Cyprus News Agency: News in English (AM), 97-08-12

Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

CONTENTS

[01] Bicommunal project at Pyla

[02] Cyprus protests to UN over Turkish integration agreement

[03] Cyprus peace talks resume

1440:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Bicommunal project at Pyla

According to CNA sources, the work will include pedestrianization of a parking space in the village's square and restoring old buildings surrounding it.

Both Greek and Turkish Cypriot residents of the village will carry out the work for this bicommunal project which is estimated to cost around half a million Cyprus pounds (some one million US dollars).

The UN believes that the project will contribute to bringing the two communities closer, the sources said.

Among the buildings which will be restored are the village's Greek Orthodox church, the Turkish Cypriot coffee shop, the co-operative shop and the area surrounding the village's mosque.

Repair work on the Medieval Castle of Pyla will be carried out with the help of the Antiquities Department.

Although the church is being restored by Greek Cypriots and the mosque by Turkish Cypriots, the medieval castle and the work to transform the square will be carried out jointly by workers from both communities.

CNA MAN/EC/MCH/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1515:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Cyprus protests to UN over Turkish integration agreement

In a letter to Secretary-General Kofi Annan, Cyprus' Permanent Representative to the UN, Nicos Agathocleous, points out the agreement came only five days before the Cyprus peace talks began and aim at consolidating the de facto partition of the island.

The association agreement, signed last week during a visit to the Turkish occupied areas by Turkish Foreign Minister, Ismail Cem, calls for "gradual economic and financial integration and partial integration on security, defence and foreign policy matters".

It came in retaliation to a recent European Union (EU) reconfirmation that accession talks with Cyprus will begin next year.

"This provocative action took place only five days before the commencement of the second round of inter-communal talks on Cyprus under UN auspices, in Switzerland," Agathocleous notes in his letter, referring to the five-day negotiations which began Monday.

He also says the agreement "constitutes a policy of blackmail" and "undermines the on-going efforts of the international community to reach a solution to the Cyprus problem."

Agathocleous adds that "these illegal and condemnable actions by Turkey, which aim at institutionalising and consolidating the de facto partition of Cyprus - enforced by the Turkish occupation forces - and the integration of the occupied areas into Turkey, are in contravention of the provisions of the UN Charter and relevant UN resolutions and decisions on Cyprus."

Referring to the EU reconfirmation, the Cypriot Ambassador notes it was not a new decision "as the Commission delivered a favourable opinion on Cyprus' application in July 1993" and on March 6 the Council decided to commence accession negotiations with Cyprus six months after the Intergovernmental Conference.

"Thus, the timing and the manner of the Turkish reaction is clearly nothing but a mere pretext and is revealing Turkey's real intentions with regard to Cyprus," he says, adding that it also demonstrates Turkey's lack of political will for a settlement in Cyprus.

In his letter, that has circulated as a General Assembly and Security Council document, he reiterates the Cyprus government's intent to take part in the peace talks with good faith, political will and determination to achieve a solution.

CNA MA/MCH/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1520:CYPPRESS:03

[03] Cyprus peace talks resume

The leaders of the two communities are taking part in the talks without their advisors and only in the presence of the Secretary-General's Special Advisor on the Cyprus problem, Diego Cordovez.

The UN has imposed a complete blackout on the five-day UN-sponsored negotiations, which take place only a month after the first round of talks held near New York, believing that public statements make the procedure more rigid.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides, who is in Switzerland, has been holding meetings with foreign government envoy's that are in Montreux following the course of the talks and are ready to offer their assistance if and when it is considered necessary.

Today, he met US Ambassador in Nicosia Kenneth Brill and Britain's special Cyprus envoy Sir David Hannay.

CNA MM/MA/MCH/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article