Cyprus News Agency: News in English (AM), 98-03-06

Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org.cy>

CONTENTS

[01] US concern over S-300 deployment

[02] Cypriot painter participates in major Washington charity event

[03] Cyprus hosts European Stock Exchanges Forum

[04] Commissioner leaves Cyprus

0845:CYPPRESS:01

[01] US concern over S-300 deployment

Replying to questions, during a defence issues briefing, Bacon stressed that the US have used their "strong bilateral relations with both Greece and Turkey to press for peaceful resolutions of disputes both on Cyprus and elsewhere".

Bacon also pointed out that the potential deployment of the Russian- made S-300 surface-to-air missiles in Cyprus expected later this year "could ratchet up tensions on Cyprus" and reminded that the US has expressed its concern about that.

Turkish troops have been occupying 37 per cent of Cyprus territory since 1974, in violation of repeated UN resolutions calling for their withdrawal.

CNA DA/MCH/GP/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

0915:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Cypriot painter participates in major Washington charity event

Washington, Mar 6 (CNA) -- The Cancer Research Foundation of America holds today its annual fund-raising gala at the national Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington DC.

The event's theme is, "The Splendour of Greece" and is expected to attract members of the American high society, the academic and cultural community, government officials and members of Congress.

Cyprus will be the centre of the event as one of the main attractions will be an exhibition by Cypriot artist, Melina Nicolaides.

The 27-year-old Cypriot painter will, after a request by the Foundation, present at the Gala three of her paintings which have a flavour of warm Mediterranean stew.

According to an announcement by the Foundation, Nicolaides has generously offered the proceeds of the sale of the paintings to the Cancer Research Foundation of America in support of its mission and programmes.

Melina told CNA she decided to proceed with this donation after news that a personal friend was diagnosed with cancer.

She described her work as being about "bringing identities and cultures together".

She told CNA her work presents experiences she acquired through her interaction with different cultures after living in many different countries with her family. Melina was born in Washington DC and was raised in Asia and Europe.

Her participation in the Gala has attracted a lot of publicity with articles in Washington Post and a story on local TV News.

According to many art critics, Melina is a rising artist with a lot of talent.

Through the paintings and the talent of Melina Nicolaides, Cyprus will be at the centre of the US capital in one of the most important social events of the year.

CNA DA/MCH/GP/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1330:CYPPRESS:03

[03] Cyprus hosts European Stock Exchanges Forum

Cyprus Finance Minister, Christodoulos Christodoulou, who opened the Forum, Central Bank of Cyprus Governor, Afxentis Afxentiou, as well as ambassadors of foreign countries to Cyprus were among the personalities attending the opening ceremony.

Christodoulou welcomed the participants on behalf of the government of Cyprus and stressed the need for cooperation between national stock exchanges, given the globalisation of securities market, which leads to "tougher and more complex competitive conditions".

"Today's meeting", Christodoulou noted, "is indicative of Cyprus' interest in building up close relations and cooperation between the stock exchange authorities of our countries", that will result in mutual benefit.

Referring to the Cyprus Stock Exchange (CSE) he said given the openness of the people of Cyprus, and the island's forthcoming accession to the European Union, it is not surprising that the two-year-old CSE has already begun to develop its relationship with Europe.

Christodoulou referred to the recent measures aimed at boosting the stock market in Cyprus, but said however that "the long-term development of any securities market must be based on sound legislative and operational fundamentals".

In view of this reality, he added, the government has given emphasis to establishing the appropriate legal and operational framework, "that will ensure investors' confidence and market transparency".

On his part, the Chairman of the Forum, Manfred Heider, referred briefly to the FESE's background and pointed out that Cyprus was always a part of Europe.

Referring to the differences between emerging and mature stock markets, Heider said their knowledge and abilities are "more or less on the same level".

What is different, he explained, is the level of economic development between countries.

CSE Chairman, Dinos Papadopoulos, said it is internationally recognised that "Cyprus is a firmly established offshore business centre, a role which is expected to be further enhanced in the years to come".

"One of the CSE objectives", he added, "is to play an important role in the strategy to further develop Cyprus as a regional business centre".

CSE General Manager, Nondas Metaxas, said CSE's "prospects for future growth are bright, as Cyprus is rapidly being established as a regional financial centre".

The Forum will be concluded this afternoon.

CNA GG/GP/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1400:CYPPRESS:04

[04] EU Commissioner leaves Cyprus

Speaking at a press conference for Greek and Turkish Cypriot journalists, held at the Ledra Palace hotel in the UN-controlled buffer zone in Nicosia, the EU Commissioner said:

"It is not the visit of big breakthroughs. It is the visit of taking stock, take some encouragements and preparing for important events that are awaiting all of us in the near future, that is the opening of the negotiations for EU membership."

EU will start membership talks with Cyprus on March 31, 1998.

Van den Broek said he held useful talks with President Glafcos Clerides, Foreign Minister, Ioannis Kasoulides and George Vassiliou who will head the Republic's negotiating team.

Describing his meetings with the Cyprus government as "very constructive", he, on the other hand, expressed regret for Turkish Cypriot leader's Rauf Denktash, refusal to meet with him.

Van den Broek made special note of President Clerides' inaugural speech last Saturday, pointing out his reference to "equality of the two communities and the hand he reached out to Turkish Cypriot leader Denktash, appealing to him as a compatriot to also take responsibility for the common future of both communities on this island".

The EU Commissioner said he was encouraged by the fact that the Cyprus government "is very much dedicated and seriously considers how the interests of Turkish Cypriots can also be respected in the arrangements for negotiations".

He pointed out, however, that in order to achieve results, Turkish Cypriot cooperation is required and expressed the hope that "Turkish Cypriots will not concentrate on now and the past but look clearly also towards the future".

Van den Broek stressed the benefits the Turkish Cypriot community will acquire if a federal Cyprus enters the EU.

"I continue to hope that the Turkish Cypriot community will also be able to accept that a common future is a better solution than a separate one in relative isolation."

He also reaffirmed that the EU will not recognise the illegal entity unilaterally declared in the areas occupied by Turkish troops since 1974.

Commenting on Turkey's attitude towards the EU, Van den Broek said "Turkey remains a key partner for political and economic reasons and for reasons of good neighbourly relations, in view of the enlargement".

He said the EU regrets the interruption in the dialogue with Turkey and expressed the hope it will only be temporary, pointing out that a development in relations with Turkey could have "a certain impact and reflection on the attitude of the Turkish Cypriot community".

Pointing out that accession negotiations and the UN-led talks for a peaceful resolution of the Cyprus problem could be "mutually reinforcing", Van den Broek referred to the "common destiny" of the two communities in Cyprus.

Commenting on the deployment of the S-300 anti-aircraft missiles in Cyprus expected later this year, Van den Broek said that the Cyprus government "will consider whether such decisions will make tensions rise or are conducive to a climate which we need for the resumption of UN talks".

British Representative for Cyprus and representative of the EU presidency, Sir David Hannay, was present at the press conference.

CNA MCH/GP/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

CNA ENDS

Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article