Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 96-11-22

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

CONTENTS

[01] Cyprus to be included in next EU enlargement

[02] Cyprus meets Maastricht criteria, EU President says

[03] Andras Barsony new CEPA rapporteur on Cyprus

[04] Cyprus issues arrest warrants for Turkish killers

[05] Cyprus Stock Exchange

[06] Government extends payment of tuition fees for Turkish Cypriots

[07] National Defence Minister continues meetings

[08] Occupation regime refuses enclaved teacher to cross to free areas

1100:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Cyprus to be included in next EU enlargement

A two-day seminar on ''Cyprus, the European Union and Greece's role'', organised by the Economic University in Athens, the University of Cyprus and the Bank of Cyprus, got underway last night in the Greek capital.

Greek Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos, one of the key note speakers, warned that he EU would find itself in an ''unprecedented crisis'' if its future enlargement did not include Cyprus.

Addressing the forum, Pangalos also strongly rejected any attempt to link Cyprus' future membership of the EU with a prior political solution of the island's protracted problem.

The Greek Minister declared that the EU Council decision of March 6, 1995, that accession talks with Cyprus would start six months after the conclusion of the Intergovernmental Conference, ''can not be re- negotiated.''

Cyprus applied for EU full membership in 1990. It signed an association agreement with the European Community in 1972 and a customs union agreement in 1987.

Pangalos stressed that if there is no solution in Cyprus by that time, then implementation of the accession will, in practise, cover only the government-controlled free 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.

Referring to EU enlargement plans, the Greek Foreign Minister said these should not cover only Eastern Europe but also the south, which should include Cyprus.

''If Cyprus is not admitted, then there will be no enlargement of the Community, and if there is no enlargement, there will be no end to the negotiations now going on for the revision of the treaties, and the Community will thus enter into an unprecedented crisis,'' he warned.

Referring to Cyprus solution as a precondition to conclude entry negotiations, Pangalos said this ''would make Cyprus a hostage of Turkey and create a real problem for the Community's existence and future course.''

''Cyprus will be in Europe most speedily, and this will mark the beginning of real efforts to tackle the problem of the island's foreign occupation,'' he said.

In conclusion, Pangalos noted that ''Greece has its own issue - the entry of Cyprus - and this will be done,'' he declared.

Cypriot Foreign Minister Alecos Michaelides also addressed the Athens' forum on Cyprus-EU and assured those who wish a Cyprus settlement before accession ''we want a solution now.''

''The period until the entry negotiations start, which means more than a year from now, gives ample time to solve the problem,'' Michaelides noted.

He also welcomed numerous initiatives on Cyprus, being undertaken by the US, Britain, Europe and the United Nations and stressed the need for coordinated action by the various mediators.

Addressing the two-day seminar, Cyprus' Finance Minister Christodoulos Christodoulou stressed that Cyprus is the only country that meets the Maastricht Treaty convergence criteria.

Christodoulou said it is generally acknowledged that Cyprus enjoys the economic development level which is required for full EU membership.

Greek Finance Minister Yiannos Papantoniou referred to the benefits Cyprus will gain from an EU accession, noting its ''very high economic levels''. He said Cyprus meets all the Maastricht convergence criteria.

The seminar will be concluded today and its session will focus on the political and economic aspects of Cyprus' entry into the EU.

CNA AP/GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1230:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Cyprus meets Maastricht criteria, EU President says

Santer was addressing the ''2nd International Economic Forum'', currently underway in the Austrian capital.

According to the Athens News Agency, the EU President said the EU Council decision of March 6, 1995, set accession talks with Cyprus to start six months after the conclusion of the Intergovernmental Conference and assured ''there will be no problem in this respect.''

Cyprus applied for EU full membership in 1990. It signed an association agreement with the European Community in 1972 and a customs union agreement in 1987.

Santer clarified every application would be separately dealt with and that same objective criteria would be applied for all applicant-countries, stressing that no country would have favourable treatment.

Meanwhile, an Athens two-day seminar on Cyprus-EU heard Thursday that Cyprus meets all the criteria for a full EU membership and that it should be included in the next EU enlargement, irrespective of its political problem.

Greek Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos, one of the key note speakers, warned that he EU would find itself in an ''unprecedented crisis'' if its future enlargement did not include Cyprus.

Addressing the forum, Pangalos also strongly rejected any attempt to link Cyprus' future membership of the EU with a prior political solution of the island's protracted problem.

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

CNA AP/GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1345:CYPPRESS:03

[03] Andras Barsony new CEPA rapporteur on Cyprus

The new rapporteur was appointed during CEPA Political Affairs Committee meeting, held in Helsinki.

Barsony, a socialist MP from Hungary, told the ''Cyprus Weekly'', a weekly English-language newspaper, issued Friday, that the Political Committee decided that Lord Finsberg's latest report on Cyprus should be presented for consideration to the Assembly's next plenary session, in January.

The report was prepared by Lord Finsberg shortly before his death last month.

Barsony added the report ''was almost ready,'' at the time of Finsberg's death, and he could not exclude presenting it on the late Lord's behalf.

The new CEPA rapporteur on Cyprus said there may be an update, and if time proved too short for that, there may be follow up later, he added.

Barsony told the paper that he is scheduled to visit Ankara nest week in the framework of another CoE important mission, to monitor Turkey's respect of human rights, democratisation and the Kurdish issue.

He noted that his visit to Ankara on the human rights issue would also afford him an opportunity to discuss Cyprus as well.

Lord Finsberg was due to visit the island in October and Cyprus expected that he might have made considerable changes to his report in view of the developments last summer and the imposition of harsher restrictions to the declining group of enclaved Cypriots.

Four unarmed Greek Cypriots were murdered by Turkish occupation troops and extremists since last June.

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

CNA AP/GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1435:CYPPRESS:04

[04] Cyprus issues arrest warrants for Turkish killers

The announcement was made by Attorney General Alecos Markides at a press conference today, noting that all suspects were identified in photographs.

The arrest warrants were communicated to Interpol last night, asking the international police force to help in the arrest of the six suspects.

Isaac was savagely murdered by extremists on August 11, when he was trapped in barbed wire in the buffer zone, erected by the Turkish occupation army. He was beaten to death with stones, batons and iron bars.

Markides said more persons were involved in the murder but there was no available evidence as to their identity. However, he said Police were continuing investigations to identify the remaining suspects.

He said if any one of these persons travels to any country which Cyprus has a convention to extradite suspects, then, the government shall ask that the said suspect is extradited to Cyprus.

The six were identified as:

-- Hasan Yilmaz, a Turkish settler, former member of the Turkish Secret Services and now owner of a coffee shop in the Turkish-occupied town of Kyrenia. He was identified in photographs beating Isaac.

-- Neyfel Mustafa Ergun, 26, Turkish settler, illegal policeman, who arrived in the occupied areas when he was child. He was identified at the scene of the crime.

-- Polat Fikret Koreli, a 17-year-old Turkish Cypriot, living in the Turkish-occupied town of Famagusta.

-- Fikret Veli Koreli, Polat's father, a Turkish Cypriot from Paphos town and now in Famagusta.

-- Mehmet Mustafa Arslan, 41, a Turkish settler, leader of the Turkish extremist organisation ''Grey Wolves'' in the occupied areas, a Nicosia resident. There is evidence that the suspect participated in Isaac's murder.

-- Erhan Arikli, 40, a Turkish settler, from the former Soviet Union, living in the occupied areas for the last 10-11 years.

On October 30, the Cyprus police issued arrest warrants against five persons in connection with the premeditated murder of Solomos Solomou, shot and killed on August 14 when climbing a flagpole to lower the Turkish flag, during a demonstration to protest against the murder of his relative, Isaac.

Amongst the suspects are Kenan Akin, self-styled minister of agriculture of the illegal occupation regime, Erdal Emanet, commander of the so-called security forces in the occupied areas, Mehmet Karli, commander of the 29th division of the Turkish army, Hasan Kontaci, former commander of the Turkish occupation troops in Cyprus and Attila Sab, so- called chief of police of the illegal regime.

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

1450:CYPPRESS:05

[05] Cyprus Stock Exchange

CSE All Share Index                    82.21 (-0.12)

Sectural Indices

Banks                                  91.04 (-0.23)
Approved Investment Companies          75.32 (-0.25)
Insurance Companies                    59.08 (+0.14)
Industrial Companies                   81.75 (-0.33)
Tourist Industries                     72.61 (+0.07)
Commercial Companies                   61.71 (+0.97)
Other Companies                        72.09 (+0.03)

Trading Volume                         CYP 552087.076

CNA GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1445:CYPPRESS:06

[06] Government extends payment of tuition fees for Turkish Cypriots

The decision taken earlier this week by the Council of Minister provides that total expenses required for the education of Turkish Cypriots in private primary, secondary and colleges, will be paid by the government.

According to an official press release, issued today, the total amount to be paid for the academic year 1996-1997 will be around 47.000 Cyprus pounds (about 94.000 US dollars).

CNA AP/GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1540:CYPPRESS:07

[07] National Defence Minister continues meetings

Speaking after their meeting, Kyprianou said that by building up its defence, the Republic will be in a better position during negotiations for a solution to the Cyprus problem.

On his part, Tsohatzopoulos, stressed that the fundamental principles of international law should be taken into account by those launching initiatives for a solution to the Cyprus problem.

He described the defence pact, agreed between the governments of Cyprus and Greece, as a solid foundation between two independent states which will constitute the answer to the threat of Turkish expansionism.

In statement, the President of the parliamentary defence committee, Takis Hadjidemetriou said the people of Cyprus have welcomed the joint defence pact and look forward to a better and more peaceful future.

''Cyprus, should be united and integral for its people as a whole, Greek and Turkish Cypriots'', Hadjidemetriou stressed.

On his part, Defence Minister, Costas Eliades, said that working for the defence of Cyprus is similar to working for the restoration of the rights of the people of the island.

Tsohantzopoulos was also briefed on defence issues by National Guard Commander, Lieutenant General Nikolaos Vorvolakos.

Later this afternoon, Tsohatzopoulos will have a second meeting with President Glafcos Clerides.

CNA MCH/EC/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1635:CYPPRESS:08

[08] Occupation regime refuses enclaved teacher to cross to free areas

Eleni Foka, one of the few teachers who have remained in the occupied areas since the 1974 Turkish invasion, was refused leave to cross to the free areas today. The refusal came after unsuccesful efforts by the occupation regime to force her to obtain its so-called identification.

Government Spokesman, Yiannakis Cassoulides, told reporters today that the government fully supports Foka's decision. He said Foka had rightly acted and noted that subjecting the enclaved to such humiliating actions, is against any principles of human rights and international law.

Cassoulides reassured that the government will act accordingly, if the regime continues prohibiting the enclaved to cross to the free areas.

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

An estimated 200.000 Greek Cypriots were forced to flee their homes as the Turkish troops advanced. Some 12.300 stayed behind despite intimidation and threats. However, as living conditions deteriorated their numbers dwindled and many were forced to leave and seek a normal life in the free areas, away from the restrictions imposed by the occupation regime.

At present, most of the enclaved, about 500, live in the Karpas peninsula. A UN report in 1994 described the living conditions in this area as ''short of the standard of normal life''.

CNA EC/MCH/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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