THE WHITE HOUSE

                     Office of the Press Secretary
                           (Auburn, New York)
________________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release                                  September 3, 1999

STATEMENT BY THE PRESS SECRETARY

Appointment of Alfred H. Moses as Special Presidential Emissary for Cyprus. President Clinton today announced that he has appointed former U.S. Ambassador to Romania Alfred Moses as his Special Presidential Emissary for Cyprus. Moses succeeds Richard C. Holbrooke, who is now the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.

The Special Presidential Emissary is the U.S. Government's principal representative on efforts to facilitate negotiations between the Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots and promote a comprehensive settlement on Cyprus. The position of Special Presidential Emissary was established to ensure policy-level coordination of efforts related to Cyprus and to underscore the President's commitment to resolving the Cyprus dispute.

The Special Emissary works closely with the Cypriot parties as well as with interested governments, maintains an active dialogue with Congress, and has regular contacts with the Secretary General of the United Nations and his representatives.

Ambassador Moses brings to this mission vast experience as a community leader, diplomat, attorney, and author. A long-time partner in the Washington law firm of Covington & Burling, he was U.S. Ambassador to Romania from December 1994-September 1997 and President of the American Jewish Committee from 1991 to 1994. He has held leadership positions in a number of community service organizations and was Special Advisor and Special Counsel to the President during the Carter Administration.

Mr. Moses is married to the former Carol Whitehill and has four grown children. He received his B.A. degree from Dartmouth College and his J.D. degree from Georgetown University Law School. He lives in McLean, Virginia.

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