Greek P.M. visits Cyprus

Press, 1 March 1982, Page 8

Greek P.M. visits Cyprus

NZPA-Reuter Nicosia The Greek Prime Minister (Mr Andreas Papandreou) is meeting Greek Cypriot political leaders, parliamentarians and mayors to discuss the future of the divided island of Cyprus. Mr Papandreou, the first Greek Prime Minister to visit the island since independence in 1960, arrived at the week-end with a pledge to free Cyprus from what he called foreign occupation. Troops from the Turkish mainland have occupied the northern sector of the island since their invasion in 1974 on behalf of the Turkish Cypriot minority. Mr Papandreou’s Pan-Hel-lenic Socialist Movement, which came to power in October, has adopted a tougher stand than the previous Conservative administration towards Turkey.

Speaking on arrival at Larnaca airport, where thousands of Greek Cypriots gave. . him a tumultuous reception, Mr Papandreou said the occupation was “the key problem" and could not be solved through the present intercommunity talks. He said he would press for “internationalisation” of the Cyprus dispute — a reference to plans for a broad East-West conference under United Nations auspices. United Nations resolutions call for the withdrawal of all foreign troops, the return of about 200.000 refugees to 1 their homes, and talks between the two communities. Most Western and nonaligned countries, however, favour the present local framework for talks and argue that, in the end, it is the Cypriots who must come to. terms.