Cyprus Mail: Press Review in English, 98-06-06

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From: The Cyprus Mail at <http://www.cynews.com/>

Saturday, June 6, 1998

Cyprus Airways staff call off strike

THE LAST-minute cancellation of the planned strike by Cyprus Airways (CY) cabin staff was the main news in the dailies yesterday.

Much attention was given to "revelations" about government plans for the national carrier, both in the event of the 24-hour strike going ahead and in the long run.

Alithia, under the banner headline "Liberalisation Plan", reported that had the strike proceeded, the government would have declared a free-for-all in passenger routes above Cyprus, inviting any foreign carrier interested to fly into, out of or via the island's airports.

This liberalisation would last for as long as the strike did, the paper said, but gave no sources. CY management would also be given the go-ahead to charter planes from other carriers in an effort to ensure smooth service for customers. The company had already begun negotiating with foreign carriers to this end, the paper said.

Simerini focused on the government's long-term plans for the national carrier.

The government was determined to relinquish its 80 per cent stake in the airline, the paper said. Two schools of thought existed within government circles, it added. The first, which includes Finance Minister Christodoulos Christodoulou, believes the government should maintain overall control of the company by keeping a 51 per cent stake. The other school of thought believes the government should maintain only a 49 per cent stake in the carrier, giving overall control to private investors, the paper said.

Machi reported on the "fiasco" of the bicommunal telephone link-up inaugurated by US special envoy Richard Holbrooke during his last visit to Cyprus.

The UN had admitted the system was not working at all, the paper said. Enclaved Greek Cypriots were totally cut off from their relatives in the government-controlled areas by the failure of the system. The UN explained the glitches by saying the telephone link had been installed in a hurry just so Holbrooke could have something positive to show for his efforts during his last visit, it said.

© Copyright Cyprus Mail 1998

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