Cyprus News Agency 96-06-10.

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From: Panayiotis Zaphiris <pzaphiri@glue.umd.edu>

CONTENTS

[01] No rapid developments expected, says President Clerides

[02] Sport:Cypriot women win volleyball title

[03] Med-Media Project gets underway

[04] Cypriot Minister flies to Hungary

[05] Cyprus joins Europe to fight cancer

[06] Clerides arrives in Geneva

[07] US congressman: US military must talk to Turkish army chiefs

[08] Cypriot Minister flies to Paris, Luxembourg

[09] Cypriot re- elected in ILO board

[10] Court jails 32 Arabs for illegal entry

[11] Greek Americans rally around Clinton - ask for returns

[12] Italy's PDS supports Cyprus' accession to EU

[13] Cyprus hosts ''INTERHASH '96''

1200:CYPPRESS:01

[01] No rapid developments expected, says President Clerides

''Judging from the political situation and government instability in Turkey it is very difficult to expect that there could be any rapid developments concerning the Cyprus problem in the near future'', President Clerides said.

''The situation in Turkey is such'', he noted, ''that does not allow room for optimism, that the Turkish side will take the necessary decisions to open the road towards a solution to the Cyprus problem''.

However, he added he does not expect the situation either in Cyprus or the Aegean to deteriorate within 1996.

Referring to his June 18 meeting with US President Bill Clinton, President Clerides said they will discuss the Cyprus problem as well as regional problems, including Turkey and regional security issues.

He described as ''constructive'' the fact that the US chose for the issue of regional security in relation to the Cyprus problem to be discussed.

He said the US did not put forward the issue of Greco-Turkish relations, even though, he added, ''dangerous tension between Greece and Turkey would definitely influence the situation in Cyprus.''

The Cypriot President will meet UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali tomorrow in Geneva.

After Geneva, he will fly on to New York for meetings with the representatives of the permanent members of the Security Council and US Presidential Emissary on Cyprus Richard Beattie.

On June 18, he will hold talks in Washington with US President Bill Clinton. He will also see US Secretary of State Warren Christopher and Ben Gillman, Chairman of the House Committee on International Affairs.

On June 19, he will hold talks in London with British Prime Minister John Major and attend a dinner with British Foreign Secretary Malcolm Rifkind.

After London, he will go to Florence, Italy, to have a working meeting with the European Union Council.

President Clerides will return on Monday, June 24.

CNA MCH/GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1200:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Sport: Cyprus' volleyball successes

They have won Malta 3-0 set and San Marino 3-1. They hope to win Luxembourg tonight to take the gold medal.

Last week, the men's national volleyball team of Cyprus won the Promotion Cup held in Iceland.

The Cypriot players scored three clear victories against Luxembourg (3-0 set), Iceland (3-0 set), and San Marino (3-0 set).

CNA GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1440:CYPPRESS:03

[03] Med-Media Project gets underway

The meeting, organised by the European Union programme ''Med-Media'', was opened by Head of Delegation of the European Commission Delegation in Cyprus Gilles Anouil, who welcomed participants extending a special greeting to Umit Bektas, a photographer with the Turkish daily ''Milliyet''.

In his brief remarks, Anouil said Cyprus was an ideal location to host such meetings and maintained good relations with almost all its neighbours, with the exception of Turkey (Cyprus and Turkey severed diplomatic ties when Turkish troops invaded and occupied Cyprus' northern areas).

Anouil, himself a journalist for fifteen years, said he was very pleased to have addressed them and wished participants from Jordan, Egypt, Syria, Palestine, Lebanon and Cyprus luck with their workshop.

Tudor Lomas, Director of the Med-Media Project, said this was the first time a Med-Media project was opened officially by a dignitary.

He also noted the Cyprus project was the first of its kind.

''The aim of the workshop is to give the best news photographers in the Eastern Mediterranean the chance meet, compare work and experiences and consider ways to enhance their status and improve the use of pictures in the region's papers,'' Lomas said.

Also present at the workshop is one of Europe's leading national newspaper picture desk editors, Theo Audenaerd, of the Dutch paper ''De Volkskrant'', who took this morning's session.

The four-day workshop comprises two set assignment (one today at Nicosia Airport and one Tuesday on an international run in downtown Nicosia). On Wednesday, photographers will choose their individual assignment and on Thursday there will be an evaluation of the work done.

CNA MM/GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1445:CYPPRESS:04

[04] Cypriot Minister flies to Hungary

Taking part in the Budapest conference are the Justice Ministers of the 39-member Council of Europe.

Evangelou and Hungarian Interior Minister Gabor Kuncze will sign a bilateral cooperation agreement in combating terrorism, illicit drug trafficking and organised crime.

CNA KN/GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1730:CYPPRESS:05

[05] Cyprus joins Europe to fight cancer

Announcing the week at a press conference here today, Health Minister Manolis Christophides said ''there is indisputable proof that 70 per cent of deaths from cancer are due to the individual's life style.''

Over-exposure to the sun, he said, is one of the main risks for skin cancer.

Referring to cancer cases in Cyprus, Christophides said estimates indicate that each year more than 400 new cancer cases and over 20 new cases of malignant melanoma are detected.

Anna Achilleoudes, chairman of the Cyprus Association of Cancer Patients and Friends, said this year's anti-cancer campaign will be in three phases, aimed at different groups of people, including children and professional groups.

''Skin cancer can be treated and cured especially if detection is in the early stages of the disease,'' she told the press conference.

CNA MM/GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1855:CYPPRESS:06

[06] Clerides arrives in Geneva

President Clerides will attend a dinner this evening hosted by the UN Chief in his honour.

The dinner will be attended by Cyprus Foreign Minister Alecos Michaelides, Boutros-Ghali's newly appointed special representative on Cyprus, Han Sung-Joo, his deputy representative Gustave Feissel.

The Ghali-Clerides meeting will take place tomorrow. After Geneva, the Cypriot President will fly on to New York for meetings with the representatives of the permanent members of the UN Security Council and US presidential Emissary on Cyprus Richard Beattie.

On June 18, he will hold talks in Washington with President Bill Clinton, and meetings with US Secretary of State Warren Christopher and Ben Gilman, Chairman of the House Committee on International Affairs.

On June 19, he will hold talks in London with British Premier John Major and the next day he will go to Florence to attend a working meeting with the European Union Council, before returning to the island on June 24.

CNA EC/GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1810:CYPPRESS:07

[07] US congressman: US military must talk to Turkish army chiefs

In an interview with the London Greek Radio (LGR), Menendez said he has pursued the Cyprus problem in the US Congress and as a member of the House International Relations Committee, who visited Cyprus last year and ''saw first hand the realities of the invasion and occupation by the Turkish troops''.

''I strongly believe that there are much more that we can do'' regarding the Cyprus problem, he said.

Referring to the steps taken by the US House has done, he said this week members of the House of Representatives working with him, gave Turkey another message when they suspended 25 million dollars in economic aid to this country, because of its policies towards Armenia. He noted that many of the comments on Armenia included comments about Turkey's actions on Cyprus.

Menendez added the US House is now taking away from President Bill Clinton the right to waive the Congress's position as far as suspending the 25 million economic aid to Turkey. ''That is a very major step and we expect the Senate to follow suit,'' he said.

Among the efforts the House members are undertaking for Cyprus ''is to urge the US administration to make greater use of the US military officials'', Menendez said.

He added if the Joint Chiefs of Staff could talk to the Turkish military it ''will really have an enormous amount of influence in Turkey, on their civilian government, and to express to them the very sincere and urgent desire of the US government to have a resolution to Cyprus, to find a resolution that calls for a reunited Cyprus, one country with one people...''.

Menendez expressed the hope that Europe will join in efforts and make sure that Cyprus is admitted into the EU. He described this as another strong step which can be taken to ensure movement towards the ultimate goal which is a ''free democratic reunited Cyprus''.

Asked if he can see Cyprus entering Europe without a solution, Menendez noted that the ''EU has a moral obligation to accept Cyprus without necessary the final conclusion of a resolution.''

Regarding Turkey's territorial claims over the sovereignty of Greek islands in the Aegean, Menendez expressed the view that ''Greece has taken a very fine position'' on this issue.

Noting that the islands are in the territorial possession of Greece, Menendez said ''Turkey's position is not desirable and is creating unnecessary pressure in the Aegean''.

He said Greece has shown its willingness by saying it is willing to submit the question to the International Court of Justice. Menendez said this was ''a step beyond what Greece needs to do but it is nonetheless willing to do so''. Furthermore, he criticised the Turkish government for not responding in kind.

During his trip to Cyprus last year, Menendez visited the Turkish-occupied areas and the Greek Cypriot enclaved in Karpass peninsula. In statements then, Menendez said he sensed that a ''simbiosis'' (co-existence) between Greek and Turkish Cypriots was ''indeed possible and desirable.''

Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37 per cent of the island's territory.

CNA EC/GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1930:CYPPRESS:08

[08] Cypriot Minister flies to Paris, Luxembourg

The Cypriot Minister will discuss cultural issues concerning Cyprus' bid to become a member of the European Union.

While in Paris, Angelidou will attend a debate at the European University, on cultural matters.

CNA KN/GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1945:CYPPRESS:09

[09] Cypriot re-elected in ILO board

Pierides, will serve as a member for another three years.

The board is ILO's highest administrative instrument, which determines the policy of the organisation.

CNA EC/GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1950:CYPPRESS:10

[10] Court jails 32 Arabs for illegal entry

All were arrested last Friday by the coast-guard police while the two boats they were aboard were trying to land at an area east of this southern coastal town.

The captains, two brothers from Lebanon, were given a four-month and a three-month jail sentence, respectively.

The remaining 30, young people from Syria, Egypt, Lebanon and Tunisia, were given a two-month jail sentence.

One of the convicted men had been deported from Cyprus in the past for illegal stay in the country but attempted to return on another passport.

CNA MM/GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

2000:CYPPRESS:11

[11] Greek Americans rally around Clinton - ask for returns

Prominent Greek-American leader, Philip Christopher, President of the International Coordinating Committee Justice for Cyprus (PSEKA) told London Greek Radio (LGR) the thinking behind the decision to back Clinton in his bid for re-election was made because ''Clinton has shown a certain sensitivity towards our national issue, the Cyprus question.''

''We asked the President to give his support, without preconditions and commitments, to Cyprus' bid for accession to the European Union,'' Christopher said.

Greek-American leaders, he said, have also requested presidential influence on Turkey to accept a proposal for the demilitarisation of Cyprus, put forward in 1993 by Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides.

Furthermore, the leaders, who met Clinton last week, called on him to demonstrate ''a clear show of will on Cyprus before the November presidential elections, namely the unconditional return of the Turkish-occupied town of Varosha to its lawful inhabitants.''

Referring to American moves to push the Cyprus peace process forward, Christopher said the US President had indicated to the Greek-American leaders that somehow the Cyprus government did not encourage these moves.

''President Clinton told us that, at this stage, neither Cyprus nor Greece are holding back progress in the Cyprus question but in some way this progress is held back by Turkey's position,'' Christopher told LGR.

The President, Christopher said, excused the absence of any pressure on Turkey by the Turkish elections last year, the change of government and the rise of Islamic fundamentalism.

Christopher said the Greek-American community has already given Clinton 500,000 US dollars and intends to give him a second donation of one million dollars for his electoral campaign.

''We must persuade President Clinton to shift Pentangon's pro-Turkish position. If the US is interested in keeping Turkey as one of its allies, it will not manage to do this through the policy it has maintained in the past 22 years during which Turkey takes what it wishes but gives nothing in return,'' Christopher said.

Turkish troops have been occupying 37 per cent of Cyprus territory since 1974, in violation of repeated UN resolutions calling for their withdrawal from this east Mediterranean island Republic, a UN member-state.

CNA MM/GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

2020:CYPPRESS:12

[12] Italy's PDS supports Cyprus' accession to EU

The press release refers to a meeting of Cyprus Ambassador in Rome Michalis Sherifis with deputy Piero Fassino, head of PDS' International Relations, Gianfranco Brusasco, responsible of Mediterranean Countries and Lucia Palmerino.

They agreed on the view that the island should become a full member of the EU without, necessarily, the solution of the Cyprus Problem.

The PDS hopes that the talks for Cyprus' accession can help become a motive for the resumption of talks for the solution of the Cyprus problem.

CNA KN/GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

2030:CYPPRESS:13

[13] Cyprus hosts ''INTERHASH '96''

The Nicosia club has arranged a run around the old town on Tuesday evening.

As a hasher explained it is not a competition. The sport involves a ''hare'' laying a trail with flour for the ''pack'' to follow.

A group called the ''Hash House Harriers'', active in 80 countries, had selected Cyprus to stage its ''INTERHASH '96'', a biannual event, attracting lovers of the sport from across the globe.

KEO, a local winery and brewery, together with national carrier Cyprus Airways, sponsored the event, which took place in Europe for the first time.

CNA KN/GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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