Cyprus News Agency: News in English (AM), 97-02-13

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

CONTENTS

[01] Albright, Cohen on Cyprus

[02] New Industrialists' Organization set up

[03] Cyprus Stock Exchange

[04] Greek Cypriot takes Turkey to Court

1015:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Albright, Cohen on Cyprus

She said the US Administration will "spend a lot of time on Cyprus" and expressed disappointment about the situation along the demarcation line and the "instability created by the sides."

In his remarks, US Defence Secretary William Cohen said he considers Cyprus as "a real flash point", which could provoke a conflict.

"I think with the potential accession of Cyprus to the EU, it does provide some way of dealing with the problem. And we should use that period and we are going to be examining that," Secretary Albright said during her testimony before the US House Subcommittee on Foreign Operations.

Noting that she "spent a lot of time last year looking at the issue of Cyprus and Greek-Turkish relations about Cyprus,", she described "an increase in tension in the last month in Cyprus" as "most unfortunate and a cycle that I think is dangerous to the stability in the region."

Responding to a question on US support to Turkey's integration to the EU despite the lack of a solution in Cyprus and her plans towards a reunification of Cyprus, Albright replied "there is time of opportunity now that we need to somehow work on, but not give away anything."

She also said the US considers the region "strategically important" and added "we have to use some American influence in terms of getting the process moving."

Referring to the situation along the dividing line, she said "I was very upset myself in terms of the deterioration of the condition along the green line and the instability that is created by the sides being too close to each other, as we saw this fall and this summer in terms of shootings and various things that took place."

Albright said the Administration is going to spend a lot of time on Cyprus and "we have a lot of business there. I think we will be talking a lot more to all of you about Turkey-Cyprus issues because they are very much on our plate."

In her written statement before the House International Relations Committee, earlier in the week, Albright had said "the dispute (in Cyprus) divides more than two Cypriot communities. It continues to act as a wedge between two NATO allies, Turkey and Greece, and threatens European stability and our vital interests."

In his testimony before the US House National Security Committee, US Defence Secretary William Cohen said Cyprus "is one of the real flash points that we have to be very concerned about."

"I think it could provoke a conflict. I would like to see less weaponry going into the region than more," Cohen said.

Commenting on a decision by the Cyprus government to purchase Russian surface-to-air missiles, Cohen said "should one side acquire certain types of missiles, that would perhaps provoke the other side to try and take those out. I think it is a very dangerous situation which ought to be avoided if at all possible."

He expressed the hope that the US "can persuade both sides to exercise restraint in this regard. I think the rhetoric is getting pretty hot as well as the prospects for acquiring different types of systems."

On Greco-Turkish relations in regard to Cyprus, Cohen said that "things are getting out of hand in terms of the Cyprus situation and we ought to call it back, both sides, stepping back from that particular conflict, potential conflict area."

CNA DA/MM/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1230:CYPPRESS:02

[02] New Industrialists' Organization set up

The Union, with an initial number of 55 member-industries, is expected to play its own role in the island's industrial activities, working in parallel with the two existing industrialist bodies, the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KEVE) and the Federation of Employers and Industrialists (OEV).

Industrialist, Panos Ioannides, has been elected first President of the Union.

The assembly has approved a number of proposals and measures which are believed to secure the industry's upturn, considered essential in boosting the island's economy.

The Union advocates the establishment of a specialised Ministry of Industry and calls for special measures to minimise the negative implications of GAT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade).

CNA GG/MM/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1455:CYPPRESS:03

[03] Cyprus Stock Exchange

CSE All Share Index                    75.01 (-0.50)

Sectural Indices

Banks                                  84.81 (-0.67)
Approved Investment Companies          65.88 (+1.21)
Insurance Companies                    57.33 (+0.63)
Industrial Companies                   71.17 (-1.39)
Tourist Industries                     63.71 (-0.84)
Commercial Companies                   51.88 (+2.69)
Other Companies                        58.07 (-1.48)

Trading Volume                         CYP 662963.570

CNA AP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1500:CYPPRESS:04

[04] Greek Cypriot takes Turkey to Court

Nicosia, Feb 13 (CNA) -- A Greek Cypriot woman, Georgia Andreou, from Pyla village, filed a petition against Turkey, on Wednesday, before the European Commission of Human Rights.

Andreou was seriously injured when Turkish troops fired indiscriminately against Greek Cypriot demonstrators, during an anti-occupation rally in August last year.

''The procedure before the Commission is confidential and therefore I cannot make any comment on the contents of the suit," Andreou's lawyer, Achilleas Demetriades, told CNA today.

It is expected that Turkey will raise objections, relating to its reservations about the right of individuals to file petitions claiming to be the victim of a violation in the areas of the Republic of Cyprus occupied by Turkey and the compulsory recognition (ipso facto) of the jurisdiction of the European Court.

The petition is expected to refer to an earlier case by another Greek Cypriot, Titina Loizidou, who was vindicated by the European Court of Human Rights. The Court ruled in December last year, after nearly seven years of judicial procedures, that Turkey is responsible for continuing violation of Loizidou's human right to "peaceful enjoyment of his possession."

The December ruling has been described as a landmark decision in that Turkey was, for the first time, held accountable in an international court of law for human rights violations in Cyprus' occupied areas.

CNA MM/AP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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