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CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY, 96-05-09Cyprus News Agency Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Panayiotis Zaphiris <pzaphiri@glue.umd.edu>CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY (CNA) 9 May 1996CONTENTS
[01] ROYAL DOORS OF TURKISH-OCCUPIED CHURCH IN JAPANNICOSIA, MAY 8 (CNA) -- THE ROYAL DOORS OF THE CHURCH OF PERISTERONA VILLAGE, IN THE TURKISH-OCCUPIED PART OF FAMAGUSTA DISTRICT, HAVE BEEN LOCATED IN JAPAN.CYPRUS' HONOURARY CONSUL IN THE HAGUE TASOULA GEROGIOU-HADJITOFI LEARNED OF THE POSSIBLE LOCATION OF THE ROYAL DOORS EARLIER THIS YEAR AND TRAVELLED, ON BEHALF OF THE CYPRUS ARCHBISHOPRIC, TO JAPAN LAST WEEK FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION OF THE MATTER. THE DOORS WERE FOUND IN THE POSSESSION OF KANAZAWA COLLEGE OF ART, LOCATED BETWEEN TOKYO AND OSAKA. THEY ARE ON PERMANENT DISPLAY. HADJITOFI, WAS INSTRUCTED BY THE ARCHBISHOPRIC TO PURSUE RETRIEVAL EITHER BY LEGAL MEANS OR BY NEGOTIATION AND SEVERAL MEETINGS WERE HELD WITH COLLEGE PROFESSORS, COLLEGE SECRETARY GENERAL AND THEIR LAWYER. IT WAS EXPLAINED THAT THE DOORS WERE STOLEN FOLLOWING THE TURKISH OCCUPATION IN 1974 AND MUST BE RETURNED TO THEIR RIGHTFUL OWNER. PROOF OF OWNERSHIP WAS PROVIDED AND AN ULTIMATUM WAS GIVEN THAT UNLESS THE DOORS WERE RETURNED LEGAL ACTION WOULD BE PURSUED. THE CYPRUS GOVERNMENT AND CHURCH HAVE REPEATEDLY PROTESTED TO THE UNITED NATIONS, UNESCO, THE WORLD COUNCIL OF CHURCHES AND OTHER INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS ABOUT THE SYSTEMATIC LOOTING AND DESTRUCTION OF THE ISLAND'S 9.000-YEAR-OLD CIVILISATION IN THE AREA OCCUPIED BY TURKISH TROOPS SINCE 1974. CNA MCH/GP/1996ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY[02] CFA ACCEPTS FIFA PROPOSAL FOR FRIENDLY GAMESNICOSIA, MAY 8 (CNA) -- THE CYPRUS FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION (CFA) HAS ACCEPTED A PROPOSAL PUT FORWARD BY THE INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALL FEDERATION (FIFA) FOR FRIENDLY GAMES BETWEEN GREEK CYPRIOT AND TURKISH CYPRIOT SOCCER CLUBS.THE POSITIVE REPLY WAS CONVEYED TODAY TO THE FIFA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, WHICH WILL TAKE A FINAL DECISION ON THE MATTER AT ITS SESSION SCHEDULED FOR MAY 31. CFA PRESIDENT MARIOS LEYKARITIS TOLD CNA THAT FIFA PROPOSALS ARE USUALLY APPROVED BY THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. LEFKARITIS RECALLED THAT DURING A VISIT TO CYPRUS LAST MONTH, A THREE-MEMBER FIFA DELEGATION EXAMINED THE SITUATION WITH GREEK AND TURKISH CYPRIOT REPRESENTATIVES AND FOUND THERE WAS WILL FOR HOLDING FRIENDLY MATCHES BETWEEN TEAMS (SENIOR AND JUNIOR) FROM THE TWO SIDES. THE CFA ACCEPTED TO ALLOW SUCH MEETINGS BASED ON THE EXISTING FIFA REGULATIONS. ACCORDING TO THE PROPOSAL, THE CFA, A FIFA FULL MEMBER, REMAINS ITS OFFICIAL INTERLOCUTOR IN CYPRUS. FIFA DOES NOT RECOGNISE THE SO-CALLED TURKISH CYPRIOT FEDERATION BASED IN THE TURKISH-OCCUPIED AREA AS IT IS NOT RECOGNISED BY THE UNITED NATIONS. FIFA FORBIDS ANY GAMES BETWEEN TURKISH CYPRIOT SOCCER CLUBS WITH TEAMS FROM ABROAD. CYPRUS HAS BEEN DIVIDED SINCE 1974 WHEN TURKISH TROOPS INVADED AND OCCUPIED 37 PER CENT OF ITS TERRITORY. CNA MA/GP/1996ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY[03] OSTEOPOROSIS SEMINAR HOSTED IN CYPRUSNICOSIA, MAY 8 (CNA) -- A ONE-DAY SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE ON ''OSTEOPOROSIS PRESENT AND FUTURE'', IS ORGANISED HERE ON SUNDAY, MAY 12, BY THE ENDOCRINE SOCIETY OF CYPRUS (ESC).AROUND 35 PARTICIPANTS FROM NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES, INCLUDING QATAR, LEBANON, SYRIA AND JORDAN, ARE EXPECTED TO ATTEND. ESC PRESIDENT KRINOS TROKOUDES NOTED THE PEOPLE'S IGNORANCE ABOUT THE DISEASE AND STRESSED THE NEED FOR PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES. OSTEOPOROSIS MAKES BONES FRAGILE AND PRONE TO BREAKING AND IT IS USUALLY MORE COMMON AMONG WOMEN THAN MEN. ''THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE TO SUFFER IN THE FUTURE IS VERY GREAT AND THE FINANCIAL CONSEQUENCES WILL ALSO BE GREAT IF NO PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES ARE TAKEN'', HE TOLD A PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY. HE NOTED OSTEOPOROSIS IN CYPRUS IS ON SIMILAR LEVELS WITH NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES EVEN THOUGH THE WAY OF LIVING, NUTRITION AND SUNSHINE PLACE IT IN A BETTER POSITION THAN OTHER EUROPEAN COUNTRIES. THE SEMINAR WILL BE ADDRESSED BY PROFESSORS, NIKOS THALASSINOS FROM ATHENS, HERBERT FLEISCH OF THE UNIVERSITY OF BERNE, SILVANO ADAMI FROM VERONA, CARLO GENNARI OF THE UNIVERSITY OF SIENA, PIERRE DELMAS FROM LYON AND URI LIBERMAN FROM PETAH TIQVA. CNA MCH/GP/1996ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY[04] EUROPEAN OMBUDSMEN ROUND TABLE OPENSLIMASSOL, MAY 8 (CNA) -- THE FIFTH ROUND TABLE WITH EUROPEAN OMBUDSMEN OPENED IN THIS SOUTHERN COASTAL TOWN ON WEDNESDAY WITH THE PARTICIPATION OF OMBUDSMEN REPRESENTING 22 EUROPEAN STATES.THE THREE-DAY ROUND TABLE IS FOCUSSING, AMONG OTHER, ON THE OMBUDSMAN'S FUNCTION AND HOW THIS IS UNDERSTOOD BY THE BODIES OF THE EUROPEAN CONVENTION ON HUMAN RIGHTS. OTHER THEMES OF THE ROUND TABLE WILL INCLUDE ASSESSMENT BY BOTH OMBUDSMEN AND THE BODIES OF THE EUROPEAN CONVENTION OF ACTS OR OMISSIONS BY PUBLIC AUTHORITIES THAT ADVERSELY AFFECT CITIZENS AND THE WAY THEIR WORK AFFECTS GOVERNMENT PERFORMANCE. THE AGENDA OF THE ROUND TABLE WILL ALSO INCLUDE THE THEME: OMBUDSMEN AND THE ACTION OF OTHER COUNCIL OF EUROPE BODIES FOR THE PROTECTION AND PROMOTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS. THE LIMASSOL ROUND TABLE IS ORGANISED BY THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE (COE) IN COOPERATION WITH THE OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR ADMINISTRATION (OMBUDSMAN) OF CYPRUS. OPENING THE MEETING, ACTING CYPRUS PRESIDENT ALEXIS GALANOS SAID THAT THE INSTITUTION OF THE OMBUDSMAN IS A CONTROL MECHANISM WHICH PROMOTES AND STRENGTHENS HUMAN RIGHTS THROUGH A SIMPLIFIED SYSTEM IN THE METHODS FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE CITIZENS FROM THE ADMINISTRATION. GALANOS ALSO SAID THAT THE INSTITUTION OF THE OMBUDSMAN HAS PROVED TO FUNCTION ''WELL AND EFFECTIVELY'' IN CYPRUS. ''IT WAS PROVEN THAT THE INSTITUTION WAS ABLE TO PROTECT THE HUMAN RIGHTS IN OUR COUNTRY IRRESPECTIVE OF RACE, RELIGION, LANGUAGE OR GENRE SOMETHING WHICH SURELY INTERESTS DIRECTLY THE COE IN ITS PARALLEL EFFORT AND COURSE ON THE INTERNATIONAL LEVEL,'' HE ADDED. THE ACTING PRESIDENT ALSO REMINDED THAT A BILL FOR THE SET UP OF THE INSTITUTION OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR ADMINISTRATION IN THE ISLAND WAS ADOPTED BY THE HOUSE OF THE REPRESENTATIVES IN 1972 BUT IT WAS BROUGHT INTO PLAY IN 1991 DUE TO THE 1974 TURKISH INVASION WHICH CREATED MORE IMMEDIATE NEEDS AND PRIORITIES. ON HIS PART, CYPRUS OMBUDSMAN NICOS CHARALAMBOUS SAID THAT THE BASIC AIM OF THESE ROUND TABLES ''IS THE EXAMINATION AND EXCHANGE VIEWS AND EXPERIENCES ON THE PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN RELATION TO ACTS OF THE ADMINISTRATION. ''THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THE INSTITUTION OF OMBUDSMAN, ..., HAS DURING THE LAST DECADES CONTRIBUTED TO THE PROMOTION AND STRENGTHENING OF THE DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS IN THE COUNTRIES IN WHICH IT OPERATES,'' HE ADDED. REFERRING TO THE LIMASSOL MEETING, CHARALAMBOUS SAID THAT THE BODIES AND INSTITUTIONS REPRESENTED AT THE ROUND TABLE HAVE ''AN IMPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY IN THE EFFORT TOWARDS FACING SUCH DANGERS AS INTOLERANCE, NATIONAL AND RELIGIOUS FANATICISM, RACISM, XENOPHOBIA AND SOCIAL INJUSTICE AND ABOVE ALL THE GREEDINESS OF THE ECONOMICALLY STRONG WHO CAUSE THE POVERTY, THE UNEMPLOYMENT AND THE EXCLUSION. ''FOR THIS REASON, I BELIEVE THAT THE ORGANISATION OF ROUND TABLES WITH EUROPEAN OMBUDSMEN MUST CONTINUE, SO THAT THE COOPERATION AMONG THE BODIES ENTRUSTED WITH THE DEFENCE OF HUMAN RIGHTS WILL BE STRENGTHENED FURTHER.'' FOUR SUCH ROUND TABLES WITH EUROPEAN OMBUDSMEN HAVE SO FAR BEEN ORGANISED. THE FIRST ONE WAS HOSTED IN MADRID IN 1985, THE SECOND IN STRASBOURG IN 1988, THE THIRD IN FLORENCE IN 1991 AND THE FOURTH IN LISBON IN 1994. CNA KPK/EC/1996ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY[05] CYPRUS WANTS A SETTLEMENT BEFORE EU ACCESSION TALKS BEGINATHENS, MAY 8 (CNA) -- THE GREEK CYPRIOTS WISH A SOLUTION TO THE CYPRUS ISSUE BEFORE ACCESSION TALKS WITH THE EUROPEAN UNION (EU) BEGIN, CYPRUS PRESIDENT GLAFCOS CLERIDES MADE CLEAR TODAY.HE ADDED IN THE EVENT THAT THIS IS NOT POSSIBLE, IT WOULD BE INCONCEIVABLE CYPRUS NOT TO GO AHEAD WITH EU ACCESSION BECAUSE SUCH A MOVE WOULD PROVIDE TURKEY WITH TWO VETOES, ONE OVER CYPRUS' EU ACCESSION AND ONE OVER THE SOLUTION OF ITS PROBLEM. THE PRESIDENT MADE THESE STATEMENTS IN THE GREEK CAPITAL AFTER MEETING THE AMBASSADORS OF IRELAND, LUXEMBOURG, AUSTRIA, ITALY AND SPAIN. THE AMBASSADORS OF IRELAND, ITALY AND SPAIN, TOOK PART AT THE MEETING ON BEHALF OF THE EU TROIKA. REFERRING ALSO TO A STATEMENT MADE BY TURKISH PREMIER MESUT YILMAZ THAT TURKEY WOULD LIKE A SOLUTION TO THE CYPRUS PROBLEM, PRESIDENT CLERIDES NOTED THAT SUCH STATEMENTS WERE MADE BEFORE. HOWEVER, HE NOTED THAT THE TURKISH SIDE AVOIDS REFERRING TO THE ISSUES WHICH CONSTITUTE THE SUBSTANCE OF THE CYPRUS PROBLEM AND IS RESTRICTED ONLY IN MAKING GENERAL STATEMENTS. MEANWHILE, ALL THE DIPLOMATS EXPRESSED SATISFACTION FOR WHAT THEY DESCRIBED AS ''USEFUL, EXTENSIVE AND INFORMATIVE'' MEETING WITH PRESIDENT CLERIDES. CYPRUS HAS BEEN DIVIDED SINCE 1974 WHEN TURKISH TROOPS INVADED AND OCCUPIED 37 PER CENT OF THE ISLAND'S TERRITORY. IT APPLIED FOR EU MEMBERSHIP IN JUNE 1990. CNA EC/KPK/1996ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY[06] U.S. TO TAKE ACTIVE ROLE ON CYPRUS, SAYS KORNBLUMWASHINGTON, MAY 9 (CNA) -- THE UNITED STATES INTENDS TO TAKE A VERY ACTIVE ROLE ON CYPRUS IN 1996, U.S. ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE FOR EUROPEAN AND CANADIAN AFFAIRS JOHN KORNBLUM TOLD A ''CONFERENCE ON THE GREEK - U.S. RELATIONSHIP AND THE FUTURE OF SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE'' HELD IN WASHINGTON.THE U.S. OFFICIAL SAID HE HAD ''NO DETAILS OF ANY INITIATIVE OR PLAN'' TO GIVE BUT STRESSED THAT ''THE U.S. IS COMMITTED TO TAKING AN IMPORTANT STEP AND PLAYING AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN MOVING THIS PROBLEM FORWARD AND TO ENSURE THAT CYPRUS DOES NOT REMAIN THE LAST MAJOR UNRESOLVED CONFLICT IN EUROPE.'' COMMENTING ON HIS RECENT TRIP TO NICOSIA, ATHENS AND ANKARA, KORNBLUM SAID ONE OF ITS PURPOSES WAS ''TO TALK TO ALL OF THE PARTIES WHO ARE INVOLVED IN CYPRUS AND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND THE CURRENT SITUATION AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF WHAT, WE BELIEVE IS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY IN THE NEXT YEAR TO MOVE THE SITUATION FORWARD.'' EXPLAINING WHY HE BELIEVES THERE IS A ''UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY'' KORNBLUM SAID ''BECAUSE OF THE RAPIDLY CHANGING SITUATION'', NOTING THAT ''ALL STRUCTURES, ALL POINTS OF VIEW ARE CHANGING''. HE ADDED ''THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEACE ARE NOW GREATER THAN THE DANGERS OF CONFLICT AND THAT THIS IS A TIME WHEN A GREAT EFFORT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE OPPORTUNITIES COULD BEAR FRUIT.'' KORNBLUM NOTED THAT THE EUROPEAN UNION (EU) HAS TAKEN TWO IMPORTANT DECISIONS BY AGREEING TO BEGIN NEGOTIATIONS FOR CYPRUS' ACCESSION WITH THE CONCLUSION OF THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL CONFERENCE AND BY CONCLUDING AN AGREEMENT ON THE CUSTOMS UNION WITH TURKEY. ASKED WHY U.S. PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON HAS ONLY SHOWN INTEREST IN CYPRUS DURING THE LAST SIX MONTHS, KORNBLUM SAID THE U.S. HAS BEEN ''WORKING VERY ACTIVELY TO CREATE THE CONDITIONS FOR MOVEMENT BOTH THROUGH OUR CONCEPT FOR PEACE IN EUROPE, TO WORKING ON THE ROLE OF THE EU AND THROUGH WORKING WITH THE PARTIES.'' MEANWHILE, GREEK PRESIDENT COSTIS STEPHANOPOULOS TOLD THE CONFERENCE THAT ''ALTHOUGH CYPRUS' ACCESSION TO THE EU HAS ALREADY BEEN APPROVED IN PRINCIPLE, TURKEY DEMANDS, WITHOUT HAVING ANY RIGHT TO DO SO, THAT IT BE PRECEDED BY THE SOLUTION OF THE CYPRUS PROBLEM WHICH, HOWEVER, CANNOT BE ACHIEVED AS LONG AS TURKEY MAINTAINS ITS PRESENT INTRANSIGENT POLICY.'' STEPHANOPOULOS ACCUSED THE TURKISH SIDE OF ''DOUBLE BLACKMAIL'' AIMED AT PREVENTING CYPRUS' ENTRY INTO THE EU AND AT FACILITATING TURKEY'S OWN ACCESSION. CNA MCH/GP/1996ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCYCyprus News Agency Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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