Cyprus Mail: Press Review in English, 98-07-29

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

Wednesday, July 29, 1998

Clerides calls for calm

PRESIDENT Clerides' written statement about the political situation - deployment of missiles, strained relations between Greece and the US, talks deadlock - was given wide coverage in yesterday's press.

Alithia highlighted Clerides's call for calm. Reacting to the political bickering surrounding the US role in the Cyprus peace efforts, Clerides said "the politics of stability and calm should be the main characteristics of all our actions". The message was a response to the anti-American outbursts, the paper said.

Clerides also warned that foreign policy on national issues should not be conducted for the sake of domestic consumption. He reminded that the handling of the Cyprus issue had been discussed at the National Council at which everyone was aware of good US-Turkey relations.

Haravghi accused the government of being in a political quandary, its policies marked by contradictions and dead ends. It said the government had felt obliged to issue a statement in order to play down the dangers threatening Cyprus.

At a time when the Cyprus issue was at its "deepest deadlock and the situation was going from bad to worse, with Turkey, fully supported by the US, heightening its intransigence, provocations and threats, the Clerides government is engaging in the promotions of its alleged successes", it said.

Phileleftheros said that the governments in Athens and Nicosia were both making efforts to tone down the Greek side's anti-American outbursts. Both insisted that they wanted to see the US initiative on Cyprus move within the framework of international agreements.

Neither Athens nor Nicosia thought relations with the US had deteriorated. In fact, Greece's government spokesman said the US "is a very big country, with which we have very good relations, and we want the US to exercise its influence over Turkey".

Machi claimed that Islamist fundamentalists were plotting to murder Turkish President Suleyman Demirel during his eight-hour visit to the occupied north. The information had been passed on by security staff of a western embassy, the paper said.

The paper cited as proof the fact that Demirel's personal car had been brought to the north as well as the heavy presence of armed security guards wherever Demirel went.

Simerini reported that Britain had requested of the US and countries in Europe to arrest the Bishop of Limassol, Chrysanthos, so that he could be questioned about his financial activities.

If detained in a country which has an extradition agreement with Britain, the bishop would be taken to the UK for questioning. Meanwhile the Cyprus Attorney-general has asked the police to reinforce its Business Crime Unit so as to complete its investigations.

© Copyright Cyprus Mail 1998

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