Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 96-07-17

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From: "HR-Net News Distribution Manager" <dist@hri.org>

CONTENTS

[01] Albright begins US fresh effort on Cyprus

[02] Exhibition reminds of Cyprus' drama

[03] Annual Culture Ministry extravaganza to be the best yet

[04] Agriculture Minister in Germany

[05] Cyprus asks correction from UN

[06] Albright arrives in Cyprus

[07] Council of Ministers adopts package of measures on tourism

1140:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Albright begins US fresh effort on Cyprus

US President Bill Clinton has pledged to do his utmost in pushing forward an end to the division of this east Mediterranean island, forcibly imposed by Turkish troops exactly 22 years ago.

Former Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs Richard Holbrooke had pledged to make 1996 the year of the ''big push'' for the Cyprus problem.

At the head of a 16-member delegation, which includes military officers, Albright stopped over in Athens where she was holding today talks with Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis and Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos.

Last evening she had a meeting with Greek Defence Minister Yerasimos Arsenis, with whom she discussed security matters concerning Cyprus and the Aegean Sea.

The US diplomat, who is a member of US President Bill Clinton's cabinet, is accompanied to her three-nation trip by US Presidential Emissary for Cyprus Richard Beattie, State Department Special Coordinator for Cyprus James Williams, the Director of State Department's Office of Southern European Affairs Robert Cavano and specialists from the Pentagon.

This afternoon, Albright will have contacts with the UN Peace-Keeping Force on the island and attend a dinner tonight given in her honour by Foreign Minister Alecos Michaelides.

Tomorrow, she will hold talks with Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides at the Presidential Palace and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash, in the Turkish-occupied northern part of Nicosia, the world's only divided capital.

The US delegation will also have a meeting with Greek Cypriot National Guard Commander, Lieutenant-General Nicolaos Vorvolakos. They are also expected to meet the Commander of the Turkish occupation army Hasan Kundaksi.

Before leaving late in the afternoon, she is expected to give a press conference for Greek and Turkish Cypriot journalists at the Ledra Palace Hotel, situated in the UN-controlled buffer zone of Nicosia.

After Cyprus she will fly on to Ankara for talks with Turkish officials. Her Ankara trip coincided with the appointment of Abdullah Gul as Turkey's coordinator for Cyprus Affairs.

Gul belongs to the Welfare Party of islamist Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan, who was deputy premier when Turkey launched its invasion campaign against Cyprus in July 1974, under Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit.

US State Department Spokesman Nicholas Burns said Albright was bringing specific suggestions and ideas to discuss them with leaders in the three countries.

Discussion is expected to focus on suggestions made in UN Security Council resolution 1062 adopted last month.

The resolution expressed serious concern about the continuing modernisation and upgrading of military forces in the Republic of Cyprus, the excessive levels of military forces and armaments and the lack of progress towards a significant reduction in the number of foreign troops in the Republic of Cyprus.

At the same time, it urged all concerned to commit themselves to such a reduction and to a reduction in defence spending in the Republic of Cyprus to help restore confidence between the parties and as a first step towards the withdrawal of non-Cypriot forces as described in the set of ideas of the UN Secretary-General.

The Security Council stressed the importance of eventual demilitarisation of the Republic of Cyprus as an objective in the context of an overall comprehensive settlement.

The demilitarisation proposal put forward by President Clerides provides for the withdrawal of the Turkish occupation troops with the simultaneous disbanding of the Greek Cypriot National Guard and the Turkish Cypriot forces.

Those forces will be replaced by an international force numbering between 3.000 to 5.000 men, Cypriot officials said recently.

Turkish troops have been occupying 37 per cent of Cyprus territory in violation of repeated UN resolutions calling for their withdrawal.

CNA GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1200:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Exhibition reminds of Cyprus' drama

President Glafcos Clerides inaugurated the exhibition Tuesday evening. It coincides with the 22nd anniversary of the twin crime against Cyprus, namely the military coup d'etat against President Makarios on July 15, 1974 and the Turkish invasion and occupation of 37 per cent of Cyprus territory on July 20, 1974.

The exhibition shows the most tragic aspect of the Turkish invasion, the missing persons question.

The unbearable conditions under which some 500 Greek Cypriots live in the Turkish-occupied areas and the systematic destruction of Cyprus 9.000-year-old cultural heritage are also shown in the open exhibition.

The exhibition will last until July 20, the day of the 1974 Turkish invasion. There will be daily slides projection on these aspects of Cyprus tragedy.

Eleftheria Square has been ''dressed up'' in black drapes on the morning of July 15, at the exact time when the coup was staged. Yellow drapes were added yesterday as an indication of Cyprus' people hope and fight until a just and viable solution is reached.

Apart from young Greek Cypriots' chance to have a personal experience of the traumatic events that left an indelible mark on the history of this east Mediterranean island, thousands of foreign tourists currently visiting Cyprus show great interest in the exhibition.

CNA AP/GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1320:CYPPRESS:03

[03] Annual Culture Ministry extravaganza to be the best yet

Announcing this year's cultural festival, to be held during September in the free areas of the island, Education and Culture Minister Claire Angelidou told the press that the annual extravaganza promises to be ''the best yet'', with a blend of local, Greek and European offerings.

''Ta Kipria'' kick off on September 16 with the ''Music from the edge of Hellenism'', a super show of a hundred artists directed by Lambros Liavas.

Further offerings from Greece include Sophocle's ''Oidipus Tyrannos'' play from the Athens Contemporary Theatre group and Hortatsi's ''Erophili'' with the Cretan Theatre.

Angelidou noted that Greek participation is ''important'' and said the cooperation with the Culture and Tourism Ministry of Greece has reached ''high levels.''

Moscow's Kremlin State Ballet will leap across the boards with Tchaikofski's ''Cinderella'' and ''Zeus'', by Greek choreographer Demetris Arabis.

The Cyprus State Orchestra and the Budapest Symphony Orchestra will stage three concerts. They will be joined by Julia Fisher, the Eurovision young musician of the year.

Nicosia-based State Gallery will host an exhibition entitled ''One century of Greek painting. From liberation to 1930''. Art masterpieces will be loaned out by the Greek State Gallery.

On screen, at the Orpheas Stadium, for the first time in this festival there will be ten comedy flicks from all over Europe.

The European Union Baroque Orchestra will round off the festival with a performance on September 30.

Performances will be at the School for the Blind Amphitheatre, in Nicosia, the Curium Amphitheatre in Limassol and the Pattichion theatre and the Medieval Castle in Larnaca.

CNA AP/GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1400:CYPPRESS:04

[04] Agriculture Minister in Germany

The two ministers will discuss ways of cooperation in the field of agriculture and ways of activating the cooperation programme between the two countries in this sector.

On his way back to Cyprus, Petrides will stop over in Thessaloniki, Greece, to have meetings with the Macedonia -Thrace Minister and Thessaloniki University Rector, to discuss existing programmes of cooperation.

He will return on July 22.

CNA MCH/GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1500:CYPPRESS:05

[05] Cyprus asks correction from UN

In what has been described by UN officials as ''a slip of the tongue'', the UN Chief told reporters yesterday, ''a very constructive meeting with the Security Council where I discussed the problem of Cyprus and the contact I have had with President Clerides and President Denktash.''

Ghali was referring to the separate meetings he had last month with the internationally-recognised President of Cyprus Glafcos Clerides in Geneva and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash in Constantinople (Istanbul), Turkey.

Denktash is the head of the Turkish occupation regime, which has been branded ''legally invalid'' by the UN.

Turkish troops have been occupying 37 per cent of Cyprus territory since 1974, in violation of repeated UN resolutions calling for their withdrawal.

''UN officials have rushed to inform us that it was a slip of the tongue'', Cassoulides said, stressing however that the Cyprus government believes that an official statement should be issued by the UN on the matter.

Meanwhile, recently appointed UN Chief's Special Representative for Cyprus Han Sung Joo was due later today to brief UN Security Council members about his recent meetings in Cyprus, Greece and Turkey as well as those in a number of European capitals.

CNA MCH/GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1740:CYPPRESS:06

[06] Albright arrives in Cyprus

Albright who was whisked away by US embassy officials, refrained from making any statements and when asked to speak to the press, she told reporters, ''I will talk to you later, thank you''.

Asking what proposals she brought with her, she said, ''we will discuss them with the appropriate people. I just want to say I am really glad to be here.''

In statements earlier in Athens where she met Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis and Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos, Albright said: ''Because we recognise that the Cyprus problem cannot be viewed in isolation, we have also focussed discussions here in Athens on improving relations between our two important NATO allies, Greece and Turkey.''

She further noted that ''assisting the parties to seize this opportunity as long as it exists, is now our diplomatic goal.''

Furthermore she added that ''our message today is a simple one. The Clinton administration is prepared to assist those who are prepared to take the risks for peace.''

Albright is heading a 16 member delegation which includes military officers and US Presidential Emissary for Cyprus Richard Beattie, State Department Special Coordinator for Cyprus James Williams, the Director of State Department's Office for Southern European Affairs Carey Cavanaugh and specialists from the Pentagon.

This afternoon, Albright will have contacts with the UN Peace-Keeping Force on the island and attend a dinner tonight given in her honour by Foreign Minister Alecos Michaelides.

Tomorrow, she will be received by Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides at the Presidential Palace and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash, in the Turkish-occupied northern part of Nicosia.

The US delegation will also have a meeting with National Guard Commander Lieutenant-General Nicolaos Vorvolakos and a separate meeting with the Commander of the Turkish occupation army, Hasan Kundaksi.

Before leaving late in the afternoon, she is expected to give a press conference at the Ledra Palace Hotel, situated in the UN-controlled buffer zone in Nicosia.

After Cyprus, she will fly on to Ankara for talks with Turkish officials.

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

CNA EC/MCH/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1855:CYPPRESS:07

[07] Council of Ministers adopts package of measures on tourism

Announcing the measures at a press conference, here, today, Commerce, Industry and Tourism Minister, Kyriakos Christofi, said they are the result of a series of exhausting meetings of a committee comprising of the Ministers of Finance, Labour and Social Insurance, Interior and Communications and Works.

The problems faced by the tourist industry in Cyprus are not characteristic to the island but observed in the whole of the Mediterranean as well as other tourist destinations, competitive to Cyprus, Christofi noted.

The package includes measures aiming to control the further construction of new hotels, to provide low interest loans for renovation of existing ones as well as measures concerning the operational cost of hotels.

Christofi said the government will attempt to hold back labour costs for the next three years and asked for the cooperation of trade unions in this direction.

The measures to promote tourism also include the construction of some costly infrastructure projects as well as marinas, casinos and golf fields.

The Minister also stressed the need to protect the environment, and to preserve archaelogical sights.

CNA KN/MCH/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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