The Cyprus Conflict Letter to the Speaker of the House and the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

In accordance with the provisions of Public Law 95-384, I am submitting the following report on progress made during the past 60 days toward the conclusion of a negotiated solution of the Cyprus problem.

During this reporting period, further intensive efforts have been made to bring the two Cypriot communities back to the negotiating table for serious and sustained talks under the auspices of Secretary General Waldheim. The substantive suggestions that the U.S., the U.K. and Canada made available to the two sides and to the United Nations on November 10 appeared to have stimulated the negotiating process and were recognized as constructive by significant (although not all) elements in Cyprus, Turkey and Greece. In the context of recent developments-especially the new atmosphere created by the lifting of the arms embargo on Turkey, the U.S.-Canadian-U.K. suggestions, the United Nations debates, and a growing international consensus for a negotiated settlement—Secretary General Waldheim submitted to the two Cypriot parties a draft United Nations formula for the resumption of negotiations. As of the date of this report, it appeared that both the Greek and Turkish Cypriots were seriously and sympathetically considering the Secretary General's proposal.

The Government of Turkey has taken a constructive attitude towards these efforts to bring about a resumption of the intercommunal negotiations. Prime Minister Ecevit has publicly affirmed that the Turkish Cypriots are prepared to return to the table, and he has indicated that they could accept the suggestions of November 10 as an aid to negotiation if the Greek Cypriots were prepared to do likewise. During a meeting with Deputy Secretary of State Christopher in Ankara on January 11, Mr. Ecevit emphasized his strong interest in seeing a resumption of the intercommunal talks and expressed the hope that some way for doing this could soon be found.

At the time of my last report, the United Nations Security Council was meeting at the request of the Government of Cyprus to consider the Cyprus issue. On November 27, the Council adopted a resolution by consensus that called upon the two Cypriot parties to cooperate in the implementation of Security Council resolutions on Cyprus "within a specific time-frame" and urged that intercommunal negotiations be resumed. The Secretary-General was asked to report on both these aspects by May 30, 1979. The United States fully supports the goals of this resolution.

This Administration warmly welcomes the initiatives that Secretary-General Waldheim has taken and is continuing to take to bring about sustained and productive negotiations on Cyprus. We have been encouraged by recent developments, and hope very much that a resumption of the talks will prove possible in the near future. The U.S.-Canadian-U.K. suggestions of November 10 have served a useful purpose in generating some of this forward movement and in stimulating fresh thinking on the substance of the problem, and it is our expectation that they will be actively considered in the negotiations.

A copy of Secretary-General Waldheim's comprehensive report of December 1 to the Security Council on the United Nations operation in Cyprus is attached.

Sincerely,

JIMMY CARTER