Cyprus News Agency: News in English (AM), 97-03-20

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

CONTENTS

[01] Denktash grateful for transfer of remains

[02] House President meets British MPs

[03] SWATCH watches stolen

[04] Paphos gives thumbs down British Red Arrows aerial display

[05] Cyprus Stock Exchange

1330:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Denktash grateful for transfer of remains

Denktash had asked President Clerides to permit the transfer of Emine Raif's remains and those of his sister, from the muslim cemetery in his home town Paphos, in the island's western part, to the Turkish-occupied northern part of Nicosia.

Emine Raif was buried in this cemetery 72 years ago. Paphos had a large, thriving Turkish Cypriot community up until the Turkish invasion of the island 23 years ago, when almost all resettled in the occupied north.

The remains were taken to the Turkish cemetery in occupied Nicosia under the supervision of the UN Peacekeeping Force and buried next to Denktash's father, Raif.

However, the transfer had some negative repercussions in the Turkish Cypriot media, which saw the move as further entrenching division on the island.

The Turkish Cypriot daily "Yeni Duzen" criticized Denktash for manipulating the deceased as a political tool so he can to send the message that the division of Cyprus is so deep-rooted, it even transcends the dead.

The newspaper also admonished the occupation regime leader for putting himself above other Turkish Cypriots by bringing only his relatives' remains to the occupied areas while snubbing the families of many others, who would have wished something similar.

CNA MH/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1340:CYPPRESS:02

[02] House President meets British MPs

The British MPs' reaffirmation came during a meeting with Kyprianou in London last night.

The House President informed the MPs on the latest developments in Cyprus and stressed support for Cyprus is vital at this critical juncture when intense efforts are underway in finding a solution the island's protracted problem.

Kyprianou also met yesterday with British Speaker of the House, Betty Boothroyd. They exchanged views on issues of mutual benefit.

The House President will meet today with British Special Representative on Cyprus, Sir David Hannay, as well as members of the House of Commons Cyprus-Britain Association.

CNA MH/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1345:CYPPRESS:03

[03] SWATCH watches stolen

This was confirmed today, by Nino Michaelidou, Director General of M.P. Michaelides Ltd, sole agent for SWATCH in Cyprus.

Michaelidou told CNA, the theft must have happened before the cargo reached Cyprus, as the container in which the watches were travelling arrived to Nicosia sealed.

"The opening ceremony is cancelled, but the exhibition will take place", Michaelidou said, as the Swiss company has a second set of exhibits, which will be sent to Cyprus, in two shipments.

The exhibition will open this Saturday 10.00 am local time with the first shipment of watches on display. All the watches will be displayed together, later in the day.

The thieves left one watch behind, probably "by mistake," Michaelidou said.

CNA GG/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1500:CYPPRESS:04

[04] Paphos gives thumbs down British Red Arrows aerial display

Paphos Municipality Public Relations Director, Themis Philipides, told CNA the council adopted the motion after the Cyprus government asked the municipality what it thinks of the aerial displays.

Philipides said the council felt the display would cause undue air and noise pollution, and judged it would pose a public safety hazard because of the possibility of an accident.

However, Sovereign British Area (SBA) Chief Public Relations Officer, Mervyn Wynne-Jones, told CNA the Red Arrows enjoy a safety record second-to- none and that the team's display manoeuvres are carried out "within the strictest safety parametres".

"There is no environmental damage caused by a Red Arrows display," Wynne-Jones told CNA.

Philipides also referred to the row over last month's British military exercises in the environmentally sensitive Akamas region on the island's western tip, which raised a wave of protest by local environmentalists as another reason why the council pulled the plug on the aerial display.

The incident is still fresh in the minds of Paphos' residents and "we didn't want to provoke a reaction out of them," Philipides said.

The British precision aerial team comes to Cyprus every year for about a month at spring time to practice their manoeuvres over SBA Akrotiri, so they can take full advantage of the ideal weather conditions on the island.

Wynne-Jones said it is customary for the Red Arrows to offer displays to a number of towns in Cyprus, but the decision to host a display remains with the town.

Philipides said the Paphos Municipality today received an offer from the Red Arrows, but reiterated the town council's motion was only in response to a request by the Cyprus government to give its opinion on the displays.

He added the town council will reply to the letter in due course.

SBA Deputy Chief Public Relations Officer, Sean Tully, confirmed to CNA that Sovereign Base Area boss, Air Vice-Marshal, Peter Millar, had sent a letter to Paphos Mayor Phidias Sarikas, dated March 12, 1997, formally offering him a display by the Red Arrows over the town.

The letter mentioned that the Red Arrows performed over Paphos last year "to the delight of locals and tourists alike".

The Red Arrows have performed in the past over the towns of Limassol and Larnaca.

Britain, the former colonial power in Cyprus, has retained two sovereign military bases on this east Mediterranean island's southern coast, under the 1960 treaty of establishment of the Cyprus Republic.

CNA MH/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1515:CYPPRESS:05

[05] Cyprus Stock Exchange

CSE All Share Index                    78.89 (+0.09)

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

Sectural Indices

Banks                                  88.91 (+0.21)
Approved Investment Companies          67.54 (+2.02)
Insurance Companies                    59.53 (-0.22)
Industrial Companies                   82.61 (-0.28)
Tourist Industries                     62.13 (-0.45)
Commercial Companies                   53.43 (-0.60)
Other Companies                        56.19 (+0.36)

Trading Volume                         CYP 765665.418

CNA MCH/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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