Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 96-10-13

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

CONTENTS

[01] Turks kill Greek Cypriot refugee man

[02] Cyprus to protest new killing by Turkish soldiers

[03] Euro-MPs denounce murder by Turks

1110:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Turks kill Greek Cypriot refugee man

A Cyprus Police spokesman CNA identified the man as Petros Kakoulli, aged 50, a refugee from the Turkish-occupied village of Lefkoniko, who was staying at Avgorou village.

Police told CNA that Kakoulli had gone to Achna area, near the Turkish cease-fire line, together with his son-in-law to collect snails.

The incident took place at 0735 local time (0435 GMT).

CNA GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1325:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Cyprus to protest new killing by Turkish soldiers

Turkish soldiers shot and killed this morning Petros Kakoulli, 58, a retired fireman and a refugee from the Turkish-occupied village of Lefkoniko, who was staying at Avgorou village, in the southeastern part of the island.

The incident took place in the Achna area, near the British sovereign military base of Dhekelia, at around 0730 local time (0430 GMT).

Kakoulli was collecting snails with his son-in-law, Panikos Hadjiathanasiou, 27.

Hadjiathanasiou told the Police that he saw his father-in-law standing with his hands up. Two Turkish soldiers shot him twice and then walked closer to him and finished him off with another shot.

The Turks claimed that Kakoulli had crossed into the Turkish-occupied part of Cyprus, north of the Turkish cease-fire line. The Turkish soldiers refused to hand over the body to an ambulance of the British bases, which had rushed to the area.

The Turks did not allow representatives of the Cypriot authorities, or the UN and the British bases, to visit the area and inspect the body.

Instead, the Turks took the body away before allowing representatives of the UN and the British bases to go to the area, on the boundaries of the British bases.

In the area, there is an unmanned UN observation post. After the incident UN peacekeepers went to the area. At the same time, the Turks increased their armed guards, who have taken positions.

The Cypriot authorities have asked the UN peace-keeping force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) to mediate for the return of the body.

Cyprus Government Spokesman Yiannakis Cassoulides said the government will protest to the UN, other international organisations and foreign governments about the ''totally unjustified act'' by the Turkish occupation troops.

Meanwhile, former Cyprus President Spyros Kyprianou, President of the House of Representatives, has urged Greek Cypriots taking part in an anti-occupation protest march today to stay calm.

Thousands of refugees are taking part in a march from Astromeritis village, west of Nicosia, on the road leading to their home-town Morphou, in the north-eastern part of the island.

The House President briefed foreign MPs and guests taking part in the Morphou march about the new Turkish provocative act.

Cyprus police and the UNFICYP have taken strict security measures near the UN-controlled buffer zone at Astromeritis to prevent marchers entering the no-man's land.

Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash threatened that his illegal regime would arrest anybody, who would try to cross into the occupied territory.

In July, Turkish soldiers shot and killed an unarmed National Guardsman in the UN buffer zone in Nicosia.

In August, the Turkish occupation troops and extremists, who had come in from Turkey, brutally murdered two Greek Cypriot youths taking part in peaceful anti-occupation demonstrations.

Tasos Isaac, 24, was savagely beaten to death on August 11, and Solomos Solomou was shot and killed by Turkish soldiers and secret agents on August 14.

On September 8, a Turkish soldier of Kurdish origin, was found dead in his observation post in the Aheritou area.

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

CNA GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1500:CYPPRESS:03

[03] Euro-MPs denounce murder by Turks

Turkish soldiers shot and killed this morning Petros Kakoulli, 58, a retired fireman from the Turkish-occupied village of Lefkoniko.

Kakoulli was collecting snails in the area of Achna, near the British Base Area of Dhekelia, with his 27-year-old son-in-law Panikos Hadjiathanasiou, when the Turkish soldiers killed him.

Hadjiathanasiou told the police that he saw his father-in-law standing with his hands up. Two Turkish soldiers shot him twice and then walked closer to him and finished him off with another shot.

Cyprus police announced that according to information from the UN peace-keeping force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) the Turks had taken the body to a hospital in the Turkish-occupied town of Famagusta.

The Turks will hand over the body to UNFICYP tomorrow to be returned to the Cypriot authorities.

Cyprus Police Chief Panikos Hadjiloizou and other senior police officers went to the British Base Area of Dhekelia and met with British Bases Police officers.

British Labour Euro-MP Pauline Green, Leader of the Socialist group in the European Parliament, said the new murder ''reinforces the horror of an island of this size divided in this way.''

She said it demonstrates that ''we have to resolve this problem. It is now becoming more and more of a flashpoint.''

The leader of the largest political group in the Euro-Parliament said the international community ''must respond with the firmer pressure on Turkey to solve the dreadful problem.''

Dutch Euro-MP Jan Willem Bertens said it was ''a premeditated murder, done on purpose to show there is no chance for peace. But we will fight back peacefully for the reunification of the island.''

Both Euro-MPs said the new murder by the Turks strengthens their determination to refuse all EU funds for Turkey.

Greek Euro-MP Alexandros Alavanos strongly denounced the new Turkish provocative act and said the matter would be raised in the European Parliament.

The three Euro-MPs took part earlier today in an anti-occupation march with the participation of thousands of refugees from the Turkish-occupied town of Morphou, in the north-western part of the island.

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

The Cypriot and Greek governments have strongly condemned the brutal murder.

The Foreign Ministries of the two countries coordinate their efforts to protest to the United Nations, other international organisations and foreign governments.

At the same time, the Ministers of Defence of the two countries, Costas Eliades of Cyprus and Akis Tsohatzopoulos of Greece, are in constant touch about the matter.

CNA GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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