Cyprus News Agency: News in English (PM), 98-05-04

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

CONTENTS

[01] Demilitarisation still a goal

[02] Japanese Police Chief expresses appreciation

[03] Cyprus Stock Exchange

[04] President disappointed with Holbrooke's comments

[05] Greece "saddened and disappointed" with lack of progress

[06] US Ambassador's complaint sent Kurd to court

1540:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Demilitarisation still a goal

Government Spokesman Christos Stylianides said today a Russian proposal for demilitarisation and transforming the UN peace-keeping force into an international force contains elements which President Glafcos Clerides outlined in his proposal for the demilitarisation of Cyprus.

Clerides put forward his proposal to the UN Secretary-General in December 1993 and suggested that the National Guard and the Turkish Cypriot armed forces be disbanded in parallel with the withdrawal of Turkish forces from Cyprus.

The proposal also calls for the delivery of armaments to the UN peace- keeping force for custody and the establishment of a fund where money saved from disbanding the armed forces should be deposited for the benefit of both communities.

"Our firm policy was and continues to be the demilitarisation of Cyprus and the presence of an international force with terms of reference from the Security Council," Stylianides said.

The Russian proposal, he added, is "an indication of the interest of the Russian Federation, a permanent member of the Security Council, and the big importance of the idea for demilitarising Cyprus.

The Russian proposal, submitted on April 24, notes that the purpose of demilitarisation is "to create in Cyprus an equal level of security for all inhabitants and an atmosphere of genuine mutual trust and cooperation between the two communities within the framework of a federal Cypriot state."

The demilitarisation will be effected by means of an agreed system of international guarantees under the auspices of the Security Council, it adds.

CNA KN/MM/MCH/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1625:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Japanese Police Chief expresses appreciation

Japanese Senior Police Chief, Jiro Ono, met today with Cyprus police Chief, Panikos Hadjiloizou, and other police officials to express his appreciation for the assistance offered for the arrest of Ouchi Toshiyasu.

"Ouchi Toshiyasu is now detained in Japan and criminal procedures against him have started", he noted.

Asked whether they expect to get more information about the case he replied, "I hope we could use most of that kind of information but it is not a good stage to explain how it is being used".

Hadjiloizou on his part thanked the Japanese police chief and made a reference to international terrorism and the importance of the arrest of Ouchi Toshiyasou.

In the meantime in a letter sent to Chief Police Hadjiloizou the Commissioner General of the National Police Agency, Yuko Sekiguchi, thanked him for his assistance in Toshiyasu's deportation.

"You acted on all our requests with utmost promptness and sincerity. We were able to arrest him because of your thoughtful assistance and arrangements", he notes and adds:

"Were it not for your full support, the arrest of Ouchi would not have been possible, for which I would like to express my healthful gratitude to you."

He also expresses his thanks to the director of the CID "whose help and assistance on the front of this operation contributed greatly to the successful deportation and the arrest of the subject".

During the meeting the Japanese Chief Police with his Cypriot counterpart exchanged gifts.

First Secretary of the Japanese Embassy in Athens, Ikuya Yoshimura, was also present at the meeting.

Jiro Ono also met with Foreign Ministry officials.

He will depart from Cyprus tomorrow.

CNA DP/MCH/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1530:CYPPRESS:03

[03] Cyprus Stock Exchange

CSE All Share Index                    92,52 (-1,83)

Sectural Indices

Banks                                 107,54 (-2,68)
Approved Investment Companies          67,06 (-1,86)
Insurance Companies                    67,63 ( 0,13)
Industrial Companies                   81,86 (-0,15)
Tourist Industries                     75,37 ( 0,16)
Commercial Companies                   54,62 (-0,71)
Other Companies                        77,66 (-0,47)

Trading Volume                             1.875.918.95

CNA MCH/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1750:CYPPRESS:04

[04] President disappointed with Holbrooke's comments

The President also pointed out that Holbrooke misinterpreted his position on the intercommunal talks and stressed he has never ceased to represent the Republic of Cyprus.

The President's statement, issued here today, comes in reply to comments by Holbrooke that "no one can dispute that Glafcos Clerides does not represent or has control over the people of northern Cyprus. He doesn't deny that, that is a fact."

In his remarks at the press conference, the American diplomat stopped short of laying the blame squarely on the Turkish side for setting out unacceptable preconditions, such as the withdrawal of the Republic's application for membership of the European Union and the recognition of the illegal Turkish Cypriot regime prior to any substantive talks.

"The President of the Republic of Cyprus regrets that it was not possible during the consultations with Mr. Holbrooke for progress to be made in the process for a solution to the Cyprus problem," Clerides' statement said.

At the same time, the President expresses "his disappointment" for statements Mr. Holbrooke made at the press conference he gave in Nicosia, it says.

The statement notes that Holbrooke "has not blamed the Turkish side, as he had informed the President, for the non-breaking of the deadlock, given that it was established that the positions of Mr. Denktash (Turkish Cypriot leader) reflect the positions of the Turkish government as well."

The President's statement notes that the Turkish side insisted on "unreasonable demands", namely the recognition of two separate states, the withdrawal of the application of the Republic of Cyprus for accession to the European Union and the lifting of the so-called (trade) embargo.

President Clerides points out that Holbrooke "misinterpreted" his position on the issue of the intercommunal talks.

"It is reconfirmed that the President represents the Greek Cypriot community only in the case of the intercommunal negotiations and this in accordance with a decision of the Security Council that the talks are conducted at a bicommunal level and not between the Republic of Cyprus and the Turkish Cypriot community," the statement stressed.

The statement further underlines that "the President of the Republic has never accepted that the relevant article of the 1960 Constitution, which specifies that he represents the Republic of Cyprus, has ceased to be valid."

The statement concludes by noting that the "President is not aware of what has happened behind the scenes and made Mr. Holbrooke to change his position, about which he had been briefed, as regards the non-breaking of the deadlock."

CNA MM/MCH/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1810:CYPPRESS:05

[05] Greece "saddened and disappointed" with lack of progress

The Greek government has also praised a Russian proposal for the demilitarisation of Cyprus.

"We express regret and disappointment because due to the intransigence of the Turkish side, there was no progress in the framework of Richard Holbrooke's initiative," Greek government Spokesman Demetris Reppas has said.

He expressed the view that this initiative should continue since the international community draws the appropriate conclusions from the negative and intransigent position the Turkish side maintains.

"The terms the Turkish Cypriot leader has laid down are widely believed to be unacceptable and it is not even possible to hold discussions on these terms," Reppas said.

Rauf Denktash, leader of the Turkish Cypriot community, demanded that the government of Cyprus withdrew its application for accession to the European Union and that his puppet regime in Turkish occupied Cyprus be recognised before he returns to the negotiating table.

Reppas noted that Denktash's participation in talks does not have any preconditions and it is his responsibility to participate in talks on the basis of UN decisions.

On the Russian proposal for the demilitarisation of Cyprus, Reppas said it displays the interest of Moscow in disarmament and includes points which President Glafcos Clerides included in his proposal of 1993 to the UN Secretary-General on the demilitarisation of Cyprus.

The President proposed the disband of the National Guard and the Turkish Cypriot armed forces in parallel to the withdrawal of the Turkish occupation troops from the island's northern areas.

CNA KI/MM/MCH/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1905:CYPPRESS:06

[06] US Ambassador's complaint sent Kurd to court

The Minister was addressing the House Committee on Human Rights which met to discuss the case of Ramazan Celik, a Kurd, whom police detained and then released after complaints were filed by a foreign embassy against him trying to sell in the streets of Nicosia a magazine about Kurdistan.

Celik was released on the orders of Attorney General, Alecos Markides, who said there was no case to answer and noted that the charges police brought against Celik were contrary to the criminal code.

He was charged with "seeking to buy clients".

Today it was revealed that US Ambassador to Cyprus, Kenneth Brill, had complained many months ago about Celik trying to sell the magazine.

Kasoulides said Brill had complained to him in Autumn last year about Celik collecting money destined for the PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party) but the Minister explained that the funds collected are negligible.

Brill had apparently complained to the Ministry of Justice and Public Order as well about Celik's moves, Markides told the Committee.

CNA MM/MCH/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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