Letter to the Speaker of the House and the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Reporting on the Cyprus Conflict

Dear Mr. Speaker: (Dear Mr. Chairman:)

In accordance with the provision of Public Law 95-384, I am submitting the following report on progress made during the past sixty days toward reaching a negotiated settlement of the Cyprus problem.

Following presentation of the United Nations "evaluation" of the intercommunal negotiations on November 18, 1981 the Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots have begun to discuss the "evaluation" and identify points of agreement. The negotiators met on December 2 and 8, 1981, and following a recess at the end of the year, on January 6, 13 and 20, 1982. While doubtlessly the issues are complex and will require the best efforts of both Greek and Turkish Cypriots to resolve, we hope that continued negotiations will lead to a mutually acceptable resolution of the Cyprus problem.

As you recall, resolution of the Cyprus problem is a priority of this Administration. In this regard, I met with Cypriot President Kyprianou on December 8, 1981, for a useful and productive exchange of views. The United States remains fully committed to assisting in achieving a just and lasting Cyprus settlement and will continue to give its full support to the United Nations and the UN Secretary General's Special Representative on Cyprus, Ambassador Hugo Gobbi, in their efforts to secure solutions to the negotiating differences separating the parties.

The United Nations has continued to pay close attention to developments on Cyprus. In his December 12, 1981 report on Cyprus, the Secretary General hoped the introduction of the UN "evaluation" would "mark the beginning of a new and fruitful phase in the long search for a negotiated settlement." He stressed the need for a "concrete and effective" negotiating process and expressed the opinion that the UN "evaluation" embodies a "determined effort to lend structure and substance" to the negotiating process.

I am also pleased to note that on December 14, 1981, the Security Council passed unanimously a resolution extending the mandate of the UN Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) to June 15, 1982. We share with other Security Council members the conviction that UNFICYP's presence aids in maintaining an atmosphere conducive to productive intercommunal discussions.

Sincerely,

RONALD REAGAN