New Cyprus initiative is expected

FRANCE, Germany and Britain are expected to present a new initiative to settle the Cyprus problem.

The ambassadors of the three EU countries have informed the Cyprus government of their intention, according to reports in the local press.

The President of Cyprus, Mr Glafkos Clerides, apparently plans to discuss the initiative with the three foreign ministers in New York during the opening session of the UN General Assembly.

It is not known how this new initiative would be co ordinated with the stalled US effort or with the activities of Mr Kester Heaslip, the Cyprus co ordinator appointed by the current Irish EU Presidency.

The French Prime Minister, Mr Alain Juppe, told the Greek Prime Minister, Mr Costas Simitis, that Europe had a role to play in negotiations, saying UN resolutions formed a good basis for a settlement.

So far, the Cyprus government has not commented officially on such an initiative but Mr Clerides told a second World War veterans' association get together on Sunday: "A new initiative could be expected in the future for a compromise solution of the Cyprus problem."

The President of the Cyprus House of Representatives, Mr Spiros Kyprianou, also confirmed that the three countries had expressed an interest in undertaking their own initiative which, it, is believed, would aim at achieving an intercommunal settlement before Cyprus is due to begin talks for accession to the EU six months after the end of the Intergovernmental Conference.

Both Mr Clerides and the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mr Rauf Denktash, have warned that recent intercommunal tensions could erupt into violence if negotiations on a settlement did not resume. Since mid August, three Cypriots - two Greek and one Turkish have been slain in the Famagusta sector.

The two Greek Cypriots were killed by armed elements from the Turkish side during demonstrations protesting the Turkish occupation of the northern third of the island.

A Turkish Cypriot soldier was shot dead at a sentry post near Famagusta, presumably by Greek Cypriot civilians seeking revenge for the first two killings.