Cyprus News Agency: News in English (AM), 97-03-05

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

CONTENTS

[01] Bicommunal football matches set to go

[02] Strong reaction to proposed sale of MD-90's to occupation regime

[03] Cyprus Stock Exchange

1030:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Bicommunal football matches set to go

CFA Director, Andreas Stylianou, told CNA today that the CFA and the Turkish Cypriot clubs agreed that the matches must take place, but added that all the details will be sorted out in another meeting coming up very soon.

"The Turkish Cypriot clubs saw the idea very positively," Stylianou said.

The proposal for the matches was put forward by the International Football Federation (FIFA) last May.

FIFA delegates visited the island a year ago and found that there was a willingness to hold the matches after meetings with representatives from the CFA and Turkish Cypriot football clubs.

The CFA, a full FIFA member and the FIFA official interlocutor on the island, allowed the meetings based on existing FIFA regulations.

FIFA does not recognise the so-called Turkish Cypriot football association because it is based in the Turkish-occupied areas.

The International Football Federation forbids any matches being held between Turkish Cypriot football clubs and clubs from abroad.

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

The international community recognises only the Republic of Cyprus. Only Turkey has recognised the secessionist entity in the island's northern part.

CNA MH/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1055:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Strong reaction to proposed sale of MD-90's to occupation regime

The planes, MD-90s, are scheduled to be sold to "Kibris Turk Hava Yollari" operating out of the Turkish-occupied northern part of Cyprus.

The sale first came to the attention of the New York-based Cyprus Trade Centre, in September 1996.

In a letter to McDonnell Douglas' legal counsel, Cyprus' Commercial Counsellor pointed out that the transaction would violate Cypriot law and be counter to US government policy, which does not recognise the occupation regime and considers it illegal. He asked that the sale be rescinded.

He further noted the US-made planes would be flying out of the illegal "Ercan" airport facility not recognised by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Such flights would pose, in the words of International Airline Transport Association (IATA), a "serious traffic hazard."

Cypriot-American community groups, such as the American Hellenic Institute Public Affairs Committee, the Cyprus Federation of America and others were mobilised and a campaign of letter-writing began exerting pressure to halt the sale.

The issue also drew strong objections from prominent members of Congress such a Eliot Engel, Ron Klink and Nita Lowey. In letters signed by these and nine other Congresspeople the matter was taken as high as the then Secretary of State Warren Christopher and the Chairman of the Export- Import Bank.

To date the aircraft manufacturer still insists on proceeding with the sale.

In a letter last December to Cyprus' Commercial Counsellor, Dennis Droushiotis, McDonnell Douglas' head of Washington Operation, Stanley Ebrier, denied they were "supporting or conducting business with any entity in Northern Cyprus." He claimed no American, United Nations, European Union or Republic of Cyprus laws were being broken.

McDonnell Douglas protestations notwithstanding, efforts on additional fronts to persuade McDonnell Douglas to rescind the proposed sale.

CNA JD/GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1455:CYPPRESS:03

[03] Cyprus Stock Exchange

CSE All Share Index                    76.84 (+1.82)

Highest: 82.46 (2/1/97)
Lowest : 73.90 (30/1/97)

Sectural Indices

Banks                                  87.21 (+0.62)
Approved Investment Companies          64.30 (+1.13)
Insurance Companies                    57.04 (+1.24)
Industrial Companies                   77.58 (+9.25)
Tourist Industries                     61.58 (-1.94)
Commercial Companies                   51.36 (+2.21)
Other Companies                        57.20 (+4.38)

Trading Volume                         CYP 735580.794

CNA MM/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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