Cyprus News Agency: News in English (AM), 97-04-30

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

CONTENTS

[01] Archbishop to Germany for routine check

[02] Clinton expresses disappointment in bi-monthly report

[03] Church of Cyprus battles in court for stolen icons

[04] Annan hopeful of Cyprus direct talks

0930:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Archbishop to Germany for routine check

According to a spokesman for the Archbishopric, Chrysostomos has had some problems with his vocal chords but does not face any health problems.

The visit to otolaryngologists in Germany is part of a routine check, the spokesman said, adding that Archbishop Chrysostomos will return to Cyprus in the next couple of days.

CNA MCH/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

0940:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Clinton expresses disappointment in bi-monthly report

Washington, Apr 30 (CNA) -- US President Bill Clinton has expressed concern and disappointment with the situation in Cyprus but has stressed US commitment in efforts towards direct negotiations between the two sides in Cyprus in order to achieve a political settlement.

In his bi-monthly report to the Congress, regarding Cyprus, President Clinton describes the decision of the Cyprus government to purchase the S- 300 anti-aircraft missile system as "doubly regrettable", taking into consideration, as he argues, "the already excessive levels of armaments on Cyprus and last summer's intercommunal violence."

He also expresses concern over "threats of a military strike by Turkey", resulting, as he points out, from the purchase of the Russian anti-aircraft missiles.

In his report, covering the period December 1, 1996 to January 31, 1997, the US President also notes his disappointment "that the parties have not implemented alternative measures to reduce tensions along the cease-fire lines."

He does, however, stress that "despite these clear setbacks, the decision by Cyprus, at US urging, to defer importation of components of the S-300 system for 16 months is a step in the right direction and provides us with a window of opportunity to make progress in resolving the Cyprus issue."

Reaffirming US commitment in "promoting a Cyprus settlement", President Clinton notes the need for "full cooperation of the parties, including Greece and Turkey, to achieve our mutual goals."

"We continue to see that the only way forward is direct, good faith negotiations between the parties themselves", President Clinton points out, adding that "the US will continue to work towards bringing these negotiations about."

The Greek and Turkish Cypriot sides are involved in UN-led proximity talks in a bid to prepare the ground for direct negotiations between Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash.

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

CNA DA/MCH/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1240:CYPPRESS:03

[03] Church of Cyprus battles in court for stolen icons

The four icons depicting the Apostles John, Peter, Mark and Paul, from the church of Jesus Christ "The Antifonitis" near Saint Ambrosios village, were tracked down almost two years ago by Cyprus Honourary Consul to the Netherlands, Tasoula Georgiou-Hadjitofi.

The Church has since then, been waging a legal battle to repatriate the icons as their legal owner.

Parallel to written proceedings, a witness hearing took place on behalf of the possessors last January. There will be witness hearing tomorrow on behalf of the Church of Cyprus.

Georgiou-Hadjitofi, who is also Special Representative of the Church of Cyprus for stolen antiquities, said the moment she located the stolen icons, she informed the Church which obtained an interim seizure writ.

The icons were found in the possession of an elderly Dutch couple in Rotterdam, who purchased them from an Armenian dealer for 200,000 Dutch guilders in cash.

The Armenian in turn, obtained the icons from a web of illicit antiquities dealers, some of whom are Turkish occupation troops.

The icons are now resting in a safety-deposit box in the Netherlands pending a court decision.

The Church's legal arguments are essentially based on the Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the event or Armed Conflict (May 14, 1954, The Hague) which states that cultural property removed illegally from an occupied territory and is found in the territory of a party to the convention, should be brought back to the country of origin.

Turkey occupies 37 per cent of Cyprus' territory after it invaded the island almost 23 years ago.

The Church of Cyprus has initiated legal proceedings numerous times in the past to reclaim some of its priceless religious treasures. The most famous of these cases was the repatriation of four sixth-century mosaics after a protracted legal battle in an Indianapolis court in 1991.

Both the Church and government of Cyprus have repeatedly protested to the UN, UNESCO, the World Council of Churches and other international organisations regarding the looting and destruction of the island's 9.000- year-old cultural heritage in the Turkish-occupied areas.

CNA MH/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1305:CYPPRESS:04

[04] Annan hopeful of Cyprus direct talks

At the same time, the UN chief, Kofi Annan, speaking in Atlanta, expressed the hope that the two leaders, when they come forward for the talks, will be well prepared.

The P-5 statement is included in a communique issued after the meeting on Cyprus of the permanent members of the Security Council and representatives of the UN Secretariat.

The P-5 representatives "called upon those leaders to cooperate fully with the Secretary-General and to help create a climate of reconciliation and mutual confidence, so as to promote the holding of direct negotiations within the next two or three months".

At the same time, the P-5 expressed their full support for the S.G.'s mission of good offices, including the "intensified preparations currently underway to prepare for the early convening under the aegis of the UN, of direct negotiations between the leaders of the two Cypriot communities, as called for in S.C. resolution 1092 (1996)".

Reaffirming "the unacceptability of the status quo in Cyprus", the P-5 "underlined the importance of achieving a comprehensive settlement to all outstanding issues in respect of Cyprus.

The communique said the P-5 "discussed in detail how this objective might best be achieved", noting that the S.G. will bear in mind the various suggestions made during the discussion.

The meeting was attended by the ambassadors of the five permanent members of the Security Council and the representatives of the UN Secretariat, Han Sung-Joo, outgoing Special Representative for the S.G. for Cyprus, Diego Cordovez, Special Adviser to the S.G., Gustave Feissel, Deputy Special Representative for the S.G. and Prendergust, the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs.

Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has expressed the hope President Clerides and Denktash will come to direct negotiations, in June, well prepared to resolve the protracted Cyprus problem.

Speaking during an interview at CNN central offices in Atlanta, where he attended a World Forum organised by CNN, Annan said he had meetings with President Clerides and Denktash and noted that "if all goes well, in June I would expect to have a face-to-face meeting."

Annan said he hoped "the two leaders will come prepared to work with me to resolve this long-standing conflict", adding that by August or September there should be clear indications "whether we are going to make real progress or not."

Noting that he would open the meeting in June, Annan said there could be three sessions of direct talks this summer and that if he could not be present at some of the planned talks they would be chaired by his Special Advisor Diego Cordovez.

Meanwhile, British Permanent Representative to the UN, Sir John Weston, stated, after the P-5 meeting the importance of getting on with preparations "to make possible direct talks between the parties later this year."

Sir John, refrained from answering a question on whether accession talks with the European Union "will be the real carrot for the Greek Cypriots", and reaffirmed that the Security Council Permanent Members "are right behind the Secretary-General in pushing for direct talks."

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

CNA MCH/EC/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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