Cyprus News Agency: News in English (AM), 97-06-03

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

CONTENTS

[01] Cypriot athletes in Iceland for small states' games

[02] Britain urged to take a firm stance

[03] Turkish patrol boats violate Cyprus water - protests filed

[04] Structured dialogue on health issues to begin

[05] Turkish fighters violate Cyprus' air space - representations

[06] British envoy comes with "specific ideas"

0820:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Cypriot athletes in Iceland for small states' games

With a total medal count of 359 from all previous Games, Cyprus ranks tops over Iceland, Luxembourg, Monaco, San Marino, Malta, Andorra and Liechtenstein, despite the fact that it has fewer gold medals than its closest rival in the medal standings, Iceland.

Traditionally dominant in the track and field events and garnering a whopping total of 185 medals, more than twice the number of its nearest rival, Cyprus will try to make some headway in the team events, particularly in volleyball and basketball.

Cyprus will suffer a notable loss in track and field with the absence of Anninos Marcoullides, the island's premier sprinter in the 100 metre event, who will skip the Games to concentrate on the World Athletics Championship taking place later this summer in Athens.

Called by fans as "the Carl Lewis of the Small States", Marcoullides has 13 gold medals under his belt in the four Games he participated in. Marcoullides also qualified as a semi-finalist in the 100 metres during last year's Centenary Olympic Games in Atlanta.

Not to be outdone, the Cypriot men's and women's volleyball teams have taken gold in all but two games, but don't turn to men's volleyball coach Costas Haritonides for any boastful jibes.

"The favourites are reaffirmed and are proven on the court. Anyone can say whatever they like off court," Haritonides utters laconically so as not to breed a nonchalance among his players, but to keep them on their toes.

Cyprus also has high hopes for gold in the skeet shooting events, another sport Cypriot athletes have scored high marks in international events.

Cypriot hopes rest once again with former European Skeet Shooting champion Andonis Andreou to come home with gold draped around his neck.

Gymnastics will make its first appearance at this year's Games in Iceland and the Cyprus Gymnastics Federation expects its eight athletes earn their fare share of medals.

Cyprus hosted the third Games of Small States in Europe in 1989 with most observers labelling them as the best ever held in the 12-year history of the Games.

But, that has nothing to do with the fact that Cyprus emerged out of those Games as the highest overall medal winner with the most gold medals to boot over rival Iceland.

The idea for an Olympic-style Games for Europe's smaller states was first set forth in 1981.

The feebleness of those states to compete on par with their much larger sporting brethren in established international competitions led to the creation of the Games for states with a population under one million.

The Games were approved and placed under the auspices of International Olympic Committee President, Juan Antonio Samaranch.

CNA MH/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1000:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Britain urged to take a firm stance

Cook has also been called upon to back Cyprus' stance at the forthcoming UN-sponsored talks, in New York next month.

In a letter to Cook, Sir Sydney Chapman, Conservative MP, asks Cook to "support Cyprus' stance at the forthcoming meeting between President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktash."

Sir Sydney notes that nearly 23 years passed "since the illegal invasion of north Cyprus" and adds "my constituents hope very much that an agenda can be agreed for talks which will lead to ensuring the reunification of the island and the restoration of human rights with particular reference to the refugees and missing persons."

On EU-Cyprus relations, the Conservative MP said "it would be helpful if you would confirm that such negotiations will be starting later this year or at the very beginning of 1998 at the latest."

The EU said in March 1995 it would start membership talks with Cyprus six months after the end of the Intergovernmental Conference, which is expected to end later this month.

Sir Sydney addressed the letter to Cook in anticipation of Wednesday's meeting between the Foreign Secretary and Cyprus' Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides.

The Cypriot Minister leaves for London this afternoon. After London he will fly on to Washington, where he will hold talks on Friday with US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.

CNA MM/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1040:CYPPRESS:03

[03] Turkish patrol boats violate Cyprus water - protests filed

The presence of the two patrol boats travelling out at sea was also confirmed by UN spokesman, Waldemar Rokoszewski, who said the UN is still waiting for a reply about the purpose of the trip from the Turkish occupation army.

The two vessels, "Samil 87" and "Kouvenlik 73", set sail from the Turkish-occupied port of Famagusta, on the eastern coast, and moved southwards, at a distance of some three nautical miles from the coast, a Cyprus police spokesman told CNA.

"One of the vessels was seen returning to Famagusta port after midnight and the second got back in the early hours of today," the spokesman said.

The entire trip lasted about eight hours, he said. Both boats flew the Turkish flag.

The UN spokesman confirmed Monday's incident and said "we observed two Turkish boats yesterday, heading towards the maritime security line (an extension of the UN-controlled buffer zone into the sea)."

"We were in touch with the Turkish army about the incident but so far we have had no response from them," Rokoszewski said.

Asked if the Cyprus government has made any representations to the UN, he said he was not "aware of any government intervention."

Meanwhile, two Turkish F16 fighters violated last week the Nicosia Flight Information Region (FIR) and approached Cyprus' air space, over the Turkish-occupied town of Kyrenia, on the northern coast.

Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides told a local radio this morning that the government was making representations to the UN about those incidents.

Turkish occupation troops, including naval and air forces, often violate Cyprus' sovereign air space and the Republic's territorial waters.

The government makes repeated representations to the UN and other international fora about Turkey's unacceptable behaviour.

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

1150:CYPPRESS:04

[04] Structured dialogue on health issues to begin

Among the issues to be discussed are Cyprus' health policy, harmonisation of health laws with the aquis communautaire, participation in EU programmes, as well as government enlightenment programmes against AIDS, drugs and cancer.

The four-day dialogue will be held at the request of the Dutch EU presidency.

Solomis is accompanied by Health Ministry Permanent Secretary, Achileas Pantsinakos, and other officials.

CNA MA/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1350:CYPPRESS:05

[05] Turkish fighters violate Cyprus' air space - representations

He said the Cyprus government was making representations to the United Nations and other international fora over the new violations by the Turkish air force.

"Turkey has opted to go down the road of provocative moves and violation of international law and order," the Spokesman said.

He reiterated the government's resolve "to stick to an earlier decision on a halt of overflights of military aircraft over Cyprus ahead of direct talks."

This decision, he pointed out, "is part of our established policy to show good will and create the right atmosphere for these talks (expected in New York early July)."

"We shall protest Turkey's illegal moves to the UN and other international fora," Christofides added.

Replying to questions, the Spokesman said Monday's violation of Cyprus' territorial waters by two Turkish patrol boats (off the island's eastern coast) and today's illegal air activity "is part of Turkey's continuous provocative action."

Asked if the violations were part of Turkey's military manoeuvres, Christofides replied "what counts is the violation of Cyprus' air space and this is what we denounce and protest against."

The Spokesman refrained from giving any further details about the violations, noting that the government is fully informed about the events of the past couple of days.

"Turkey's illegal activity relates to its usual behaviour and this is something we often face," he added.

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

CNA MA/MM/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1435:CYPPRESS:06

[06] British envoy comes with "specific ideas"

"Sir David will be here for a series of meetings with President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash as well as other parties involved in the Cyprus question, such as the UN and the US," they said.

Commenting on the substance of his talks with President Clerides and Denktash, the same sources said Sir David "will be using" previous documents, presented by Britain's former Foreign Secretary Malcolm Rifkind and the country's then shadow FS and Rifkind's successor, Robin Cook, during his talks on the island but "neither of those ideas will be presented as such" to his interlocutors.

Rifkind argued for a bicommunal, bizonal federation in Cyprus based on political equality, whose existence and powers will derive from separate referenda. In his remarks in January this year, Cook advocated international security guarantees to be negotiated by both communities, acknowledged the serious difficulties in obtaining a settlement and said the Presidency could be elected on a rotating basis between the two communities.

Sir David is due to have a working breakfast with President Clerides on Monday morning and then have separate meetings with Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides and President of the House of Representatives, Spyros Kyprianou.

Later on the same day he will see US ambassador to Cyprus Kenneth Brill and on Monday afternoon he will have talks with Denktash.

On Tuesday, Sir David is scheduled to have lengthy discussions with the President and Denktash again.

Sir David will also see UN resident representative, Gustave Feissel, and give a press conference on Tuesday afternoon.

He leaves Cyprus Wednesday morning. Britain's representative will probably meet US and UN officials in New York ahead of direct talks, scheduled for the beginning of July near UN headquarters.

Government Spokesman, Manolis Christofides, confirmed today that Sir David will arrive here Sunday and he will call on President Clerides Monday morning.

CNA MM/AP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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