Cyprus News Agency: News in English (PM), 98-04-09

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

CONTENTS

[01] T/C pilgrims visit Hala Sultan Mosque

[02] Cyprus Stock Exchange

[03] The Year 2000 Problem-Popular Bank

[04] Russian chapel to be sanctified Sunday

[05] Galanos announces establishment of political movement

[06] German Green supports Cyprus' EU membership

[07] Greek President to visit Cyprus for first time

[08] Israeli jets violate Nicosia FIR

[09] Kasoulides condemns vandalism in Pyla

1520:CYPPRESS:01

[01] T/C pilgrims visit Hala Sultan Mosque

The Turkish occupation regime imposed levy for four sterling pounds on each of the pilgrims as an "exit fee" from the illegal entity, unilaterally declared in November 1983 in the Turkish-occupied northern part of the island.

The worshippers, mostly families and young people, arrived at Larnaca early this morning on twenty five coaches.

They said they were very happy and touched by their pilgrimage to the Hala Sultan Mosque, next to the Salt Lake near the southern coastal town of Larnaca, considered to be one of the most sacred shrines of Islam.

For many of these Turkish Cypriots this was the first time to visit the Mosque.

Suleyman Kucat, 72, originally from Mathiatis village situated 30 kilometres southwest of Nicosia, but now living in the Turkish-occupied areas, said he was very moved.

He also expressed the wish that a Cyprus settlement will be reached soon, providing for the reunification of the island, so that Greek and Turkish Cypriots can live together in peace.

The majority of the visitors said the shrine was in a pretty good condition, well preserved and clean.

The Turkish Cypriot pilgrims will be transferred back to the occupied areas later this afternoon.

The occupation regime has once more shattered hopes of Greek Cypriots who wished to celebrate Greek Orthodox Easter at the occupied Monastery of Apostolos Andreas, on the most eastern tip of the island.

A scheduled pilgrimage for Easter Sunday (19 April) had earlier this week been postponed because of unacceptable measures imposed by the puppet regime, demanding 15 pounds sterling as "entry fee" on every person visiting the occupied part of Cyprus. CNA/MAN/DG/AP/1988

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1550:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Cyprus Stock Exchange

CSE All Share Index                    91,27 ( 0,21)

Sectural Indices

Banks                                 104,97 ( 0,17)
Approved Investment Companies          67,51 (-0,22)
Insurance Companies                    66,31 (-0,15)
Industrial Companies                   84,18 ( 1,86)
Tourist Industries                     75,25 (-2,32)
Commercial Companies                   53,62 ( 0,79)
Other Companies                        79,60 ( 0,09)

Trading Volume                      2.749.278

CNA AP/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1635:CYPPRESS:03

[03] The Year 2000 Problem-Popular Bank

Speaking at a press conference today, Petros Petrou, Popular Bank Director General of Financial Services and Information Technology, called for the establishment of a central institution which would co-ordinate work needed to tackle the problem.

Petrou explained that the "Year 2000 Problem" stems from the fact that most computer operating systems, including microchips and programmes, have been developed using six-digit date fields.

This has led to the computers "realising" that the year "00" precedes "99" and not the opposite, as they should, which may provoke major malfunctions or even total collapse of computerised organisations, at the end of the century.

The conference heard that the funds needed worldwide for compliance programmes may reach one trillion US dollars, while a world economic recession due to the "Year 2000 Problem" is considered possible.

Petrou said the Bank itself has already spent millions of Cyprus pounds in an effort to prepare for January 1, 2001, which is only 452 days away. (One Cyprus pound is equal to 1,8 US dollars)

Popular Bank Group officials said thousands of electronic equipment, unable to operate on January 1, 2000 are still being manufactured and scheduled to be on sale.

They urged consumers to ask for a compliance certificate for the equipment they buy.

It is estimated that 20 per cent of British companies will not be able to adapt, risking a total failure, the conference heard.

CNA GG/MA/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1750:CYPPRESS:04

[04] Russian chapel to be sanctified Sunday

A Russian embassy press release said Thursday the chapel, a gift from the Moscow government, will be sanctified on Sunday, April 12, by the member of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, Archbishop Sergei, on a commission of the Holy Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexei.

Moscow Mayor, Yuri Louzhkov, is expected to attend Sunday's ceremony, as well as Russian ambassador to Cyprus, Georgi Mouradov.

"The erection of the first Russian Cathedral in Cyprus is a significant event in our bilateral relations," the press release said.

It added that "the Cathedral will become a symbol of our historical spiritual unity, of the deep friendly feelings between the Russian and the Cypriot peoples."

CNA MA/AP/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1935:CYPPRESS:05

[05] Galanos announces establishment of political movement

A four-page declaration, signed by 79 founding members, said the Movement aims at uniting all centre and centre-right forces, as it believes they no longer play a significant role in the island's political life.

Galanos did not rule out the possibility of the Movement joining forces with other groups of the centre, aiming at the establishment of one common party. He said that if these efforts fail the Movement will consider forming into a party.

The Movement supports a free economy, social justice and a rule of law.

Galanos served as deputy president of centre-right Democratic Party (DIKO), but broke ranks with the party before February's presidential elections, after he disagreed with its decision to back independent candidate George Iacovou.

He had contested the first round of the elections as an independent candidate and managed to gain 4,04 per cent of the vote. In the second round of elections he supported the candidacy of Glafcos Clerides, who was reelected.

Galanos ruled out the possibility of his Movement's members moving back to DIKO under the present conditions and described the party as "bankrupt".

Replying to questions, one of the Movement's founders, Antonis Paschalides, said it will have a "positive and constructive" stance towards the government, but will not hesitate to disagree when the need arises.

CNA MA/AP/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

2015:CYPPRESS:06

[06] German Green supports Cyprus' EU membership

Schwarzenholz headed a 10-member delegation from the Braunschweig region of the federal state of Lower Saxony, that today ended a 10-day visit to Cyprus in a bid to learn more about the long-standing Cyprus problem.

Declaring his solidarity with the people of Cyprus, the German deputy expressed hope that the island will be reunited and fully demilitarised.

"We support Cyprus' EU accession course and we see it as a catalyst in efforts to solve the Cyprus problem," the German MP told a press conference.

He stressed that "Cyprus cannot be Turkey's hostage and we will try to influence the situation so that Ankara changes its intransigent stand towards Cyprus' EU bid."

"The solution of the Cyprus problem should not constitute a precondition for Cyprus' EU course, but a precondition for Turkey's accession," he said.

Turkey and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash have strongly opposed EU accession talks with Cyprus, that opened in Brussels on March 31.

After last December's EU confirmation that accession talks with Cyprus would start, Denktash said he would not participate in negotiations to settle the Cyprus problem unless his regime in the Turkish-occupied areas of the island is recognised.

The German MP pointed out that if Turkey wants to join the EU it would have to give Europeans an explanation about the situation in Cyprus.

Schwarzenholz opposed any recognition of the illegal Turkish Cypriot regime, stressing that "if this is accepted we would accept a policy of ethnic separation, the uprooting of people from their homes and the deprivation of their right to property and free movement."

"The recognition of this illegal state would constitute an invitation to all military regimes to occupy smaller countries, something we will never accept," he added.

However, he expressed the view that at the first stage of a Cyprus settlement the situation could not return to what it was before the 1974 Turkish invasion and occupation of 37 percent of the island's territory.

The German MP supported the establishment of "a bizonal state that would allow refugees to return to their homes and properties."

He said that if the Cyprus government wants to give Turkish Cypriots the correct message it should invite them to return to their property and villages in the free areas of the Republic.

Schwarzenholz described a decision by the occupation regime to illegally impose a levy on people who want to travel to and from the occupied areas as "undemocratic" and "crazy".

Noting that the same situation existed in Germany before the fall of the Berlin wall, he said "in reality this is a sign of weakness, because it acts this way to show it is sovereign."

The illegal entity in the Turkish-occupied areas of Cyprus is recognised only by Turkey and numerous UN resolutions call on all states not to facilitate the secessionist entity.

Invited to comment on Turkish plans to construct a nuclear plant in Akkuyu, on Turkey's southern coast opposite Cyprus, the Green Party MP described them as "very dangerous".

"All European Green Parties are against this and we have supported Turkish people who try to fight against it, but Turkey is not a democratic state and it is very dangerous for people who oppose the nuclear power plant plans," he said.

Schwarzenholz added that the German Greens are trying to pressure their government "to do more against this danger, because it is not doing enough."

He described his country's position towards Turkey as "contradicting", because at times it takes a clear position on issues such as human rights but most of the time it is "very soft".

"Military government's like the one in Turkey don't understand soft language," the German MP added.

CNA DP/MA/AP/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

2050:CYPPRESS:07

[07] Greek President to visit Cyprus for first time

This will be the first official visit to Cyprus by the President of Greece since the Republic was established in 1960.

Cyprus Government Spokesman Christos Stylianides has said the visit was discussed in Athens today, during a meeting at the Greek Foreign Ministry, chaired by the Foreign Ministers of Greece and Cyprus, Theodoros Pangalos and Ioannis Kasoulides.

Speaking from Athens, where he is attending a seminar for Greek and Cypriot embassy press councilors, Stylianides said the Athens meeting examined Cyprus' European Union accession course and a recent visit to the island by US Presidential Emissary, Richard Holbrooke.

He said the Greek government was officially briefed on Holbrooke's talks in Cyprus. The meeting also dealt with bilateral issues.

Stylianides refrained from revealing details about the meeting, describing its content as "confidential".

CNA MA/GP/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

2130:CYPPRESS:08

[08] Israeli jets violate Nicosia FIR

The same sources told CNA, the Foreign Ministry will make tomorrow representations to the Israeli authorities about the incident.

Israeli Ambassador to Cyprus Semi Tzur told CNA tonight that "up to the moment there was no official protest" from the Cyprus government.

He referred to an agreement between the Civil Aviation Authorities of the two countries regarding the use of Nicosia FIR by Israeli aircraft.

"Machi", a local newspaper, reported today that six Israeli F-16 jets violated at 1300 hours local (1000 GMT) yesterday the Nicosia FIR, approaching the Paphos International Airport, in western Cyprus. CNA/GP/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

2150:CYPPRESS:09

[09] Kasoulides condemns vandalism in Pyla

Blue paint was sprayed Wednesday night on the bust of founder of Turkey's secular state, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, and a Turkish flag was removed from a flag-pole at the entrance of the Turkish Cypriot school.

Kasoulides described as "nonsense" a statement by Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash, who had blamed the Greek Cypriot side and claimed that this act aimed at harming the bicommunal contacts.

Denktash has repeatedly blocked contacts between Greek and Turkish Cypriots as part of his policy to destroy rapprochement between the two communities.

At the same time, he refuses to return to the negotiating table, demanding a change in the interlocutors' status, trying to secure recognition for his breakaway state in the areas occupied by Turkish troops since 1974.

"Greek Cypriots respect Turkish Cypriot symbols and monuments," Kasoulides said in statements at Larnaca airport, on his return from Athens. He described the incident as a "provocation".

The act of vandalism was also strongly condemned by the UN peace- keeping force in Cyprus, which is investigating the incident.

CNA MK/MA/GP/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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