Cyprus News Agency: News in English (PM), 98-06-02

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

CONTENTS

[01] "Sunday Times" fracas not closed

[02] Cyprus Stock Exchange

[03] EU could offer impetus on Cyprus, says former Congressman

[04] No developments anticipated before EU summit

[05] Madden says British tourists not told to avoid Cyprus

[06] Defence Minister to Athens and Paris

[07] Dialogue can lay groundwork for progress

[08] Henderson says "Sunday Times" report refers to routine matters

[09] Swedish deputies briefed on situation in Cyprus

1525:CYPPRESS:01

[01] "Sunday Times" fracas not closed

But the government does not consider it has had the last word about the report, which led Government Spokesman Christos Stylianides to issue a statement that leaking of such information does not contribute to the good relations between Cyprus and the UK.

"We have noted the assurances and explanations given, especially with regard to travel advice. The government is monitoring the situation and will inform accordingly," Stylianides said at his daily briefing.

Britain's High Commissioner David Madden said yesterday his government has not issued any travel advice to people not to visit Cyprus.

Asked if the government considers the whole matter closed, Stylianides said "we do not say we consider it closed as far as the actual report is concerned."

Describing the British move not to issue travel advice as "positive", Stylianides said the government is ready to take any necessary measures to avert any problems in the tourist industry.

CNA MA/MM/MCH/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1640:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Cyprus Stock Exchange

CSE All Share Index                    82,55 (-0,83)

Sectural Indices

Banks                                  95,89 (-0,78)
Approved Investment Companies          59,90 (-0,94)
Insurance Companies                    61,39 (-0,53)
Industrial Companies                   74,82 (-0,36)
Tourist Industries                     65,50 (-4,13)
Commercial Companies                   45,28 (-2,08)
Other Companies                        69,41 ( 1,24)

Trading Volume                    1013773.504

CNA MCH/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1655:CYPPRESS:03

[03] EU could offer impetus on Cyprus, says former Congressman

"Although it is obvious after the visit of Ambassador Holbrooke there has been no great progress made, we still have to press ahead and hope that such developments as the forthcoming process of accession to the EU on the part of the Republic of Cyprus will provide some impetus, for at long last, a solution," John Brademas said after a meeting with President Glafcos Clerides.

Brademas, in Cyprus to receive an honorary degree from the University of Cyprus, said his talks with the President aimed to "bring each other up to date on our perceptions of the situation in Cyprus."

Reiterating his interest in the Cyprus question, Brademas expressed hope that "we shall have a united Cyprus, free and democratic" by the end of the millennium, if not before.

Brademas, who has been to Cyprus on three previous occasions, has also had talks with Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash in Turkish occupied Nicosia.

He leaves Thursday.

CNA MK/MM/MCH/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1700:CYPPRESS:04

[04] No developments anticipated before EU summit

Speaking to the press, he also said the government is aware of attempts by certain Euro MPs to change the preconditions the EU has set to Turkey before relations improve.

Last December, the EU asked Turkey to put its house in order with regard to respect for human rights, resolve its disputes with Greece and contribute towards a settlement in Cyprus.

Turkey, left out of EU future expansion plans at present, responded by cutting off its political dialogue with the EU.

EU sources have told CNA that efforts are being made to "repackage" the deal Europe has offered to Turkey at its Luxembourg summit and made Turkey understand the benefits of the offer it was given.

The current EU rotating presidency, Britain, is understood to have its own ideas, currently under consideration, about how to tackle this matter.

Replying to questions, Stylianides said moves on a personal and diplomatic level are aimed at amending the Luxembourg conclusions with regard to EU-Turkish relations.

He also noted that Cyprus' accession course to Europe is on track.

Cyprus started membership negotiations in March.

CNA MA/MM/MCH/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1725:CYPPRESS:05

[05] Madden says British tourists not told to avoid Cyprus

Speaking after a meeting with Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, Nicos Rolandis, Madden said "our assessment of the current risk in Cyprus is reflected in the fact that we have not issued any travel advisory notices, in connection with Cyprus, and we are certainly not advising people not to come to Cyprus".

Today's meeting took place after a "Sunday Times" report that contingency plans are being drafted, to evacuate foreigners from Cyprus, in case of war.

Madden said there was an approach by Cypriot High Commissioner in London, Michalis Attalides, to the Head of the South-European department in London, which "I am not going to characterise as a protest".

He pointed out that Attalides discussed the issue "just as I discussed it yesterday" with Foreign Minister, Ioannis Kasoulides, and "as I discussed it today" with Rolandis.

Asked if there will be more leaks or if any measures have been taken to prevent them from happening, Madden said it is not "helpful to leak information about contingency planning".

Madden also pointed out that all governments "look from time to time at contingency plans", adding that "there is nothing terrible in that, but it is unhelpful to have the information put in the public domain".

Referring specifically to the "Sunday Times" report, Madden described it as "fanciful".

Asked if he apologised to Kasoulides for the article, Madden said he expressed "regret", but pointed out that "it is not really for me to apologise", because "this was not in any way an official leak".

On his part, Rolandis said Cyprus expects "investments of hundreds of millions of Cyprus pounds (on pound is around two US dollars) in tourism and industry", pointing out that "reports like the one in the 'Sunday Times' are not at all helpful long-term".

He said some 900.000 British tourists are expected to visit the island this summer and that similar reports in the press would create problems.

Rolandis added he asked Madden that the British government sees that such leaks are avoided.

Meanwhile asked whether the EU Cardiff summit will change the Union's offer to Turkey, Madden replied:

"Obviously the Luxembourg conclusions on Turkey will be looked at again by the heads of Government", adding that it is "impossible to say whether anything will be changed".

He also said that Britain is "working to try and put the relationship between Turkey and the EU on a better footing than the footing that followed the Luxembourg meeting".

"We are trying to improve the relationship between the EU and Turkey to the benefit of this region generally" and also "to the benefit of Cyprus", he stressed.

Asked whether Sir David Hannay will be visiting Cyprus, Madden said he would probably not come before the Cardiff summit, but pointed out he was not aware of Sir David's travel plans.

"We expect to see him on the island when his presence will be helpful", Madden said.

CNA RG/MCH/1998

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1745:CYPPRESS:06

[06] Defence Minister to Athens and Paris

From Athens, Omirou will go to France, where he will meet with his French counterpart, Alain Richard, and also visit the an international military equipment exhibition.

Speaking earlier today, Omirou stressed that Cyprus' sovereign right to defend itself is not negotiable.

Commenting on a "Sunday Times" report about British contingency plans to evacuate foreigners from the island in case of war, Omirou said:

"It is obvious there is an effort to blackmail the Republic of Cyprus, and to hit the economy of the island", in relation to the deployment of the Russian S-300 missiles.

Omirou said that "unfortunately, this unacceptable effort is concerted" and stressed "it will definitely not pass" because the people of Cyprus are facing such challenges with "determination".

CNA RG/MCH/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1830:CYPPRESS:07

[07] Dialogue can lay groundwork for progress

Nicosia, Jun 2 (CNA) -- Former US Congressman John Brademas believes that dialogue is an indispensable tool towards the resolution of any conflict, and cited the case of Northern Ireland and Skopje as examples.

He said the key to the resumption of the intercommunal dialogue between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot sides lies largely in Ankara.

Brademas expressed the view that Turkey's chances of getting into the European Union are non-existent as long as the Cyprus problem remains unresolved.

He said he will put forward "certain steps" to US envoys for Cyprus in a bid to assist their efforts for progress on Cyprus and a resumption of bicommunal contact, but avoided to elaborate on what these steps might be.

The former Congressman talked about plans to set up a centre for democracy and development in Southern and Eastern Europe, in which he expects Cyprus to "play a role."

Speaking to CNA during his current visit to Cyprus, Brademas described demands by Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash for the withdrawal of Cyprus' application for EU accession and recognition of his self-styled regime as "unacceptable."

He said he pointed out to Denktash that "if you want to enter into negotiations, you do not assert preconditions which might be possible outcomes of the negotiations."

Asked if there is any hope for resumption of talks, he expressed the view "the answer to this question lies largely in Turkey."

Stressing the importance of resuming the intercommunal dialogue, he said bicommunal contact must also restart among people from all walks of life from both communities.

Asked if US efforts to make headway would be better applied in Ankara itself rather than concentrating to avert the arrival of Russian missiles in Cyprus, Brademas said:

"It is possible, that if the Turkish side demonstrated a willingness to enter into serious negotiations about demilitarisation of the island, that could have the effect of slowing down the delivery of the missiles."

He called on Turkey to resolve the Cyprus issue "in a constructive way" as this would serve its own short-term and long-term interests, especially with regard to its European aspirations.

"I believe that so long as the Cyprus issue goes unresolved, Turkey will never be admitted to the European Union," he said.

Outlining similarities between the situation in Cyprus and that in Northern Ireland, Brademas said in the latter "unofficial discussions took place for quite some time and this laid the ground for the Agreement reached."

Invited to identify some aspects of the Agreement which could apply to Cyprus, he acknowledged that he did not examine the Irish settlement but noted that usually in any negotiations "there has to be give and take".

In this regard, he said the agreement between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot sides in the late 1970s to establish a bizonal, bicommunal federation is such a compromise.

Asked why the US has not got any result in the Cyprus situation, Brademas said the US "do not own the world nor do they run the world, but they can play a constructive part in conflict situations."

He also pointed out that "people have their own interests and they are not necessarily going to quiver and shake when any American president indicates they should do this or that."

He also referred to his project to create a centre for democracy and reconciliation in southeastern Europe and said the first move would be to get historians together with a view to "better understand one another" in the hope that this would have a constructive effect on school text books so they do not reflect nationalistic perspective.

"I expect Cyprus to play a role in this centre and it would be perfectly appropriate for us to look at Cyprus in this respect," he explained.

He said Cyprus and Greece and some Turkish business leaders are "very sympathetic to the establishment of the centre and Holbrooke has endorsed the concept" and added the centre will be up and running by the end of the year.

The centre will be based in the northern Greek city of Salonica and it is expected to be chaired by a national of an EU member-state.

A meeting with be convened in Salonica in early July to discuss further the whole matter

CNA MM/MCH/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1850:CYPPRESS:08

[08] Henderson says "Sunday Times" report refers to routine matters

Henderson was speaking after the opening of a photographic matter exhibition in one of the corridors of the House of Commons, under the title "Cyprus - A European Perspective".

The exhibition refers to the history and cultural inheritance of the island and its relation to Europe, the contribution of Cyprus with 37 thousand volunteers in World War II, the economic development of the island and the achievements of the Cypriot community in Britain.

Speaking after the opening ceremony, Henderson commented on a "Sunday Times" report that Britain is preparing contingency plans, to evacuate foreigners from Cyprus, in case of trouble.

He said that "the report refers to routine matters", adding that "we continue to monitor developments in areas of the world where there are tensions, and Cyprus is clearly one of those areas".

Asked if the British Government is concerned about the situation in Cyprus, Henderson said "there is no special concern now", adding that "the people of Cyprus should come together to resolve their differences".

He also said Britain believes that "this needs very strong input from all political sides on the island", as well as "the support of the Greek and Turkish Governments".

Henderson said the Greek and Turkish Governments should "try and contribute to the solution of differences within Cyprus", adding that "this is the strategy we have been adopting during our period as presidency of the European Union, and we will continue to adopt this strategy".

The British Minister also pointed out that his country would like to see "the parties getting back together again, starting to talk about the way forward, looking into the future, looking at a new, modern Cyprus, which will be in the EU as a united island, with perhaps a bicommunal structure to it".

Responding to remarks that Turkey is putting obstacles and asked how Britain intends to proceed, Henderson said "there are always obstacles in this difficult situation" and said the "people in Cyprus should look forward and try to overcome any obstacles, which means that there has to be some give-and-take on all sides".

Referring to Cyprus' EU accession course, Henderson said "our position on accession negotiations is absolutely firm - we support the Cyprus application".

Asked what Britain intends to do, as a guarantor power, in the event of a Turkish attack on Cyprus, in relation to the deployment of the Russian S- 300 missiles, Henderson said what Britain would like to see is "every pressure be put to all the parties to de-escalate tension".

He also expressed the belief that "one way of helping to de-escalate that tension would be a commitment by the Cyprus Government not to install the missiles".

However, he said he did not intend "to comment on any hypothetical situation beyond that".

Meanwhile, speaking at the opening ceremony of the exhibition, Henderson said that Britain looks forward to "a speedy negotiating process", and that both Britain and the EU "would like to see a broader representation on the negotiating committee".

He mentioned, however, that "if that is not possible, for reasons people here will recognise, then we have to proceed as best we can".

CNA KT/RG/MCH/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

2000:CYPPRESS:09

[09] Swedish deputies briefed on situation in Cyprus

Cypriot deputies stressed that the Cyprus question is an international problem of invasion and occupation and violation of fundamental human rights by Turkey.

They also underlined that Cyprus belongs to Europe and should not be held to ransom because of Turkish intransigence because such a move would give Turkey the right to decide on Cyprus' EU membership.

The deputies expressed the view that membership of the EU would be to the benefit of both communities on the island, in particular the Turkish Cypriot community.

The visiting MPs are the president of the parliamentary consultative committee on European Union matters, Berit Loefstedt and committee vice president Lars Tobisson.

CNA MM/MCH/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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