Cyprus News Agency: News in English (PM), 98-01-12

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

CONTENTS

[01] Cyprus Stock Exchange

[02] Air Force Base inauguration after elections, says Spokesman

[03] Turks renew illegal custody of Greek national

[04] UNFICYP excavator hits on mine

[05] Italian daily reveals money laundering in occupied areas

[06] Parliament approves state budgets

1530:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Cyprus Stock Exchange

CSE All Share Index                    77.71 (+0.78)

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

Sectural Indices

Banks                                  89.74 (+1.28)
Approved Investment Companies          60.20 (+1.65)
Insurance Companies                    56.93 (+0.19)
Industrial Companies                   75.08 (-0.12)
Tourist Industries                     61.01 (-1.07)
Commercial Companies                   39.67 (-0.25)
Other Companies                        65.48 (-0.41)

Trading Volume                         CYP 662344.900

CNA MA/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1645:CYPPRESS:03

[02] Air Force Base inauguration after elections, says Spokesman

Government Spokesman Manolis Christofides told his daily press briefing the Base will be completed and handed over to the Cyprus government on January 24.

"The Air Force Base will be not inaugurated during the pre-election period," he said adding that a visit on the spot will take place on January 24, upon its delivery.

Presidential elections in Cyprus are scheduled to take place next month.

The Spokesman said "this will be a Base of the sovereign Republic of Cyprus."

He explained the Base would enable Cyprus "to tackle Turkish provocations, within the framework of the joint defence pact", agreed in November 1993 with the government of Greece.

The construction of the Air Force Base, aiming to boost Cypriot air defences, has prompted strong Turkish reactions.

"Turkey should be the last to have the right of reacting to the Republic's efforts to bolster its defences, as our aim is to protect the Republic from a new Turkish attack," he added.

"It is well known that Turkey is the raider and invader in Cyprus," Christofides said.

He noted that Greece, as a guarantor power of Cyprus' independence, "has every right to take all necessary measures to fulfill its obligations towards the Republic."

Greece along with Britain and Turkey guaranteed the sovereignty and independence of the Republic of Cyprus, when the island gained independence from British colonial rule, in 1960.

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

CNA AP/MA/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1655:CYPPRESS:03

[03] Turks renew illegal custody of Greek national

UNFICYP Spokesman, Waldemar Rokoszewski told CNA here Monday that George Constantinou Kantaraki, 32, from the Greek island of Santorini, will appear again before the illegal "court" on January 20th.

Kantarakis was visiting the island as a guest of a Greek Cypriot when he entered the occupied areas on January 8, from the northeastern outskirts of Nicosia.

Rokoszewski said the young Greek told UNFICYP officers who had visited him on Saturday that he was feeling "very good" and that he "was being treated well". Kantarakis declined medical examinations.

Another Greek national, Spyros Lilles, strayed into the occupied areas on December 21. He is expected to appear before the so called military "court" tomorrow.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37 per cent of the island's territory.

CNA EC/MA/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1815:CYPPRESS:04

[04] UNFICYP excavator hits on mine

UNFICYP Spokesman, Waldemar Rokoszewski told CNA that the accident occurred around mid-day when two Argentinian non-commissioned officers, engineers, working on the Lefka road, in the buffer zone north-west of the capital Nicosia, drove over a mine which subsequently detonated.

He said the mine, of a type still to be determined, was sitting approximately within one metre off the road in an unmarked area.

"Luckily, the UNFICYP personnel were not injured, but they are under medical observation," he said.

Noting that the excavator was damaged, the spokesman said the area has been marked and sealed off until all necessary investigations are completed by Australian civilian police and UNFICYP military police investigators.

Rokoszewski stressed that "this incident once more has proven that there is an urgent need to clear minefields and booby traps in Cyprus."

"We have a number of mine fields and booby traps in Cyprus but it appears that some of them remain undetected," he said.

He emphasised that military cooperation of both sides, as requested by UNFICYP, "is necessary to conduct this kind of operation."

Rokoszewski said it is not the first time a UN vehicle hit a mine.

"Hopefully it will be the last. It is a concern which we are raising with the military from both sides," he said.

Asked what the response was, Rokoszewski said UNFICYP has "requested a record of the location of the minefields from both sides" but regretfully, "we have not been granted this".

UNFICYP patrols the 180-kilometre long buffer zone, dividing the island since the 1974 Turkish invasion and occupation of 37 per cent of its territory.

CNA EC/MA/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

2000:CYPPRESS:05

[05] Italian daily reveals money laundering in occupied areas

According to an Athens News Agency (ANA) report, in its article "Corriere della Sera" provides details and evidence on money laundering by the Turkish mafia, in the areas of Cyprus occupied by Turkey since its invasion of the island in 1974.

ANA cited the Italian newspaper as writing that Turkish politicians, including former Prime Minister Tansu Ciller and current President Suleyman Demirel, were allegedly involved in these illegal activities.

According to ANA, Ciller and her husband were the "mentors" of the illegal operation of off-shore banking in the pseudostate, by Turkish "godfathers", while Demirel's brother and nephew own such institutions laundering money.

It described occupied Nicosia as the world's "ideal city" where 36 off- shore banks and subsidiaries of 29 "normal banks" started operating in the past three years, along with 8 casinos.

It added that the Turkish mafia deposits in these banks its millions of dollars profits from illegal immigration and drug trafficking.

The Turkish-Cypriot press often reports on illegal dealings in the puppet state, unilaterally established in November 1983 in the Turkish- occupied areas of the Cyprus Republic.

The illegal regime is recognised only by Turkey and numerous UN resolutions call on member-states not to recognise or any way facilitate or assist the secessionist entity.

CNA AP/MA/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

2020:CYPPRESS:06

[06] Parliament approves state budgets

During the all-day debate, leaders and parliamentary spokesmen of all five House parties had a second opportunity to elaborate on their views and positions on the budgets and reply to each other.

Expenditure in the three 1998 budgets is 1,63 billion Cyprus pounds, while revenues reach 1,08 billion (one Cyprus pound is about 2 US dollars).

Three parties, ruling right-wing Democratic Rally (DISY) party, the Democratic Party (DIKO) and the United Democrats (EDI) voted the budgets through.

Main opposition left-wing AKEL party voted in favour of most of the budgets and against the allocations with which it disagrees.

Expressing their disapproval with the government policy, Socialist EDEK party deputies voted against the budgets, except for the sum for the Republic's defence.

CNA SD/AP/MA/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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