Cyprus: Status of U.N. Negotiations: IB89140.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974. Greek Cypriots, nearly 80% of the population, live in the southern two-thirds of the island. Turkish Cypriots live in the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" (TRNC, recognized only by Turkey), with about 30,000 Turkish troops providing security. United Nations (U.N.) peacekeeping forces maintain a buffer zone between the two. Since the late 1970s, the U.N., with U.S. support, has promoted negotiations aimed at creating a federal, bicommunal, bizonal republic on Cyprus. The two sides would pledge not to move toward union with any other country. This stipulation reflects concerns that Greek Cypriots would like to unite with Greece and that Turkish Cypriots seek to partition the island, linking the north to Turkey. The Secretary General's April 5, 1992, "Set of Ideas" was a framework for negotiations for an overall settlement. The Security Council implied that Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash was responsible. It then called for confidence-building measures (CBMs). Glafcos Clerides was elected president of the Republic of Cyprus in February 1993. Both sides eventually accepted CBMs in principle but did not agree on the Secretary General's proposed method for recording clarifications. A January 4, 1997, confirmation that Greek Cypriots would acquire Russian S-300 missiles prompted the United States to deplore the purchase and Turkey to threaten military action to prevent deployment and to bond closer to Turkish Cyprus. The missiles were the focus of intense crisis prevention efforts. On December 29, 1998, Clerides decided not to deploy the missiles on Cyprus. The prospect of Cyprus's European Union accession triggered heightened international attention to Cyprus and complicated settlement efforts. The U.N. hosted inconclusive talks in July and August 1997. Denktash demanded that the TRNC be recognized as a state equal to the Greek-Cypriot side in a confederation and concluded a declaration of partial integration with Turkey to parallel Cyprus's integration with the EU. Clerides and Denktash participated in five rounds of U.N.-mediated proximity (indirect) talks beginning in December 1999. On November 8, 2000, the Secretary General gave the two leaders his "observations" on substance and procedure. In reaction, Denktash withdrew from talks. He and Clerides met on Cyprus on December 4, 2001, and began holding direct talks on January 16, 2002. On November 11, the Secretary General submitted a comprehensive settlement plan based on Swiss and Belgian models. Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots failed to agree on it at an EU summit in Copenhagen, December 12-13. Negotiations resumed on January 15, 2003. On March 12, Annan announced that his efforts to get the two sides to agree to simultaneous referenda on the plan had failed. Cyprus signed an accession treaty to join the EU on April 16. Denktash opened the border between the north and south on April 23. Members of Congress have urged the Administration to be more active, although they have not proposed an alternative to the U.N.-sponsored talks. Some Members seek increased pressure on Turkey to withdraw its troops from Cyprus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]