Cyprus News Agency: News in English (AM), 97-08-20

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

CONTENTS

[01] AHEPA elects new Supreme President

[02] Russia blames Turkish Cypriot side for failure of talks

1030:CYPPRESS:01

[01] AHEPA elects new Supreme President

Manta, 57, is a 31-year member of AHEPA and has served as the organisation's Supreme Vice President for the past two years.

The new AHEPA President is a leading business man in the Greek American community and is Vice President of J.L. Manta Inc., one of the largest industrial painting corporations in the US.

Thousands of AHEPA members converged on Atlanta last week to take part in the organisation's anniversary convection, which kicked off with the dedication of a multi-million dollar local AHEPA housing project.

Cyprus was represented at the convention by Ambassador to the US, Andros Nicolaides.

Over 1200 guests, including His Eminence Archbishop Spyridon of America and US Senators Paul Sarbanes and John Brademas, attended later in the week the organisation's Grand Banquet.

AHEPA honoured at the Grand Banquet leading US scholar Mary Lefkowitz with its Homeric Award for her published works debunking attempts to detract from the accomplishments of the ancient Greeks.

AHEPA is the largest Greek heritage organisation in the world and a major community service organisation in North America.

CNA MH/MCH/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1415:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Russia blames Turkish Cypriot side for failure of talks

"Responsibility for the failure of the significant efforts undertaken at this stage by the UN Secretary-General and his Special Advisor on Cyprus (Diego Cordovez) as well as third countries interested in promoting a comprehensive solution of the Cyprus problem, weighs on the leadership of the Turkish Cypriot community," the spokesman said in a statement yesterday.

The Russian Foreign Ministry official noted that the Turkish Cypriot side is also to blame for dragging its feet and blocking a successful conclusion to the second round of direct talks which took place last week in Glion, Switzerland.

"The stance of the Turkish Cypriot community's leadership in Glion was clearly obstructionist in relation to ideas of a procedural and a substantial character, proposed by the Special Advisor," the spokesman said.

The spokesman noted that threats made by the Turkish side at the talks to partially integrate the Turkish-occupied areas of Cyprus to Turkey if the European Union starts accession negotiations with Cyprus early next year, are "undoubtedly contrary" to the UN's and the Security Council's stated positions.

The Russian Foreign Ministry pointed out that these kinds of threats are contrary to the 1977 - 1979 High Level agreements reached between the two communities as well as repeated UN General Assembly Resolutions calling on all nations to respect the island's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.

Russia, the spokesman added, considers the exchange of views as valuable in that each side clarified its positions, and welcomes the readiness expressed by President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash to continue meeting in Nicosia to discuss humanitarian issues.

The spokesman also pointed out that the continued involvement of UN Security Council permanent member states and other interested countries in solution efforts is significant, and added that the participation of third party representatives on the sidelines of the direct talks "constituted a valuable contribution to UN efforts". CNA/MH/MM/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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