A blazing row between Nicosia and Rome was averted yesterday when the Italian Charge d'Affairs here, Mr Rafaello Benedicti, called on the Cyprus Foreign Minister, Mr Ioannis Cassoulides, to clarify Italy's position on the Cyprus problem and the island's accession to the European Union.
Mr Benedicti said that the Italian Foreign Minister, Mr Lamberto Dini, had been "misunderstood by the media" when he was reported as saying that the republic "does not represent Cyprus in its entirity" but there are "two republics in Cyprus, two entities, two governments".
Mr Dini was also reported as saying that the EU had to "recognise this basic fact in conducting negotiations for [Cyprus] membership."
After denying his minister had made such remarks, Mr Benedicti stated that Italy had not changed its policy and had never considered recognising the Turkish Cypriot entity.
Italy, he said, followed EU policy on Cyprus and adhered to the latest pronouncement of the presidency which drew a clear distinction between EU membership for Cyprus and the UN-sponsored effort to reunify the island in a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation.
In this statement the EU also reiterated recent remarks by the EU External Affairs Commissioner, Mr Hans van den Broek, who said it was "unacceptable" for the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mr Rauf Denktash, to condition his future participation in Cyprus political settlement talks on the suspension of talks, due to begin in January 1998, on EU membership for Cyprus.
However, Mr Cassoulides said he was not satisfied with this explanation or with a written statement from the Italian Foreign Ministry. Cyprus and Greece, he stated, would be making further representations to Rome.
Yesterday the Greek Prime Minister, Mr Costas Simitis, also spoke to the Italian Prime Minister, Mr Romano Prodi, who reaffirmed his country's support for the UN effort and also promised to promote EU membership for Cyprus.
These diplomatic exchanges took place against a background of increasingly hostile statements and counter-statements by the two Cypriot sides. Mr Denktash warned on Monday that if the Greek Cypriots gained admission to the EU the Turkish Cypriots would "justly object" and the "logical solution" to the loss of their rights would be war.
The Cyprus President, Mr Glafkos Clerides, replied by saying that if Turkey attacked Cyprus after EU accession, it would not only be picking a fight with the Greek Cypriots, but with the entire EU.
