Cyprus News Agency: News in English (PM), 97-07-30

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

CONTENTS

[01] UN top envoy sees community leaders

[02] Cyprus Stock Exchange

[03] Slovenian soldiers to join UN peacekeeping force in Cyprus

[04] No need for missiles in demilitarised Cyprus

[05] Cyprus condemns Jerusalem bomb attack

[06] Denktash repeats threats about EU - UN talks

1420:CYPPRESS:01

[01] UN top envoy sees community leaders

The meetings were arranged at Feissel's request and are likely to deal with the agenda of tomorrow's joint Clerides-Denktash meeting Feissel will host at his residence, in the UN-controlled buffer zone here.

Feissel is also expected to discuss the methodology of Thursday's meeting with the two leaders, which will focus on humanitarian issues.

Thursday's meeting comes ahead of the second round of UN-sponsored talks in August between Clerides and Denktash.

The Turkish Cypriot leader has repeatedly warned he might not attend the Switzerland round but his final decision is likely to be announced in a few days after his talks with high ranking Turkish officials.

Expectations are that at the end of the day Denktash will attend the direct talks. President Clerides has already said he would go to Switzerland.

CNA MM/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1650:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Cyprus Stock Exchange

CSE All Share Index                    74.66 (+0.24)

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

Sectural Indices

Banks                                  83.82 (+0.67)
Approved Investment Companies          63.33 (+0.48)
Insurance Companies                    56.26 (-0.93)
Industrial Companies                   75.20 (-0.75)
Tourist Industries                     63.60 (+0.30)
Commercial Companies                   46.49 (-0.39)
Other Companies                        59.22 (-0.39)

Trading Volume                         CYP 175516.280

CNA MM/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1750:CYPPRESS:03

[03] Slovenian soldiers to join UN peacekeeping force in Cyprus

"This facilitates Slovenian attempts to enter peacekeeping efforts worldwide," UN Spokesman Waldemar Rokoszewski told CNA.

The decision to include Slovenia to member states contributing military personnel to UNFICYP was approved by the UN Security Council after a relevant proposition was made by UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan.

The six soldiers and four officers from Slovenia will arrive in Cyprus during the next two-phase rotation of the Austrian contingent due on September 23 and 30.

The Austrian contingent to UNFICYP, now numbering 315 military personnel, will be reduced by ten to accommodate the arriving Slovenes.

The six Slovene soldiers will be manning one of the permanent UN observation posts in the eastern part of the 180-kilometre cease-fire line separating the free from the Turkish-occupied areas of Cyprus.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded and occupied 37 percent of the island. Turkey maintains 35,000 troops in the occupied areas.

The four officers will serve at Austrian Battalion headquarters in the eastern Turkish-occupied port town of Famagusta.

Rokoszewski explained that Slovenia decided to enter international peacekeeping by sending a small contingent to a well-established peacekeeping operation in order to gain the necessary experience required of peacekeeping duties.

"Slovenes are not well-trained soldiers at peacekeeping duties," Rokoszewski said. "Soldiers are trained to kill, but UN peacekeepers are a different species. The Slovenes will benefit from Austrian peacekeeping experience."

Thirty-nine Hungarian soldiers are also part of the Austrian contingent to UNFICYP.

That number will increase to 103 as part of a recent agreement between Austria and Hungary to increase the latter's contribution to UNFICYP.

"It is a sign of the historical links between Austria, Slovenia and Hungary," the UNFICYP Spokesman said.

The 64 additional Hungarian soldiers will arrive with the Slovenians during the Austrian contingent's rotation in late September.

Their arrival will be offset by the departure of an equal number of Austrian troops so that the Austrian contingent's strength will remain steady at 315.

UNFICYP was established in 1964 on the behest of then UN Secretary- General U Thant after intercommunal fighting erupted when Turkish Cypriots waged an armed campaign to create separate enclaves.

A total of 1208 military personnel of all ranks currently comprise UNFICYP, including 35 civilian police.

Argentina maintains the largest contingent with 396 soldiers and officers, followed by the United Kingdom with 388.

UNFICYP is commanded by Argentine Brigadier General, Ernesto Evergisto De Vergara.

CNA MH/MM/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1955:CYPPRESS:04

[04] No need for missiles in demilitarised Cyprus

Government Spokesman Manolis Christofides told his press briefing Wednesday the Cypriot and Greek governments share the same views on the deployment of the S-300 surface-to-air missiles in the free areas of the Republic next year.

Christofides was commenting on a statement made yesterday by Greek Defence Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos that the S-300 anti-aircraft missile system will be deployed on the island by mid-1998.

"We share the same views with regard to the time-limit and estimates the Greek Defence Minister has given," the Spokesman said.

He explained the agreement the Cyprus government signed early this year with Russia for the purchase of the S-300 provides for delivery around mid- 1998.

However, the Spokesman noted the common position of the governments of Cyprus and Greece is that "there is enough time, if goodwill prevails, for the Cyprus peace process to be completed."

Christofides made it clear there will be no point for Cyprus to get the missiles, if a solution results in the complete demilitarisation of the island.

Asked whether the S-300 purchase deal will be cancelled if President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash sign an agreement during next month's UN-led direct talks, in Switzerland, the Spokesman said this second round of talks "is a preparatory one and nothing amounting to a Cyprus solution will be signed."

Replying to questions, Christofides said the Greek Cypriot side will ask for a clarification on a provision contained in a UN document, given to Clerides and Denktash at their July talks, urging the two sides to avoid acts which may cause tensions on the island or harm the peace process.

The document was presented to President Clerides and Denktash by the UN Secretary-General's Special Advisor on Cyprus, Diego Cordovez, at the first round of direct talks, held at the secluded Troutbeck rural retreat, north of New York, from July 9 to 12.

CNA AP/MM/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

2030:CYPPRESS:05

[05] Cyprus condemns Jerusalem bomb attack

In a statement issued here tonight, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said "Cyprus is appalled by today's indiscriminate terrorist bomb attack against civilians in Jerusalem which resulted in the loss of so many innocent lives."

"Such condemnable acts can never be justified to support any cause", the Ministry said, noting that these acts "undermine the objective of all the parties concerned and aim at putting in jeopardy the peace process."

The Foreign Ministry said it is "confident that this abhorrent act will not deter the protagonists from their efforts to reinvigorate the peace process in the Middle East and to surmount the hurdles that were put on its way."

Finally, it expressed sympathy to the government and the people of Israel, as well as "profound grief to the families of the victims."

CNA EC/MM/1997

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2050:CYPPRESS:06

[06] Denktash repeats threats about EU - UN talks

Denktash told the Turkish daily "Sabah" he does not want to go to Switzerland for talks with President Glafcos Clerides and believes the talks should be postponed.

"Let us postpone it until we see what the position of the EU is and wait and see whether membership negotiations will start with the Greek Cypriot side (the term he uses to describe the internationally recognised government of the Republic," Denktash told the paper.

This is not the first time Denktash has applied this kind of tactic. He has launched a string of threats, including partial integration of Cyprus' Turkish occupied areas with Turkey, over the years since Cyprus first submitted its application for membership in July 1990.

Denktash also told "Sabah" "if we really have to go to Montreux, we will tell them what our basic principles are on the issues of equality, sovereignty, bizonal federation and guarantees."

Denktash reiterated his long-standing demand for international recognition of the self-styled Turkish Cypriot regime he set up in occupied Cyprus.

"If the Greek Cypriot side does not accept our existence and sovereignty, why talk with them?," he told the paper.

Only Turkey recognises the puppet regime and the UN itself has called on all states "not to recognise" the self-styled entity and "not to facilitate or in any way assist the aforesaid secessionist entity."

Meanwhile, according to Turkish Cypriot reports Denktash has today repeated his threat not to attend the second round of talks unless the EU suspends its decision for accession negotiations with Cyprus.

Speaking to the press in the Turkish-occupied areas Wednesday, following a meeting of his so-called "cabinet", he reiterated there is no point in him taking part in the August talks, if the EU does not suspend its decision, the reports said.

The European Commission repeated in July an earlier decision to invite Cyprus for EU membership talks along with Central and Eastern European applicant countries.

According to the same reports, it was decided that the Turkish Cypriot side should only attend the UN-led talks if the EU reconsiders its decision.

The final decision on Denktash's participation in the talks will be taken on Monday after a new meeting of his "cabinet", pending the outcome of his second meeting this week with President Clerides, the reports added.

A second meeting between the two leaders is scheduled for tomorrow, at the residence of top UN envoy in Cyprus, Gustave Feissel, situated in the UN-controlled Nicosia airport area.

Last Monday, President Clerides and Denktash had a 70-minute meeting during which humanitarian issues were discussed.

Feissel had a brief meeting with President Clerides this morning and later on he met Denktash.

CNA AP/MM/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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