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Cyprus News Agency: News in English (PM), 98-01-27Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org.cy>CONTENTS
1535:CYPPRESS:01[01] Spokesman on EU courseNicosia, Jan 27 (CNA) -- The government believes March will be a month of "significant developments for the European Union," noting the establishment of the European Conference and the start of accession negotiations with six candidate countries including Cyprus."The government's ambitious target to begin membership talks will finally be met on March 31. The road will not be easy," Government Spokesman Manolis Christofides said here today. The European Conference, he said, will take place on March 12 and will deal, among other matters, with organised crime, drugs, cooperation for the protection of the environment and regional cooperation. The spokesman expressed "gratitude towards Greece for its unwavering, invaluable and decisive solidarity with Cyprus' European course." CNA MCH/MM/AP/1998ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY1555:CYPPRESS:02[02] Turkey violates guarantee treaty, says spokesmanNicosia, Jan 27 (CNA) -- Turkey cannot protest to the UN the right of the legitimate Cyprus government to bolster its defences, Government Spokesman Manolis Christofides stressed here today.Turkey, he said, guaranteed the independence and territorial integrity of the Republic of Cyprus and not the self-styled Turkish Cypriot regime in the Turkish occupied part of the island. Cyprus is the victim of Turkey's invasion in 1974 and continuing occupation of 37 percent of its territory, he added. His comments came in response to Turkish measures, including a protest to the UN Security Council, to counter the opening of a Greek Cypriot military air base near the western coastal town of Paphos. "One should have his hands clean to protest to the UN and Turkey's hands are not clean," the spokesman said, noting that international courts and other organisations attest to that. Christofides referred to a Turkish ministry statement that Turkey, as a guarantor power for Cyprus, would continue decisively to take measures to protect the security of the breakaway state in the Turkish-occupied part of Cyprus, against acts that might threaten its own territory. "Turkey forgets what it has guaranteed. It guaranteed the territorial integrity of the Republic of Cyprus and not the pseudostate", he pointed out. The 1960 Treaty of Guarantee stipulates that Greece, Britain and Turkey are the three guarantor powers of Cyprus' independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. The spokesman said Turkey is accountable to the UN for its crimes against the Republic of Cyprus and the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities. The military air base was delivered to the Ministry of Defence at the weekend, and the government said it would be used in the event of a fresh Turkish offensive. The government spokesman reiterated yesterday that the base belongs to the Republic of Cyprus and the permanent stationing of Greek military aircraft there would depend on developments. The governments of Cyprus and Greece agreed upon a joint defence pact in November 1993. CNA AP/MM/1998ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY1600:CYPPRESS:03[03] Cyprus Stock ExchangeNicosia, Jan 27 (CNA) -- The Cyprus Stock Exchange (CSE) All Share Index closed at today's stock exchange meeting as follows:CSE All Share Index 79.51 (-0.49) Highest: 82.46 (2/1/97) Lowest : 73.90 (30/1/97) Sectural Indices Banks 93.22 (-0.64) Approved Investment Companies 60.79 (-1.68) Insurance Companies 57.22 (+0.67) Industrial Companies 75.21 (-0.09) Tourist Industries 60.15 (-0.17) Commercial Companies 38.18 (-0.88) Other Companies 64.93 (-0.64) Trading Volume CYP 1134227.864* The difference in brackets represents the percentage increase (+) or decrease (-) of the index from the previous stock exchange meeting. CNA MM/1998ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY1710:CYPPRESS:04[04] Cyprus hails Annan's statement on missingNicosia, Jan 27 (CNA) -- Cyprus welcomed today a statement by UN Secretary- General, Kofi Annan, noting in particular his intention to appoint soon the third member of a tripartite Committee on Missing Persons (CMP) in Cyprus.Government Spokesman, Manolis Christofides, told his daily press briefing Tuesday the government was particularly satisfied with the Secretary-General's reference welcoming developments concerning the exchange of information about the location of graves of missing persons in Cyprus. Christofides also welcomed Annan's assurance that he would appoint the UN member to the CMP, as soon as he was informed of the exchange of information between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot sides. The Secretary-General's spokesman Fred Eckhard told reporters Monday Annan has been in touch with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) concerning the selection of the third member of the CMP, to replace Paul Wurth of the ICRC, who resigned in 1996. The tripartite CMP was established in 1981, following an agreement between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot sides, who are represented in the Committee with one member each, along with a representative appointed by the UN Secretary-General. The S.G. welcomed a meeting here last Friday between Greek Cypriot Humanitarian Affairs Commissioner, Takis Christopoulos, and Turkish Cypriot representative, Rustem Tatar, in the presence of UN resident representative, Gustave Feissel. The Greek Cypriot side handed information on 200 Turkish Cypriots missing (of a total of 503 cases). The Turkish Cypriot side gave information about 400 Greek Cypriots (of a total of 1,493 cases, delivered to the CMP). A total of 1,619 Greek Cypriots, Greeks and American citizens of Greek descent were listed as missing soon after the 1974 Turkish invasion and occupation of the island's northern third. The relatives of missing persons have repeatedly expressed "disappointment and deep concern" regarding the delay on the part of the UN to appoint a representative to the Committee. CNA MCH/AP/MM/1998ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY1935:CYPPRESS:05[05] President receives new Belgian ambassadorNicosia, Jan 27 (CNA) -- The Greek Cypriot side will continue in a constructive attitude and goodwill its cooperation with the UN for a peaceful settlement of the protracted Cyprus problem, despite the barrier of Turkish intransigence, President Glafcos Clerides said here today.Receiving the letters of credence of new ambassador of Belgium to Cyprus, Michel Swiatopolk-Czetwertynski, the President expressed his appreciation for Belgium's consistent support in Cyprus' efforts to become a full member of the European Union (EU). "It is regrettable that despite the intense international interest for a peaceful settlement of the Cyprus problem and our constructive attitude and goodwill towards this end, no progress has been made so far due to Turkish intransigence," President Clerides said. "Despite our disappointment, we shall continue our efforts towards a peaceful settlement in cooperation with the UN and do our utmost to reverse the status quo, declared unacceptable by the Security Council," he added. Presenting his credentials the new Belgian ambassador hailed efforts by President Clerides with the assistance of third parties, under UN auspices, "to solve the grave problem of the division of Cyprus." Swiatopolk-Czetwertynski said his government "is hopeful that when the talks between the two communities are resumed, a common ground will be found on which a constitutional solution can be built." The Belgian diplomat noted that 1998 will be "important" for both the peoples of Cyprus and Belgium, as it will mark the beginning for EU enlargement that will include Cyprus. "Cyprus occupies a strategic location in the Mediterranean at the threshold of the Middle East which could be compared to the position of Belgium, as an entrance door to the market of the EU," he said. He noted that Cyprus' entry to the EU will further strengthen the "fundamental importance of the Mediterranean dimension of Europe." Swiatopolk-Czetwertynski expressed hope that "a suitable formula could be found for the composition of the Cyprus delegation in order to facilitate the formal aspects of the negotiating process." The EU has decided to include Cyprus in its next enlargement and accession talks are scheduled to start March 30. The Cyprus government has called on the Turkish Cypriot side to participate in the talks as part of the official delegation of the Republic. CNA AP/MM/1998ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY2045:CYPPRESS:06[06] Cyprus' living standards praisedBrussels, Jan 27 (CNA) -- Cyprus is the only candidate country for accession to the European Union (EU) with a standard of living comparable to that of the Union, Council President, British Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, said here today.Addressing the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, Cook said all candidate countries have financial problems and a lower standard of living than that of EU member states. Asked to comment on Turkey's participation in the European Conference, to be held on March 12 in London with all candidate countries, the British Foreign Secretary said the "door is open" for Turkey, noting "there are no preconditions" for Ankara. Cook said the British presidency will continue its efforts to convince Turkey to take part in the European Conference. To this direction, he added, British Premier's representative for Turkey, Sir David Hannay, will be visiting Ankara later this week for talks with Turkish government officials. The Luxembourg Summit decided last December to invite Cyprus and five other countries for EU membership talks in the Union's first wave of enlargement. In response to this decision, Turkey said it would stop the political dialogue with the EU, and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash has threatened not to attend the next round of UN-sponsored peace talks on Cyprus, unless his breakaway illegal state is recognised. CNA NB/AP/MM/1998ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCYCNA ENDSCyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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