Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 96-11-25

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

CONTENTS

[01] Germany sees 1997 as chance for solution

[02] Cyprus Stock Exchange

[03] Denktash sends third letter to President Clerides

[04] Tsohatzopoulos' visit useful, says Cassoulides

[05] Cyprus and Greece expand sports cooperation

[06] No question of postponement of US initiative, says Cassoulides

[07] Candidatures for Municipal elections submitted

[08] Cyprus to host meeting of European airlines

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[01] Germany sees 1997 as chance for solution

Germany's first caretaker deputy Foreign Minister, Peter Hartmann, outlined his government's position to Cyprus' ambassador in Bonn, Andros Nicolaides, who leaves Germany to take up his post as Cyprus ambassador to the US soon to replace retiring ambassador Andreas Jacovides.

According to an official press release issued here, Hartmann said 1997 is a particularly important year for progress towards a viable solution, accepted by the Greek and Turkish Cypriot sides.

The urgent need to resolve the issue must be seen by all interested parties as an opportunity to achieve progress through constructive and courageous steps, he said.

Germany, he added, will do all it can to ensure that fresh efforts towards this direction will be successful.

The German official expressed the hope that the division of Cyprus, a result of the continuing Turkish occupation of the island's northern areas, will soon come to an end and that a just solution is found, based on the principles of sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Cyprus.

Hartmann said European Union members, including Germany, continue to back UN efforts to reach a lasting solution of the problem.

He called on the two ethnic groups in Cyprus to play an active role in creating mutual trust to enable negotiations reach an agreed settlement.

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

1720:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Cyprus Stock Exchange

CSE All Share Index                    81.16 (-1.28)

Sectural Indices

Banks                                  89.79 (-1.37)
Approved Investment Companies          74.60 (-0.96)
Insurance Companies                    58.15 (-1.57)
Industrial Companies                   81.24 (-0.62)
Tourist Industries                     72.85 (+0.33)
Commercial Companies                   60.07 (-2.66)
Other Companies                        70.69 (-1.94)

Trading Volume                         CYP 579515.996

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1730:CYPPRESS:03

[03] Denktash sends third letter to President Clerides

He said President Clerides has not yet decided whether he will reply or not.

The letter was sent last week and is similar to previous letters sent by Denktash, Cassoulides said, noting that the Turkish Cypriot leader proposes a dialogue through letters, since, as Denktash argues, President Clerides refuses to meet him.

If Denktash's letters were confined to issues of substance rather than propaganda, they could have some political meaning, Cassoulides noted.

The firm stance of the Cyprus government is that direct talks can take place only after common ground is reached between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot sides in Cyprus.

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

CNA MM/MCH/GP/1996

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1745:CYPPRESS:04

[04] Tsohatzopoulos' visit useful, says Cassoulides

But he refrained from giving any details concerning the discussions the Greek Minister had while in Cyprus.

Tsohatzopoulos left yesterday after a four-day official visit, during which he held talks with President Glafcos Clerides, Foreign Minister Alecos Michaelides, Defence Minister Costas Eliades, House President Spyros Kyprianou and party leaders.

''The five-year arms purchase programme is ready'', Cassoulides said, noting that what remains is for a few details to be discussed between the Ministries of Defence and Finance. ''For this reason, the exact number of expenses is not known yet,'' he said.

Commenting on the possibility of signing an official agreement on defence matters between Cyprus and Greece, Cassoulides said, the issue still remains open.

He did however add that from a legal point of view the joint defence pact agreed upon by the two countries in November 1993 is valid since Greece has a conventional obligation to defend the territorial integrity and independence of Cyprus.

Noting that the government takes into serious consideration the views of the various political parties on the issue, Cassoulides said he does not believe it will be discussed at the National Council.

Greece together with Britain and Turkey were the guarantors of Cyprus' independence under the 1960 treaty of establishment of the Cyprus Republic.

Turkish troops invaded the northern part of this east Mediterranean island and occupied 37 per cent of its territory, forcibly uprooting 200.000 Greek Cypriots (one third of the island's population) from their homes.

Greece has warned Turkey with war in case the Turkish occupation troops advance towards the southern government-controlled part of Cyprus.

CNA MCH/GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1800:CYPPRESS:05

[05] Cyprus and Greece expand sports cooperation

The bilateral memorandum was signed by Greek Deputy Minister of Sports Andreas Fouras and Cyprus Sports Organisation (KOA) Board Chairman, Demos Georgiades.

Georgiades said the memorandum is expected to boost existing athletic ties between Cyprus and Greece in every respect.

He described the new agreement as the ''most enlarged and important'' and acknowledged that Cyprus will receive the major benefit form this cooperation.

Georgiades expressed full support to Athens' bid to organise the 2004 Olympic Games.

Fouras, who is on an official visit to Cyprus at the invitation of Education and Culture Minister Claire Angelidou, said Greece, despite its financial problems in the field of sports, will ''offer Cyprus a helping hand.''

He praised the two countries' historical ties and said Greece aims at implementing the memorandum through a ''two flags, one policy.''

''Sports should be an ambassador which can solve all kind of problems, '' Fouras noted.

Earlier today, the Greek Sports Minister was received by President Glafcos Clerides.

CNA AP/GP/1996

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1835:CYPPRESS:07

[06] No question of postponement of US initiative, says Cassoulides

This was stated here today By Government Spokesman, Yiannakis Cassoulides, when asked to comment on press reports that the US intend to postpone their initiative on Cyprus.

''Issues concerning the military dialogue or flights of warplanes over Cyprus should not be allowed to obstruct efforts for a political solution to the Cyprus problem which is the major issue that should concern us'', Cassoulides said.

Commenting on press reports that US Presidential Emissary on Cyprus Richard Beattie has resigned, Cassoulides said the government has no such information.

He also denied any knowledge of a possible visit of US President Bill Clinton to Athens and Ankara next June, as published in the Greek press.

''As far as I know the Greek government has not been informed of such a visit either'', he added.

Referring to the Cyprus problem, Cassoulides stressed that the only procedures followed for a solution to the Cyprus problem concern indirect talks for the preparation of a meeting between President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash, under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General.

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

CNA MCH/GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1950:CYPPRESS:07

[07] Candidatures for Municipal elections submitted

Central Elections Service Chief, George Theodorou said ''if no objections are submitted by tomorrow midday, we will proceed with the printing of the ballots.''

Elections will be held for 33 municipalities, nine of which are in the occupied areas of the island.

Three candidacies were submitted for Nicosia Municipality, four for Limassol, seven for Paphos, two for Larnaca, two for Turkish-occupied Famagusta and one for Kyrenia, also under Turkish occupation since 1974.

Nicosia candidates include, present Mayor Lellos Demetriades, backed by ruling right-wing Democratic Rally party (DISY), left-wing AKEL, Socialist EDEK, the United Democrats and the Liberal party.

The other two candidates are Alexis Theodosiades, backed by centre- right Democratic Party (DIKO) and Anna Marangou as an independent candidate.

Limassol candidacies are those of present Mayor Antonis Hadjipavlou, backed by DISY and DIKO, Demetris Kontides backed by AKEL, EDEK and the United Democrats and Costas Anastasiou and Antonis Protopapas as independent.

Seven candidacies were submitted for Paphos municipality. These are, Theodoros Aristodemou, backed by DISY and DIKO, Phedias Sarikas, backed by AKEL and EDEK, and Andreas Ataliotis, Simos Tsielepos, Philippos Kritiotis, Andreas Constantinides and Andreas Efstratiou as independent.

Larnaca candidates are present Mayor George Lykourgos, backed by DISY and DIKO and independent Christoforos Christofides, backed by AKEL, EDEK and United Democrats.

For the Turkish-occupied Municipality of Famagusta candidacies were submitted by present Mayor, Andreas Pouyiouros and independent Chrysostomos Paraskevopoulos.

The only candidacy for the Turkish-occupied Municipality of Kyrenia was submitted by present Mayoress Elli Leptou.

According to figures released by the Central Elections Service, a total of 314.255 persons will vote at the December Municipal elections, out of which 9.947 will be voting for the first time.

CNA MCH/GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

2000:CYPPRESS:08

[08] Cyprus to host meeting of European airlines

The decision was taken at the last meeting that took place in Dublin, Ireland, on November 22 and is considered a great success for Cyprus Airways.

A Cyprus Airways press release said today Presidents of 26 European Airways, members of the Union, such as the British Airways, Lufthansa, Air France, Alitalia and KLM will come to Cyprus for the conference, while European Union officials will also be invited.

The conference will coincide with celebrations for Cyprus Airways' 50th anniversary.

During Dublin meeting, Cyprus Airways Board Chairman Vassilis Rologis had meetings with a number of foreign colleagues with whom he discussed future cooperation.

CNA MCH/GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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