Cyprus News Agency: News in English (PM), 97-11-17

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

CONTENTS

[01] Government favours bi-communal meetings

[02] Government stocks-auction

[03] Cyprus Stock Exchange

[04] Christofides: Turkish Cypriots welcome in EU talks

[05] Cyprus protests Turkish arms build up

[06] Students protest outside US embassy

[07] Government satisfied with Holbrooke's statements

1450:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Government favours bi-communal meetings

This was stated here, today, by Government Spokesman, Manolis Christofides, commenting on the results of a seminar attended by businesspeople from the two communities in Cyprus, Greece and Turkey that took place in Brussels last week.

The seminar, entitled "In economic cooperation lies mutual benefit" was organised by the Columbia University, New York, and the Peace Research Institute in Oslo (PRIO).

"In the past we neglected the importance of economic cooperation between the two communities. That was a mistake", Christofides acknowledged.

"There are problems and difficulties but they can be overcome through sincere cooperation", he added.

The Spokesman stressed, however, that activities should in no way contain elements that might lead to direct or indirect recognition of the breakaway entity unilaterally established in the Turkish-occupied northern part of Cyprus.

Asked whether the government would support the implementation of measures agreed upon by the businesspeople in Brussels, Christofides said the government would wait for full details before expressing its position.

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

CNA MK/MCH/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1455:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Government stocks-auction

According to a Central Bank press release issued Monday, the submitted bids for the 6,75 per cent five-year GRDS of upto 35 million pounds reached 31.721.000 pounds.

Bids totalling 29.827.000 pounds were competitive, whereas the remainder, were non-competitive.

All bids have been accepted.

The submitted bids for the 7 per cent ten-year GRDS of upto 25 million pounds, reached 21.788.000 pounds, of which bids totalling 16.996.000 pounds were competitive, and the remainder non-competitive.

Bids totalling 14.702.000 pounds have been accepted, of which bids of 9.910.000 pounds were competitive, and the remainder non-competitive.

CNA GG/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1500:CYPPRESS:03

[03] Cyprus Stock Exchange

CSE All Share Index                    76.65 (-0.11)

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

Sectural Indices

Banks                                  87.30 (-0.14)
Approved Investment Companies          59.84 (-0.22)
Insurance Companies                    55.43 (+0.18)
Industrial Companies                   72.66 (-0.08)
Tourist Industries                     63.10 (+0.22)
Commercial Companies                   39.63 (-1.76)
Other Companies                        58.63 (+0.48)

Trading Volume                         CYP 652661.150

CNA MA/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1630:CYPPRESS:04

[04] Christofides: Turkish Cypriots welcome in EU talks

Government Spokesman, Manolis Christofides, said today the preconditions for Turkish Cypriot participation is that participants support accession and the Turkish occupation regime receives no recognition.

Christofides was commenting on reports citing British Representative for Cyprus Sir David Hannay as saying that the question is whether a way can be found for the representation of Turkish Cypriot so-called governmental organisations in the accessions talks.

"If the Cyprus problem is resolved, then the two federal sates will be officially represented", Christofides said.

"For as long as the Cyprus problem remains unresolved and since the UN (resolution 541) asks that no other state but the Republic of Cyprus is recognised as the legal government, we cannot but insist on our preconditions," Christofides added.

The government has proposed the participation of Turkish Cypriot organisations, such as political parties and trade unions, in the official delegation of the Republic of Cyprus.

"If reports of Hannay's statements are accurate we will communicate our position to London," Christofides said.

"This is the position we will support in official talks and we will promote either in form of representations to the British or other governments," he added.

Christofides also commented on reports citing Hannay as stating that Turkish settlers who are married and live in the Turkish-occupied part of Cyprus belong here, as they have received the so-called Turkish Cypriot citizenship.

"Our position on the issue of Turkish settlers remains unchanged. We consider the influx of settlers an attempt to change the demographic character of the country unacceptable".

Since the 1974 Turkish invasion and occupation of 37 percent of Cyprus' territory, Turks from the mainland have been brought to the occupied areas. Today they are estimated at about 80 thousand.

Christofides also rejected the argument that settlers have received the illegal Turkish Cypriot citizenship, pointing out that "there is no such thing as Turkish Cypriot citizenship".

"Nobody can recognise such a thing, even more so a representative of Britain or Europe, because it is contrary to European and UN positions and those recently expressed by the Commonwealth," he added.

Christofides said that according to the Cyprus Constitution there is no such thing as Greek Cypriot or Turkish Cypriot citizenship but only Cypriot.

CNA MK/MCH/MA/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1710 CYPPRESS:07

[05] Cyprus protests Turkish arms build up

Turkey recently increased the number of troops it maintains in the part of the island it occupies since it invaded Cyprus in 1974 and has also brought in more arms.

Foreign Ministry Permanent Secretary, Alecos Shiambos, told Feissel that "these new provocative Turkish actions constitute a flagrant violation of international law, the UN Charter and all General Assembly and Security Council resolutions."

Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister, Bulent Ecevit, and the commander of the Turkish Armed Forces, Ismail Hakki Karadayi, paid a visit to the occupied areas last week to attend events marking the 14th anniversary of the unilateral declaration of the pseudostate.

CNA EC/MA/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1755:CYPPRESS:06

[06] Students protest outside US embassy

"No more words and self-criticism, we want substantive help", the students chanted.

They were referring to a statement made last week in Nicosia by the US President's Emissary for Cyprus, Richard Holbrooke, describing his country's policy in the region from the late 1960's to the Turkish invasion and occupation of Cyprus in 1974, as shameful.

Before reaching the US embassy the students and pupils stopped outside the Education Ministry to demonstrate against its decision not to allow them to hold the sit in.

Twelve Greeks who had participated in the uprising and were invited here by Cyprus University students headed the march to the US embassy.

The Cypriot youth did not hand in their petition at the US embassy protesting the tight security measures and barbed wire put up by the Cyprus police to avoid any incidents.

The November uprising of students at the Athens Polytechnic marked the beginning of the fall of the Greek junta.

Eight months later the Greek military designed the coup in Cyprus, in a bid to overturn the then President, Archbishop Makarios, which led to the Turkish invasion and occupation of 37 percent of the island's territory.

The Greek military were overturned and democracy was restored in Greece a few days after the Turkish invasion of Cyprus.

CNA KK/MA/MCH/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1755:CYPPRESS:07

[07] Government satisfied with Holbrooke's statements

Richard Holbrooke said that during a recent joint meeting between President Glafcos Clerides and Denktash, in Nicosia, the latter committed himself to a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation and said Greek and Turkish Cypriots can live together.

Government Spokesman, Manolis Christofides, would not confirm nor deny the US envoy's statement, but expressed satisfaction with what Holbrooke said.

He also pointed out that the UN Cyprus peace initiative aims at establishing a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation where human rights will be respected.

"This is what the Holbrooke's team will aim for," Christofides said.

Asked to comment on another statement by the US Emissary, that the European Union (EU) is making life difficult for Turkey, Christofides said:

"It is Turkey itself that makes its European course difficult by either ignoring its recommendations or threatening Europe for its position on Turkey's European prospects."

Europe has made clear to Turkey that it should make progress as far as human rights, the Kurdish and the Cyprus problems are concerned if Ankara's EU membership is to be considered.

"It is Turkey that has to abide by the European criteria," Christofides stressed.

Cyprus, he said, does not object to Holbrooke's efforts to promote Turkey's accession to the EU, but noted that Europe has the final word on the issue.

"We do not object to efforts for progress in Turkey's European course, provided the pre-conditions set by the EU are kept," he said, pointing out that one of these pre-conditions is that Ankara should not hinder Cyprus' European course.

Christofides also said the government is satisfied because Holbrooke keeps stressing that he considers it his duty to promote the conclusion of Cyprus' EU membership course.

Concluding, the Spokesman described statements by German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel that Cyprus cannot join the EU before a solution to its political problem is reached, as isolated.

CNA MK/MCH/MA/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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