopoulos to the exact hill where the executions took place
laying a wreath during a brief ceremony followed by a memorial service.
Both men had arrived in the mountainous village by helicopter in the
morning.
The German president landed in Athens on Monday afternoon for a
three-day state visit at the invitation of his Greek counterpart.
The church clock of Kalavryta still shows the tragic minutes of 13
December, 1943, which heralded the beginning of this suffering for the
residents of this town. Here, where the Greeks struggle for freedom
once began, the atrocities and destruction wrought by German soldiers
dominated; when the Wehrmacht murdered all the male residents,
including children and teens, for reasons of revenge, Rau said in a
brief address.
I came here to keep the memory of this event alive in Germany. Here, at
this place, I feel immense grief and shame. Only one who knows and
accepts his past can find the path to a better future.
A half century after the end of the war Greeks and Germans are
proceeding together towards a common European future. Together we have
the opportunity to shape a European future of peace, democracy and
respect for human rights. In such a Europe atrocities and destruction
have no place, he stressed, adding:
Young people have a particular interest in resisting all forms of
hatred, intolerance, violations of human rights, barbarity and war, Rau
said.
The German president also mentioned his support for an exchange program
between a northern German city and Kalavryta, whereby a group of local
youths would visit the Federal Republic of Germany.
Maybe then it can be proven that even from Kalavryta, this place of
memory, a road towards the future begins.
Stephanopoulos: In his response, Greek President Stephanopoulos called
the visit emotionally charged, adding however, that although it cannot
reverse the events of 13th of December, 1943, on this day Greeks and
Germans met with totally different feelings than on that terrible day
and time.
At one point in his comments, the Greek president also emphasized that
the German state can do more to alleviate the consequences of the
occupation massacres, as part of efforts to lessen the repercussions as
well as the (negative) feelings, which no amount of compensation can
assuage.
Stephanopoulos was referring to a rising crescendo of demands over the
past few years that a now united Germany pay war reparations to the
victims and communities brutalized during the 1941-44 occupation.
Your visit to Kalavryta and your expression of emotions over the tragic
events during the occupation acquire an important symbolism and a
heightened moral significance not only for Kalavryta, not only for the
other martyred cities that are so numerous in Greece, but for all
Greeks, Stephanopoulos, a native of the nearby port city of Patra,
said.
As president of the German republic youve done what your conscience has
dictated, and as much as you could as the highest official of your
great country he added.
Both Stephanopoulos and Rau later toured the Agia Lavra Monastery, the
site where the Greek War of Independence was declared in March 1821.
On Wednesday, Rau will visit the northern port city of Thessaloniki,
where local officials will greet him before visiting the German School
of Thessaloniki, the archaeological museum and the citys Protestant
parish.
Meeting with Simitis: Replying to questions by reporters after a
meeting earlier with Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis, Rau praised
what he called Greece's "significant role" in the "new order" and peace
in the Balkans, while he also said most people in his country
considered that the war in Yugoslavia was "absolutely necessary".
Rau discussed bilateral relations, the situation in the Balkans and the
eastern Mediterranean, as well as EU enlargement in his talks with
Simitis. He also described bilateral relations between Greece and
Germany as "excellent" and problem-free.
Germany, he noted, was the largest investor in Greece, adding that some
two million Germans spend their holidays in Greece each year.
The German president, who is due to visit Turkey after he winds up his
visit to Greece on Wednesday, also said it was necessary to make it
clear to Turkey that "Europe is not simply a market, but a society of
values".
Simitis said after the meeting that the progress in Greek-German
relations was "very positive", particularly in the economic sector. He
said that the EU's course should lead to closer cooperation among the
European countries, while simultaneously allowing the autonomy and
particularity of each of the individual member states.
Turning to EU enlargement, he said the EU could not move ahead without
first clarifying its new form, thus ensuring the European Union's
operation as well as improvement of the standard of living of the new
member states.
Greece, Germany are discovering common future, Rau says in press
conference: Greece and Germany are attempting to discover their common
future, in remembering the past, Germanys fault and history, German
President Johannes Rau said during a press conference in Athens on
Tuesday.
I tried to find the words, which are appropriate (but) lets not play
with words.
My move today (visit to Kalavryta) was understood and was accepted and
for that I thank you, Rau said, commenting on a question on whether he
apologized to the Greek state for damages caused during the Second
World War.
Rau also noted that Germanys opinions on the issue of war reparations
to Nazi victims in Greece did not coincide with those of Greece.
Speaking on the loan Germany took from Greece during the occupation
years, he said that he was over and beyond administrative and
institutional bodies so he could not respond. He added, however, that
the issue is under discussion, noting that there are differences of
legal opinions.
Discussing his visit to Ankara, which will follow his visit in Athens,
Rau said that he hoped to hear comments on European values and not
European markets, adding that those who enter the European Union say a
great yes to democracy, parliamentary processes and respect for human
rights.
He also hailed the Greek-Turkish rapprochement and the improved
climate, stressing that those who lived the reunification of Germany
and the "collapse of alliances in Europe know how important it is to
enjoy good neighborly relations".
Finally he said that he was impressed by the Greek hospitality and
departed for the site of the new airport of Athens at Spata, where he
noted that Greeks and Germans work jointly for Greece and Europe.
[02] Simitis calls for consolidation of achievements
Athens, 05/04/2000 (ANA)
Prime Minister Costas Simitis said on Tuesday that Greece had never
fared better and that a return of his ruling PASOK party to power in
the April 9 election guaranteed the consolidation of past
achievements. "Our country is at the best moment of its history. In
the last four years it succeeded in gaining access to the hard core of
Europe and be counted among the world's 20 most developed countries. My
vision of Greece tomorrow is of a strong country, with emphasis on the
welfare state and a strong international position," he told a large
rally in the same square where his adversary, main opposition New
Democracy (ND) party leader Costas Karamanlis spoke on Monday night.
Simitis warned against the experimentation of the main opposition.
"This is precisely what he are deciding on April 9, whether to go in
security and certainty of the future, or leave Greece to the
experimentation and improvisations of the apprentice magicians of New
Democracy," he said.
Simitis said his party's priorities in the new four-year term would be
boosting employment, improving the welfare state and fighting crime. He
promised the creation of 300,000 new jobs, of another 300,000 paid
positions in training and retraining, that the lowest monthly pensions
would rise considerably above 150,000 drachmas, and that the state
would undertake to pay for the social security contributions of the
lowest paid.
He laid particular emphasis on the role of Thessaloniki in the region
and the development of northern Greece.
"The government has a vision of Thessaloniki as a big center of
financial and investment services in the Balkans and eastern Europe, an
important transit center based on its port and the new road axes, the
cross-border infrastructures and the railway network, but also a large
center of research and technology," he said.
Simitis said that Macedonia would reach the top flight of Greece's
developed regions and the per capita income of the northeastern region
of Thrace would exceed the Greek average in the next four years.
[03] Karamanlis promises to slash unemployment
Athens, 05/04/2000 (ANA)
Main opposition New Democracy party leader Costas Karamanlis on Tuesday
said that the governments' policies had merely led to nominal
convergence with the rest of the European Union and had widened the gap
between rich and poor.
Outlining his party's proposals on the economy at a press conference in
Athens, he said unemployment was rising out of control and that the New
Democracy government which would emerge from
Sunday's election would implement a program yielding high growth rates
and tackling unemployment in the long-term.
"Market deregulation, boosting competition and privatizations which our
program includes will lead to an increase in the number of jobs,"
Karamanlis said, reiterating proposals for the privatization of Olympic
Airways, the Commercial Bank of Greece and public transport, and the
deregulation of the energy and telecommunications sectors.
He also said ND guaranteed a general rise in stock prices in the long
run by ensuring a healthy economy and upgrading institutional
safeguards.
Karamanlis accused the government of approving illegal hiring in the
public sector recently and produced a list of appropriations for sport
activities which were really intended for election campaign purposes.
He also said the government's announcement Monday promising the payment
of social security contributions of the low-paid by the government was
really an affront to citizens' intelligence.
[04] Coalition leader accuses major parties of attempting to monopolize
political life
Athens, 05/04/2000 (ANA)
Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) leader Nikos
Constantopoulos on Tuesday accused both ruling PASOK and main
opposition New Democracy (ND) for attempting to monopolize the
country's political life.
Addressing a party rally in Athens' central Omonia Square,
Constantopoulos said that the "pendulum of the two party system shows
the wrong time, wrong historical time and as time is passing this
becomes more obvious.
"PASOK and ND are at conflict over who is going to rule the country and
are attempting to monopolize the political life of the country and to
push all others to the margin," Constantopoulos said.
He stressed that the next few years will be very important for the
future of Greece, as the country's position in Europe, which is
changing radically, and in the Balkans, which are unstable, will be at
stake.
He added that the model of development and social model of Greece would
be at stake over the next few years.
He called on voters to force new political solutions in governing the
country.
[05] POL.AN cadres to support PASOK
Athens, 05/04/2000 (ANA)
Former interior minister and PASOK parliament deputy candidate Vasso
Papandreou along with PASOK party Secretary General Costas Skandalidis
on Monday addressed a gathering of Political Spring (POL.AN) former
parliament deputies and cadres.
POL.AN will not be participating in Sunday's general election.
Papandreou expressed her joy over POL.AN cadres' support of and trust
in PASOK and Prime Minister Costas Simitis, adding that PASOK attracts
wider political and social forces in the framework of creating a new
social and political majority to govern Greece in the 21st century.
On his part, also addressing the gathering Skandalidis said that those
who claimed that POL.AN cadres will "move toward" main opposition New
Democracy (ND) were proven wrong.
[06] European Youth Parliament to meet in Athens April 6-16
Athens, 05/04/2000 (ANA)
A meeting of the European Youth Parliament will be held in Athens April
6-16 to examine issues concerning education in Europe. Addressing a
press conference in Athens on Tuesday, the president of the Greek
section of the Youth Parliament, Marila Katra, said that the meeting
would be attended by 200 youths from European countries.
Katra said it was a great honor for the Greek chapter to host the
meeting, in which youth from all over Europe will discuss issues aiming
at solidarity, cooperation and understanding among peoples.
Present at the meeting were Eurodeputies Marieta Yiannakou (New
Democracy) and Michalis Papayiannakis (Coalition of the Left).
During their stay in Greece, the youth will go on tours of
archaeological sites and attend events in Athens.
[07] Greek bourse freezes ahead of Sunday's elections
Athens, 05/04/2000 (ANA)
Equity prices ended with minor changes on Tuesday as the Athens Stock
Exchange froze ahead of Sunday's general elections. Traders said
investors were awaiting the outcome of the elections to decide their
next move in the market.
The general index ended 0.12 percent higher at 4,813.37 points, after
moving within a narrow range of 4,751-4,823 points throughout the
session.
Turnover was a low 138.05 billion drachmas.
News that US credit rating agency Standard & Poor's upgraded three
Greek banks' (National Bank, Alpha Credit, Eurobank) ratings were
largely ignored by the market.
The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks ended 0.21
percent higher at 2,728.99 points, while the FTSE/ASE 40 index fell
0.82 percent to 672.12 points.
Sector indices ended as follows: Banks: 9,406.33 +0.57% Leasing:
1,077.62 +0.05% Insurance: 3,266.96 -0.20% Investment: 2,038.50 -0.35%
Construction: 2,352.70 +0.02% Industrials: 2,829.94
-0.27% Miscellaneous: 4,974.18 -0.34% Holding: 5,311.07 +0.32%
The parallel market index for smaller capitalization stocks ended at
805.43 points, off 1.36 percent.
Broadly, decliners led advancers by 229 to 100 with another seven
issues unchanged.
Athens Water and Hellenic Petroleum were the most heavily traded
stocks.
Leading shares' closing prices (in Drs): National Bank: 24,790 Alpha
Credit: 23,910 Commercial Bank: 21,780 Ergobank: 8,150 Eurobank: 11,730
Heracles Cement: 9,720 Titan Cement (c): 14,645
Hellenic Petroleum: 4,530 Intracom: 15,000 Minoan Lines: 6,850 Hellenic
Bottling: 6,380 Hellenic Telecoms: 9,950 Panafon: 5,000
Bonds attract buyers in light trade: Bond prices crept up on Tuesday
for the second straight session in light buy-oriented trade with
sentiment still subdued due to national elections on April 9.
The Greek benchmark 10-year bond showed a yield of 6.16 percent, the
same as the previous day, from 6.21 percent in the two trading days
before that.
The paper's yield spread over German bunds was 96 basis points from 98
basis points a day earlier and between 95 and 99 basis points on
Friday.
Turnover through the central bank's electronic system totalled 48.5
billion drachmas from 48 billion drachmas in the previous session and
69 billion drachmas on Friday.
Of Tuesday's total, buy orders accounted for 38.5 billion drachmas and
sell orders the remaining 10 billion drachmas.
According to the final opinion polls allowed under electoral law, the
ruling socialist PASOK party and main opposition conservative New
Democracy party are likely to run neck-and-neck in voting.
Greek bond yields fall substantially: Bond yields fell substantially
during Tuesday's regular auction of state securities by the finance
ministry.
The average weighed yield of a three-year bond, worth 200 billion
drachmas, was 5.99 percent, down from 6.37 percent in the previous
auction of same bonds.
Bids submitted by the market's primary dealers totalled 955 billion
drachmas, 4.78 times more the asked sum, evidence of continued strong
interest in Greek securities.
The auction was a re-opening of a bond auctioned in February 11, 2000,
paying a fixed coupon of 5.90 percent.
Its average weighed price was 99.719 points with a minimum accepted
price of 99.705 points. Settlement date is Friday, 7 April 2000.
Drachma drops vs. euro, rises vs. dollar: The drachma fell against the
euro and rose versus the US dollar in the domestic foreign exchange
market on Tuesday.
The central bank did not intervene in the market. On Monday, the Bank
of Greece sold around 35 million euros to meet demand for euros after
releasing around 250 million euros a session earlier. It has sold over
a 100 million euros over the last two weeks.
At the central bank's daily fixing on Tuesday, the euro was set at
334.870 drachmas from 334.760 drachmas a day earlier and 334.720
drachmas on Friday.
Also at the fixing, the US dollar was set at 351.090 drachmas from
351.190 drachmas in the previous session and 350.330 drachmas on
Friday.
[08] National Bank of Greece gets shares in FYROM bank
SKOPJE, 05/04/2000 (ANA-M. Vihou)
National Bank of Greece, a blue chip on the Athens bourse, on Tuesday
bought 65 percent of shares in Stopanska Bank of the Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia through the neighboring country's bourse.
The sale of the stock to Greece's largest commercial bank had already
been agreed.
Acquiring 10 percent of shares each were the European Bank for
Reconstruction and Development and the International Finance
Corporation.
Shareholders will meet for the first time on Wednesday, when the board
of directors will be appointed.
The sale of Stopanska Bank raised 93 million German marks, of which 83
million marks must be deposited immediately.
[09] Greece donates prefabricated homes for Serbian refugees
BELGRADE, 05/04/2000 (ANA - M. Mouratidis)
Seventy-five prefabricated homes, a donation from Greece, will be
installed up in a village in Kosovo near the base of the Greek
peacekeeping force, for the needs of Serbian refugees wishing to return
to the region.
Serbian National Council sources said that the prefabricated homes will
arrive at the port of Bar in Montenegro next week and will be set up at
a village where there are now no Serbs because their homes have been
destroyed. The move is seen as an incentive for those wishing to return
to Kosovo.
[10] IRS tax official in Athens next week to answer questions by US
citizens
Athens, 05/04/2000 (ANA)
A US federal government tax official from the Internal Revenue Service
(IRS) will be in Athens from April 6 to April 13 to answer tax
questions for US citizens at the US embassy from 8:30 a.m. to noon and
from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., a press release stated on Tuesday.
Interested parties will be seen on a "first come, first serve" basis.
The same official will conduct a seminar for educators at the American
Community Schools. Most tax forms for federal US taxes are now
available at the US embassy, consular section, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30
p.m. daily each workday. For help in filling out a return, the embassy
can provide a list of private tax preparers in Greece.
Any US citizen with income of more than $7,050 (if single) or $12,700
(if married) from sources anywhere in the world must file a return.
Americans who live abroad may qualify for exemptions, but must still
file a return to claim those exemptions.
[11] OA begins flights with third Airbus 300-600 aircraft
Athens, 05/04/2000 (ANA)
Olympic Airways, Greece's national carrier, on Tuesday inaugurated
flights with its third Airbus 300-600 aircraft, named "Crete", with a
flight from Athens to Thessaloniki.
The new aircraft, sister to "Macedonia" and "Athina", has a capacity of
269 passengers and can carry 34 tones of cargo with a flight range of
4,600 km.
The new aircraft, along with the other two currently servicing European
and Middle East destinations, will service the Athens-Boston flight via
Manchester from June 2000.
[12] Greece gets election Internet address
Athens, 05/04/2000 (ANA)
Neurosoft SA and Info-Communicator of the United Kingdom have created
an Internet elections address at www.greekelections.gr. The new site
is part of an international portal at www.greekpolitics.com, which is
being expanded. The elections site includes links to the country's
political parties and candidates, information on electoral law, and a
historical database on past elections.
The site also carries an electronic magazine, entitled the Greek
Politics Journal, which carries articles by politicians, journalists
and communications theory experts.
Neurosoft is a member of the Epiphania Group.
[13] Peter Livanos new chairman of HELMEPA
Athens, 05/04/2000 (ANA)
Shipowner Peter Livanos was on Monday elected president of the Hellenic
Marine Environment Protection Association (HELMEPA), replacing outgoing
president Vassilis Konstantakopoulos, for the new four-year term.
The 18th general assembly of HELMEPA also elected Nikolaos Tsakos as
vice-president, Nikolaos Tsavliris as secretary general, Katerina
Daskalopoulou-Haritatou as special secretary, George Yannatos as
treasurer, and Stavros Roussos as alternate treasurer, as well as 10
board members.
Konstantakopoulos expressed satisfaction at having been given the
opportunity to assist in the development of what he called the unique
initiative called HELMEPA, adding that the cost of protecting Greece's
marine environment was "an investment" with a multiple benefit.
He called on the HELMEPA members to strengthen the association, which
he said honored the unique Greek sensitivity and seamanship.
HELMEPA is a non-profit, non-governmental organization comprising Greek
shipping companies that was founded in 1982 by the late shipowner
George Livanos to pursue preservation of the marine environment. Its
revenue comes exclusively from membership fees.
[14] Rau inaugurates exhibition
Athens, 05/04/2000 (ANA)
Visiting German President Johannes Rau on Tuesday inaugurated an
exhibition entitled, "Athens - Munich, Art and Culture in Modern
Greece" in the Greek capital's National Gallery.
The exhibition, on loan from the National Museum of Bavaria, deals with
the influences on the country of the Bavarian Regency, which came to
Greece in the 1830s, after the liberation from Ottoman rule. It
includes paintings, engravings, town planning and architectural
designs, and other relics of historical value.
Greek President Costis Stephanopoulos also attended the event.
[15] Europe, US must consider what will happen if Denktash insists on
two 'states' in Cyprus
NEW YORK, 05/04/2000 (CNA/ANA)
Europe, the US and all parties involved for a Cyprus settlement will
have to consider what will happen if Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf
Denktash continues to insist on the creation of two separate "states"
in Cyprus during the third round of the UN-sponsored talks on Cyprus.
Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides told the press here Monday after
arriving in New York to attend the opening of the new Cypriot Galleries
at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, that no one can make an evaluation
what stance the Turkish side will maintain during the next round
scheduled to start on May 23 in New York.
He noted that the Greek Cypriot side is not concerned about whether the
talks will be proximity or direct, but whether the other side is
willing to negotiate and added that he does not share the view that any
progress made on the Cyprus problem will be solely due to the
forthcoming US presidential elections.
Clerides, who will hold a number of contacts in New York during his
five-day visit, said that "we have no new evidence on what stance the
Turkish side will maintain during the next round of the talks".
"Until now, the stance they maintained was one of preconditions to
start some dialogue. They came to a dialogue but won't negotiate unless
their position on the so-called creation of two 'states' in Cyprus is
accepted," the president told reporters.
He noted the Greek Cypriot side is not concerned whether the talks will
be either on a proximity level or face-to-face, adding that "what is
important is whether the other side is ready to negotiate".
To a question that many have pinned their hopes on the forthcoming US
presidential elections, and whether he shares the view that if some
progress is made on Cyprus this would be mainly due to these elections,
President Clerides stressed he does not share at all this view.
"The elections will be a landmark because we know that President (Bill)
Clinton is at the end of his term in office," Clerides said.
"If no progress is made, then it will be evident that we will have to
wait for the new government, which will be elected, to see which will
be its priorities," he added.
Asked if Denktash appears with the same intransigent attitude during
the next round of the talks, President Clerides said that if this
happens "I am not the one to think what should happen, but Europe, the
US and the others who are pursuing a solution in a short period of
time".
Referring to Cyprus' European Union course, President Clerides said
that Cyprus "continues to rank first in the first group (which will
accede) on harmonization issues".
He noted that the EU has a "substantial role" to play and this will
become more evident in October when it will prepare a document to be
given on Turkey setting out its conditions."
"Greece," he added, " has clearly positioned itself on this issue".
"I believe we will not have any obstacles, unless we make grave
mistakes", the president said, noting that "even if no solution is
achieved, we will not have problems with accession".
Clerides opens new Cypriot galleries at Metropolitan Museum: President
Clerides was due to inaugurate on Tuesday evening New York time the
four new galleries of Cypriot art at the Metropolitan Museum of New
York. The 600 Cypriot exhibits, stored in the vaults of the Museum,
were exported from Cyprus by the then US Consul Luigi Palma de Cesnola,
between 1865 and 1876, when Cyprus was under Ottoman occupation.
The Cypriot galleries will host some 600 of the finest works from the
Museum's collection, comprising works dating to 2500 BC to about AD
300, which Cesnola removed from Cyprus and were "bought" by the
Metropolitan Museum.
Cesnola served as American Consul in Cyprus from 1865 to 1876 and
amassed an unrivalled collection of Cypriot antiquities both by
excavation and by purchase. In 1879 he was named the Metropolitan
Museum's first director, a position he held until his death in 1904.
The priceless collection, about 35,000 objects, was a bone of
contention between first Napoleon III of France and then Russian
officials. In the end, Cesnola shipped them to London where they were
exhibited. It was at this time that the Metropolitan showed an interest
in the collection and eventually purchased a significant part of the
collection, which remains the most important and comprehensive
collection of Cypriot material in the western hemisphere.
[16] UN, US, UK agree on 'change of gear' in procedure at next
proximity talks on Cyprus
NEW YORK, 05/04/2000 (CNA/ANA)
The UN, US and the UK agree on a "change of gear" in the procedure at
the next round of UN-led proximity talks on Cyprus.
For this purpose, envoys from the three sides will pay another visit to
the region in the next seven weeks prior to the talks to urge the two
sides to be as flexible as possible on the proposals they have put
forward during the last two rounds of talks.
This was the result of a meeting here on Monday between UN
Secretary-General's Special Adviser Alvaro de Soto, US Presidential
Emissary Alfred Moses and British representative for Cyprus Sir David
Hannay.
UN Secretariat sources told CNA the meeting was part of "normal
consultations which take place on a regular basis but are never made
public." However, Monday's meeting concentrated on "developments in the
island and particularly preparations for the next round of the
proximity talks" due to commence on May 23 in New York.
British government sources at the UN headquarters told CNA that it was
a "very much informal meeting in advance of the proximity talks between
three people" who "compared notes" on their separate trips to the
region.
Essentially all want to see "a change of gear" during the next round of
the UN-led proximity talks, the source told CNA. Noting the last two
rounds in New York and Geneva "were useful", the British source said
they acknowledge that "there has to be an acceleration of the process"
but avoided answering a question whether this implies going into direct
talks.
The source said the three sides "are looking at what each can do in the
next seven weeks" and agreed to visit the region again in an effort to
bring the process forward.
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