Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 96-11-12

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From: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org,cy>

CONTENTS

[01] Demonstrations to denounce Turkish UDI

[02] Cyprus Stock Exchange

[03] Foreign Minister addresses regional economic conference

[04] Youth to stage demonstration in safe place

1235:CYPPRESS:02

[01] Demonstrations to denounce Turkish UDI

The government and police are eager to avert any trouble following the rising tension over the killings of four unarmed Greek Cypriots by Turkish troops in the past few months.

The Ministry of Education has appealed to pupils and students alike to refrain from any provocative action and demonstrate their feelings of denunciation through peaceful means.

Ministry officials will brief pupils on the risks they are running if the situation gets out of control and police seem set to take all necessary measures to contain the situation.

The protests are aimed directly at denouncing the unilateral declaration of independence by the Turkish Cypriot regime on 15 November 1983, which only Turkey recognises.

The UN ''considers the UDI as legally invalid and calls for its withdrawal'' and calls on all states ''to refrain from any action which might exacerbate the situation.''

The Kyrenia coordinating committee will hold a grand anti-occupation gathering on Wednesday in Nicosia, to be addressed by President Glafcos Clerides and Greece's Justice Minister Evangelos Yiannopoulos.

Prominent Greek American and Kyrenia born, Philip Christopher, who heads the International Coordinating Committee - Justice for Cyprus, will make some remarks at the meeting as well.

Main opposition party AKEL is organising a mass rally on Friday to denounce the continuing occupation of part of Cyprus by Turkish troops.

The youth branch of the ruling Democratic Rally party (NEDISY) is organising a torch-lit march in Nicosia and a two-day symbolic hunger strike at the Ledra Palace check point, which borders the buffer zone.

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

CNA MM/GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1400:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Cyprus Stock Exchange

CSE All Share Index                    83.39 (-0.01)

Sectural Indices

Banks                                  92.22 [0]
Approved Investment Companies          76.13 (+0.12)
Insurance Companies                    60.35 (-0.10)
Industrial Companies                   82.29 (+0.49)
Tourist Industries                     72.28 (-1.35)
Commercial Companies                   63.25 (-1.62)
Other Companies                        75.94 (+1.86)

Trading Volume                         CYP 774042.004

CNA MCH/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1640:CYPPRESS:03

[03] Foreign Minister addresses regional economic conference

In an intervention at the 1996 Middle East/North Africa Economic Conference, currently underway at Cairo, Michaelides said that, although we may have not achieved the set targets or the aspirations expressed by the peoples in the region, we must recognise there is a dynamic process and a momentum in all fields.

In the case of Cyprus, he said, the state did everything possible to provide the necessary infrastructure, especially in the area of communications, and to create a positive environment for business. He also acknowledged that it was the private sector which spearheaded economic growth.

In assessing the role and potential of Cyprus in making its contribution to the emerging Middle East, Michaelides underlined three aspects.

First, he said, Cyprus is a country geographically close to the Middle East with ties with all the peoples in the region.

Second, the island is the ''outpost of Europe at the eastern Mediterranean''. Noting that accession negotiations with the European Union (EU) will begin six months after the end of the Intergovernmental Conference, Michaelides said that ''Cyprus aspires to become the gateway and the bridge between the EU and the Middle East.''

Cyprus, he added, is already a business centre in the region with about 25.000 off-shore companies. It is also actively participating in the Euro-mediterranean Partnership as well as in the Regional Economic Development Working Group.

Thirdly, Michaelides remarked that although Cyprus has suffered greatly, ''we have never given up.''

''In 1974, in the aftermath of the Turkish invasion and the occupation of 37 per cent of my country, we lost 75 per cent of our economic resources,'' he noted.

Foreign Minister pointed out that the state had to provide for one third of the population who were turned into refugees, while the 18 per cent, the Turkish Cypriots, were forcefully separated from the economy.

Twenty-two years later, he said, our per capita income is more than 14.000 US dollars, the inflation rate is 4.5 per cent and unemployment is 2.8 per cent. The island, he added, meets ''the Maastricht convergence criteria.''

Michaelides highlighted certain essential elements for economic reconstruction of the region, such as encouragement of investment whether local, foreign or joint ventures, training and retraining of the workforce at all levels. ''Last but not least, reform and modernisation of the state and state institutions in order to increase their efficiency and effectiveness'', he added.

He said this is the time for action and results and that ''the real test is to find ways to fully realise the vision for the new era emerging in the Middle East''.

Referring to the conference's significance, Michaelides said it has ''proven an effective forum for producing actual, measurable results, in promoting business activities in this very important region.''

Finally, Foreign Minister said the vision of peace is attainable if there is commitment by those involved. However, he stressed that ''the search for a successful conclusion of the peace process becomes the beginning of the challenge to build the future''.

CNA EC/AP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

2005:CYPPRESS:04

[04] Youth to stage demonstration in safe place

According to a police statement, student representatives have agreed to stage their peaceful demonstration, scheduled for Friday November 15, at the capital's central Eleftheria Square and not at the Ledra Palace check-point, as originally planned, to avoid the possibility of incidents.

The police had sound information that the Turkish occupation troops might cause new unprovoked incidents, had the demonstration taken place near the UN-controlled buffer zone.

Police officials had today two meetings with students' representatives and parents' associations and informed them on the dangers of such a demonstration, requesting them to stage their protest elsewhere, the statement said.

It was also decided that students' representatives will take all necessary measures to ensure that no ''insubordinate elements'' will cause any trouble by entering the buffer zone, after the demonstration, which will be attended by the political leadership.

The Ledra Palace check-point is the only place to cross from the government-controlled free areas into the Turkish occupied part of the island.

Peaceful anti-occupation demonstrations, condemning the illegal proclamation of a Turkish Cypriot pseudostate, on November 15, 1983, which is only recognised by Turkey, have been staged at Ledra Palace for the last 12 years.

Four unarmed Greek Cypriots have been murdered since last June by the Turkish occupation troops and extremists in the UN buffer zone, thus increasing tension along the 180-kilometre long demarcation line dividing Cyprus since 1974 when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37 per cent of the island's northern territory.

CNA AP/MCH/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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