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

November 25, 1985

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

In accordance with Public Law 95-384, I am submitting to you a bimonthly report on progress toward a negotiated settlement of the Cyprus question.

Since my previous report, the United Nations Secretary General has continued to work with the two Cypriot communities to achieve a framework agreement for a comprehensive Cyprus settlement. As I reported to you earlier, the Secretary General announced in June that the Greek Cypriot side had accepted revised documentation incorporating such an agreement. On August 8 the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mr. Denktash, sent the Secretary General a letter with detailed comments on the Secretary General's documentation and expressed willingness to meet with him for further discussion.

The Secretary General invited Mr. Denktash to New York and they met on September 12-13. Following their meetings the Secretary General said he had most useful talks with Mr. Denktash and that these talks would be helpful in deciding the steps to be taken in the near future.

The Security Council heard an oral report from the Secretary General on September 20. He told the Council that his efforts had brought the positions of the two sides closer than ever before; and he expressed his conviction that what had been achieved so far should lead to an early agreement on a framework for a just and lasting settlement of the Cyprus question. The United Kingdom Permanent Representative to the Security Council, speaking as President of the Council, expressed strong support on behalf of its members for the mandate of the Secretary General and called upon all parties to make a special effort in cooperation with the Secretary General to reach an early agreement.

Continuing his consultations, the Secretary General met with President Kyprianou on October 16 and October 25 for discussion of recent developments on the Cyprus issue. The Secretary General also met on October 25 with Turkish Prime Minister Ozal.

During this period, American officials continued their active efforts in support of the Secretary General's good offices mission and urged a cooperative and constructive attitude by all the parties. Ambassador Boehm encouraged support for a negotiated settlement in his meetings with President Kyprianou and Mr. Denktash. Secretary Shultz met with the Secretary General and during the General Assembly with the Greek and Turkish Foreign Ministers. Under Secretary Armacost also had useful talks with senior officials of Greece and Turkey during his October 28-November 3 visit to those countries.

Sincerely,

RONALD REAGAN

Note: Identical letters were sent to Thomas P. O'Neill, Jr., Speaker of the House of Representatives, and Richard G. Lugar, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Ronald Reagan, Letter to the Speaker of the House and the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Reporting on the Cyprus Conflict Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/259063

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