Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 99-02-26

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From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>

Friday, 26 February 1999

CONTENTS

• [01] EU Commission reaffirms its support for Cyprus' application to join EU
• [02] Albright refers to Cyprus
• [03] Cyprus to set up two new embassies
• [04] Excavations at the medieval sugar mill of Kolossi

[01] EU Commission reaffirms its support for Cyprus' application to join EU

This was expressed by EU Commissioner Hans Van den Broek, in reply to a written question by Greek EuroMP Nikitas Kaklamanis, requesting the official position of the Commission on "unacceptable views" expressed by the Head of the Commission's Enlargement Task Force, Mr Klaus van der Pas, regarding Cyprus' candidacy.

Mr van der Pas had said he "agreed with French objections regarding the entry into the EU of a divided island, which is situated in a kind of war zone", He added that these were views that they all shared, that it was the member-states who directed the negotiations, and that therefore "the Commission could not make proposals that were not politically reasonable".

Mr Van den Broek said: "The Commission will continue to contribute actively so that the negotiations with Cyprus may proceed as soon as possible, and will continue to do so despite the continuing obstacles, such as the fact that the Turkish Cypriot community has so far not responded positively to the clear invitation extended to it to participate in the negotiations."

He added that Mr Kaklamanis is right to say that these difficulties have led to many parties expressing their concern, including certain member- states.

"The EU Commission fully shares the hope that has repeatedly been expressed by the EU that entry negotiations will contribute positively to a just settlement of the Cyprus problem through talks under the auspices of the United Nations, and aimed at the creation of a federation of two communities and two zones", he concluded.

[02] Albright refers to Cyprus

In testimony yesterday before the House International Relations Committee on the budget for the fiscal year 2000, Mrs Albright also said: "We strongly support the expansion of the European Union (EU) into central and eastern Europe, and Turkey's desire to be part of that process" and added that they "are working hard" to ease tensions in the Aegean".

[03] Cyprus to set up two new embassies

The embassy in Praetoria will start operations on 1 March and the one in Helsinki on 1 May.

[04] Excavations at the medieval sugar mill of Kolossi

In addition a rectangular basin, which still bears traces on three of the interior sides of its first lime mortar, was also unearthed in the interior space of the refinery. The large number of broken and intact vessels that were used for the process of sugar refining found inside the basin suggest that this was later used as a rubbish pit.

Movable finds consisted mainly of typical plain vessels used during the refining of sugar and a number of Ottoman clay smoking pipes.

The Kolossi sugar mill and Kolossi Castle belonged to the powerful religious military Order of the Knights of Saint John of Jerusalem, better known as Hospitallers. They transferred their headquarters to Cyprus after the fall of Acre in Palestine in 1291, first to Limassol and from 1302 to

Kolossi.

Kolossi officially became the headquarters (Commandery) of the Order of the Hospitallers in 1380. The Commandery of Kolossi was the richest and most important territory of the Hospitallers, covering a large area which mainly included vineyards and sugar-cane plantations.

In about 1310 the Order transferred its headquarters to the Greek island of Rhodes, but continued to keep a high military force in Cyprus with Kolossi as its headquarters.

From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/

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