Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 96-11-28

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

CONTENTS

[01] Cyprus Stock Exchange

[02] EU envoy seeks replies from both sides

[03] Military agreement would give ''positive sign''

[04] CYTA aims at improved services to meet competition

[05] Cox and Pouyouros will raise questions to Hannay

1430:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Cyprus Stock Exchange

CSE All Share Index                    80.57 (-0.14)

Sectural Indices

Banks                                  89.99 (-0.31)
Approved Investment Companies          73.93 (-0.95)
Insurance Companies                    57.57 (-1.71)
Industrial Companies                   81.25 (+1.70)
Tourist Industries                     71.88 (-0.94)
Commercial Companies                   60.72 (+2.41)
Other Companies                        69.81 (-1.51)

Trading Volume                         CYP 435406.323

CNA AP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1424:CYPPRESS:02

[02] EU envoy seeks replies from both sides

Heaslip said he expects similar replies from Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash, whom he hopes to see early next week.

Speaking after an hour-long meeting with the President here today, Heaslip described his talks as ''most interesting'' and added ''the subject of our discussion was how the EU, particularly the Council but also the Commission and other institutions, could best help the peace process in Cyprus.''

Replying to questions, he said he brought ''questions'' and received satisfactory replies on a whole range of issues but refrained from further comment.

''I have very similar questions for Denktash and I will get similar replies,'' ambassador Heaslip told the press.

He said the replies he gets will help him formulate his report on Cyprus, which will be submitted to the EU Irish presidency, which in turn will decide how to proceed.

CNA MM/MCH/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1505 :CYPPRESS:03

[03] Military agreement would give ''positive sign''

Furthermore, the UN does not think its proposals would jeopardise the security of either side and stressed that they do not form part of efforts to settle the protracted Cyprus question.

UN Secretary-General's resident representative in Cyprus, Gustave Feissel, was speaking to the press after a working breakfast with European Union presidency representative Kester Heaslip.

''We talked about efforts to seek an overall settlement and we touched on all the different aspects of the subject,'' Feissel said.

Asked if there was any progress on the UN proposals, he said ''the two sides have agreed to talk about all three issues as a package because we believe that is the way it needs to be done as the proposals are mutually reinforcing.''

The proposals, put forward to both sides, concern extending the unmanning agreement of 1989 along the ceasefire line, the removal of loaded weapons from military posts in close proximity and the code of conduct of soldiers serving along the demarcation line.

''This is not part of the effort to solve the Cyprus problem, but we do believe that achieving this agreement on this package would help, on the one hand by avoiding the tragic things we have seen this past summer, and secondly, it would also help to improve the atmosphere by being a positive message from everybody,'' Feissel said.

An agreement by the military on both sides on these proposals, he explained, is not a first or second step in connection with a Cyprus settlement, a separate matter the UN is pursuing.

''We believe the proposal we have put forward to the two sides is not complicated, it does not put into question the security of either side, be it military or civilian, and therefore we believe that an agreement should be possible on those three proposals without much effort,'' he added.

Replying to questions, Feissel said the UN would like

''to accelerate the tempo of our (UN) discussions with the two sides and make them more frequent than they have been in the past.''

''I think this will also be an indication that the two sides take this issue seriously,'' he added.

CNA MM/MCH/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1515:CYPPRESS:04

[04] CYTA aims at improved services to meet competition

''The Authority's consistent aim has been to make Cyprus a telecommunications hub for the Eastern Mediterranean region, in support of government efforts to promote the island as an ideal services centre,'' Zivanaris said.

Describing 1995 financial results as ''very good'', Zivanaris said there was a surplus of 13,6 million Cyprus pounds (around 27,2 m US dollars) compared with 13,7 in 1997 (around 27,4 m US dollars).

Zivanaris explained that the surplus would have been much greater had it not been for the Authority's decision to pay its dues to the Pension fund over a 5-year rather than a 17-year period, as previously agreed.

''The Authority's development programme was financed entirely from internal sources'', Zivanaris said, noting that CYTA ''has achieved fully the aims of its investment programme which concerned the development and enhancement of the range of services it provides.''

CYTA Chairman said the number of direct exchange lines increased in 1995 and there was a rapid development in mobile telephony, noting that ''at present subscribers to the CYTA Global System for Mobile Communications (CYTAGMS) service may use their mobile telephone in approximately 30 countries around the world.''

Zivanaris also referred to CYTANET service which offers Internet access on an islandwide basis for the cost of a local call, and noted the large number of technical and operational services and facilities offered by CYTA to the Department of Civil Aviation, the Meteorological Service and to commercial radio and TV stations.

''CYTA is introducing new services such as Videotex, Electronic Mail and the Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN), which permits access to more than one services via a standardised single access point,'' he added.

Zivanaris called for more independence and flexibility to enable the Authority to define the appropriate pricing policy, prepare and realise its own budgets and handle its affairs directly, if it is to deal successfully with developments and in particular competition.

CNA MCH/MM/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1520 CYPPRESS:05

[05] Cox and Pouyouros will raise questions to Hannay

In a press conference here today, Cox, who organised Pouyouros three- day contacts in London, starting on December 10, underlined the importance of their meeting with Sir David, because he is the British government's chief negotiator for Cyprus, and a very experienced diplomat.

He said all indications are that there will be a change in government in Britain during the forthcoming elections and subsequently a change in policy concerning Cyprus.

While the Labour Party welcomes Sir David's appointment, ''for years and years sadly, the British government did nothing about the tragedy of Cyprus,'' Cox pointed out.

With the change in government, there has to be a ''greater emphasis on seeking an honourable settlement to this long-running tragedy,'', he said.

Together with his Labour colleague, Eddie O' Hara, Cox said they will visit Athens on January 13 as members of the British Parliament, and will meet Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis and members of the Greek Parliament. They will also visit Washington in either March or April to meet with officials from the Clinton administration.

''We expect very close cooperation between the governments in Athens, Washington and London because they are the key players, along with their colleagues in the EU,'' Cox noted.

Asked by CNA whether he does not consider that Turkey plays a role in a solution, Cox said ''they are the key player, really, because no one is in any doubt that the people who make the real decisions are in Turkey and, without doubt, the military play a very key role, there''. He added he does not plan to visit Turkey, noting that the future of the government there is uncertain.

During their contacts in London and the other capitals, they will ''clearly outline (to their negotiators) what they expect them to be doing with their negotiations with Turkey.''

Although they will be highlighting the issue of the return of Turkish- occupied Famagusta, ''while we wait for discussions on Cyprus' application for membership to the EU...we are not prepared just to wait for the ongoing discussions, and do nothing else. That is why we are pushing the issue of Famagusta,'' Cox said.

He added that the actual decision for Cyprus' accession ''will be arrived at in the middle of 1998,'' quoting a source during a meeting he had with the Labour Friends of Cyprus.

Cox reassured that he is as equally committed to the other people who came from other occupied areas, such as Morphou and Kyrenia, for their return to their homes and properties.

The Labour MP said if his party forms a government, Sir David would remain in post because he is a very skillful diplomat, working extremely hard (for the Cyprus problem) and knows what the issues are.

However, he noted that what would change would be Sir David's ''terms of reference, from the policy of a Conservative government, to a policy of the Labour government''.

Cox added that they will ask Sir David, whether from his discussions in Ankara and in the occupied areas, he has ascertained any ''sincerity for an honourable solution''.

They will also ask how he sees such a settlement being put in place as well as what is going to be the question of the illegal settlers in the island's occupied areas, what are his views about the return and rights of refugees and what kind of funding will the EU give to Cyprus after a settlement is reached.

During his stay in the British capital, Pouyouros and Famagusta vice- mayor Sofi Fitidou, will hold separate meetings with the Speaker of the British Parliament, Betty Boothroyd, the Cyprus Commonwealth Parliamentary Group, Baroness Lena Jeger and Joyce Quinn, who is expected to become the British government's Minister with special responsibilities for Cyprus.

A debate on Cyprus will also be held in the House of Commons as well as a public Cyprus meeting. A petition will also be presented to 10 Downing Street.

The British MP had also a meeting Thursday morning with President Glafcos Clerides.

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

CNA EC/AP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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