Clinton pushes for Cyprus deal
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is tomorrow expected to appeal to Cypriots from the diaspora to support the «tough decisions» necessary for a solution to the Cyprus problem, Kathimerini’s Cyprus edition has learned. On Saturday, Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou telephoned Cyprus President Dimitris Christofias to brief him on his phone conversation with Clinton, which reportedly focused on the Cyprus issue. Clinton is due in Nicosia tomorrow to attend a conference of the World Federation of Overseas Cypriots, where she is expected to press Greek Cypriots to back United Nations-mediated peace talks. According to sources, Clinton said she backs a «bizonal, bicommunal» solution. She added that Washington «remains committed to ending the island’s division» but stressed that a solution was in the hands of Cypriot leaders. «The leaders of both communities must remain focused during these complex negotiations,» she was quoted as saying.
