Cyprus News Agency: News in English (AM), 98-01-03

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

CONTENTS

[01] Tourist arrivals in November 1997

[02] Cyprus praised by Lloyd's List

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[01] Tourist arrivals in November 1997

According to figures released by the Department of Statistics and Research, arrivals increased by 18,8 per cent and departures increased by 13,6 per cent during the month under review.

Tourist arrivals, including excursionists, reached 152.435 in November 1997. Departures reached 173.826.

Most of the travellers, excluding excursionists, came from European countries (81,8 per cent), mainly from European Union member-states (68,4 per cent).

Cyprus' main tourist markets were from Britain (35,9 per cent), Greece (11 per cent), Germany (10,8 per cent), Israel (10,4 per cent), Russia (6,1 per cent) and Egypt (3,1 per cent).

The number of excursionists participating in cruises, who entered Cyprus through the island's ports or were in transit, reached 14.224 in November 1997, compared with 10.866 in the same month in 1996.

A total of 23.810 Cypriots returned from trips abroad during November. A percentage of 34,9 had visited Greece followed by Britain (20,8 per cent) and Egypt (5,4 per cent).

CNA RG/GP/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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[02] Cyprus praised by Lloyd's List

Lloyd's List, a publication of international marine insurer Lloyd's of London says:

"All credit to the Cyprus government, which decided to act to safeguard the life of a master mariner, even though it had no legal obligation to intervene."

It also notes that the Cyprus government "deserves international recognition both for its assistance and its statement, implicit in its actions, about the importance of international law".

A mutiny broke on December 23 on the "Blue Breeze", a 16.500-ton Panamanian container vessel.

The ship's crew, in their majority Syrian, defied the orders of their British Captain, Ian James Wilkinson, from Lancashire, whose life was also put in danger.

The British Captain was rescued after the intervention of the Cyprus Marine Police while the ship was some 22 nautical miles off the island's southern port of Limassol.

Wilkinson embarked on the container vessel at Lagos, Nigeria, having instructions from a European bank, which holds the mortgage on the ship to sail it to Gibraltar.

The bank is apparently in dispute with the ship's Syrian owners and was seeking an arrest warrant for the ship.

CNA MCH/GP/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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