Cyprus News Agency: News in English (AM), 97-02-20

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

CONTENTS

[01] Britain, US concerned about increased tension

[02] State budgets approved

[03] EU-Cyprus talks with Republic, President says

[04] EU Commissioner to hold talks in Cyprus

[05] Cyprus Stock Exchange

1030:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Britain, US concerned about increased tension

Greece, Turkey and Cyprus were among other issues British Prime Minister John Major, his Foreign Secretary, Malcolm Rifkind, and US Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, discussed in London on Wednesday.

After a 90-minute long meeting with Major, which took place in an "extremely friendly atmosphere", a spokesman for 10 Downing Street said "they discussed NATO, Bosnia, UN reforms, Greece, Turkey and Cyprus, and other questions, in this order."

"On Greece and Cyprus they expressed concern about the increased tension," he added.

In his remarks after a working dinner with Albright, Rifkind said the Cyprus question was discussed and added "the Cyprus issue is an international challenge and there is a possibility of talks under UN, which will be supported by Britain and US."

Asked about Greek-Turkish relations, Albright said they (Britain and the US) are concerned with the deterioration of the situation.

Albright flies on to Moscow today for talks with her Russian counterpart, Yevgeni Primakov, and it is expected that the Cyprus problem will feature on their talks.

CNA KT/MM/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1110:CYPPRESS:02

[02] State budgets approved

The Ordinary and the Development budgets were approved with the votes of four out of five parliamentary parties, namely the ruling rightwing Democratic Rally party, the government-partner centre-wight Democratic Party, the opposition leftwing AKEL party and the United Democrats movement.

The socialist EDEK party voted against. This party approved only the funds related to defence expenses. AKEL rejected only certain funds.

The third budget, the Relief Fund, was approved unanimously.

Predicted overall expenditure for the year is 1.689 million Cyprus pounds (one Cyprus pound is about two US dollars), while revenues are 1.106 million pounds.

The House approved cuts amounting to 3,2 millions pounds.

According to the budgets, the fiscal deficit will be 174 million pounds which represents 4,0 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Public debt, as defined by the Maastricht treaty, will represent 52,5 per cent of GDP.

Finance Minister Christodoulos Christodoulou will give a press conference later today to outline his economic and financial policy.

CNA GG/GP/1997

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1200:CYPPRESS:03

[03] EU-Cyprus talks with Republic, President says

He also said he had put forward a proposal for Turkish Cypriot participation in the Cyprus negotiating team.

President Clerides was speaking at Larnaca Airport before flying to Athens, Greece, where he will address tonight a gathering on "1997, a Year for Cyprus". He returns tomorrow.

Replying to questions, the Cypriot President said the government has no any information that the Turkish Cypriots would be involved in negotiations with the EU.

"We have made our position on the matter very clear in all directions. We believe the Republic of Cyprus is the EU's interlocutor and should conduct negotiations," the President pointed out.

He underlined the EU cannot negotiate with either a group or an entity (the self-styled Turkish Cypriot state in the island's occupied areas), which is not recognised and which UN resolutions say is "legally invalid" and should not be recognised by any member-state.

"If Turkish Cypriots would like to know how the negotiations are going on, we are ready to include Turkish Cypriots in our team," President Clerides said and noted that no details on this matter were discussed.

He said "we have said right from the start that we have no objections to Turkish Cypriots joining in our negotiating team."

The EU itself said in a resolution on a structured dialogue with Cyprus, in June 1995, that the government of Cyprus "will remain the EU's sole interlocutor in the conduct of the structured dialogue".

The 1993 Commission avis (opinion) on the Republic's application for accession said "the EU Council invited the Commission to open substantive discussions forthwith with the Government of Cyprus."

Invited to comment on British and US concerns about increased tension, the President said "I believe they will continue to express concern about tension, even if in reality,, there is none."

They are not talking about a crisis, but "certain concerns" and this, he added, refers to the decision to purchase the surface-to-air missiles.

"We shall not give up. The missiles will arrive here, as envisaged by the contract we have signed with Russia," President Clerides added.

He expressed the view that the response to the missiles deal is due to Turkey's reaction to it (threatened a pre-emptive strike against Cyprus if missiles are deployed) and to the fact that they do not want the missiles in Cyprus.

The Cypriot President said Britain and the US seem to be getting ready to launch an initiative to settle the Cyprus question.

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/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1330:CYPPRESS:04

[04] EU Commissioner to hold talks in Cyprus

On Thursday, Van den Broek will have a meeting with President Glafcos Clerides and talks with Foreign Minister Alecos Michaelides.

The EU Commissioner and Heaslip will meet House President Spyros Kyprianou and see Greek Cypriot party leaders, before crossing over to the Turkish-occupied part of the island to see Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash and Turkish Cypriot party leaders.

In the evening, Van den Broek will give a lecture in occupied Nicosia and then attend at a dinner given in the free areas by Foreign Minister Michaelides.

The EU officials are also expected to meet UN resident representative in Cyprus, Gustave Feissel, who returns from his New York trip on Wednesday.

On Friday, Van den Broek will give a press conference at the Ledra Palace check point, in the UN controlled buffer zone before leaving.

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

CNA MM/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1440:CYPPRESS:05

[05] Cyprus Stock Exchange

CSE All Share Index                    77.22 (+0.16)

Highest: 82.46 (21/1/97)
Lowest : 73.90 (30/1/97)

Sectural Indices

Banks                                  87.80 (+0.10)
Approved Investment Companies          66.15 (+1.01)
Insurance Companies                    59.72 (+2.05)
Industrial Companies                   71.73 (-0.15)
Tourist Industries                     63.93 (-0.09)
Commercial Companies                   54.82 (-0.40)
Other Companies                        58.21 (-1.49)

Trading Volume                         CYP 1363939.996

CNA AP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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