THE WHITE HOUSE

                     Office of the Press Secretary
                        (Auckland, New Zealand)
________________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release                                 September 10, 1999

                   TEXT OF A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
                          TO THE SPEAKER OF THE
                         HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
                         AND THE CHAIRMAN OF THE
                   SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE

September 10, 1999

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

In accordance with Public Law 95-384, (22 U.S.C. 2373(c)), I submit to you this report on progress toward a negotiated settlement of the Cyprus question covering the period June 1, 1999, to July 31, 1999. The previous submission covered events during April and May 1999.

Cyprus was one of the many issues raised at the G-8 Summit in Cologne, Germany, this past June. My colleagues agreed that a resolution to the dispute is long overdue and issued a statement urging U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan to "invite the leaders of the two parties to negotiations in the fall of 1999." This is a positive step toward addressing the legitimate concerns of both sides and reaching a just and lasting solution for all Cypriots.

In July, Secretary of Defense William Cohen traveled to Greece and Turkey to enhance our bilateral relations and underscore the important role Greece and Turkey play in maintaining stability in the southern European region. Secretary Cohen also emphasized the U.S. commitment to reaching a Cyprus solution.

Sincerely,

WILLIAM J. CLINTON

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