Cyprus News Agency: News in English (PM), 98-06-03

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

CONTENTS

[01] Cyprus Stock Exchange

[02] Cyprus plans to open Warsaw embassy

[03] AKEL delegation to attend European meeting

[04] Cyprus question discussed at Athens meeting

[05] EU task force to visit Cyprus

1545:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Cyprus Stock Exchange

CSE All Share Index                    83.26 ( 0,86)

Sectural Indices

Banks                                  96,73 ( 0,88)
Approved Investment Companies          60,70 ( 1,34)
Insurance Companies                    61,72 ( 0,54)
Industrial Companies                   75,22 ( 0,53)
Tourist Industries                     66,98 ( 2,26)
Commercial Companies                   45,66 ( 0,84)
Other Companies                        69,61 ( 0,29)

Trading Volume                        872.681,63

CNA MM/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1645:CYPPRESS:01

[02] Cyprus plans to open Warsaw embassy

Janusz Jesionek, Charge d'affaires of the Polish embassy to Cyprus, gave today details about his country's economy and its political and economic cooperation with Cyprus, with emphasis to the two countries' European Union (EU) accession course.

The two countries "have a very good political relation since 1993," with exchanges of all ministers, except ministers of Foreign Affairs, parliamentarians and politicians, he said.

Jesionek revealed that Foreign Minister, Ioannis Kasoulides, "promised to us to open a Cyprus embassy in Warsaw maybe this year or the beginning of next year. That means that our relations are going to be upgraded."

The Polish official noted the "very close cooperation" between the two governments in their accession talks with the EU.

Cyprus along with Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia and Estonia have started membership talks with the EU in March.

"We organise twice a year working consultations between the ministries of Foreign Affairs concerning EU cooperation. Such a cooperation is very much satisfactory for both sides," he said.

Jesionek said between 1993 and 1997 the governments of Cyprus and Poland signed six agreements and two protocols of cooperation, on agriculture, science and culture.

He said economic cooperation was "unbalanced" in the sense that Poland exports much more to Cyprus than Cyprus imports from Poland.

In 1997, out of 26,1 million dollars turnover, 95 per cent were exports from Poland to Cyprus and only five per cent the other way round.

"We want to upgrade the presence of Cyprus goods in our market," the Polish official said and expressed hope that Cypriot "participation in our tourist exhibition and the trade exhibition will enhance our cooperation in this field."

Poland exports to Cyprus saloon cars, pick-up trucks, small transportation cars, tractors, steel-bars and electrical cables.

"Our main position in this respect is export of container-vessels not directly to Cyprus, but we sell this to Cyprus-based off-shore companies," Jesionek said, noting that Poland buys from Cyprus citrus, juices and shoes.

He also referred to the "significant progress" in the number of Polish tourists who visited Cyprus in 1997, that reached 16.000 in comparison with 7.000 in 1995.

"This year, because of the very active and dynamic information campaign, we expect 20.000 from Poland," he said.

However, he noted the small number of Cypriots visiting Poland, 2.000 in 1997, and attributed this to lack of information.

Jesionek said some local banks are interested to establish representative offices in Warsaw, while some Cypriot schemes are ready to make direct investment in Poland.

Speaking about his country's economy, he said "1997 was another year of growth of the Polish economy" and referred to a decline in inflation, a rise in salaries and an increase of social benefits and income of households.

Jesionek said Poland is "in the last phase of the traditional period from the central-planning economy towards a market-orientated economy," that will take another 3-4 years to meet the Maastricht criteria.

He described Poland's economic situation as "very healthy".

CNA MK/AP/MM/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1740:CYPPRESS:03

[03] AKEL delegation to attend European meeting

Christofias, accompanied by AKEL's international relations head Andros Kyprianou, will leave for Berlin Thursday.

At the Berlin meeting left-wing leaders of European Union (EU) member- states will discuss recent developments in the EU and will draft their alternative proposals, an AKEL press release said.

On the sidelines of the meeting AKEL's delegates will have meet with their European counterparts and brief them on the long-standing Cyprus problem and Cyprus' course for EU accession, it added.

AKEL's delegation will return on Sunday.

CNA AP/MM/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1840:CYPPRESS:04

[04] Cyprus question discussed at Athens meeting

Greece's Government Spokesman Demetris Reppas said "issues regarding Cyprus, Greco-Turkish relations, developments in the armament programme, NATO's new structure and Greek government initiatives in view of the European Union summit" were discussed at the meeting.

Simitis chaired the meeting, which was attended by Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos, National Defence Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos and Greek army chief, Air Marshall Athanasios Tzoganis.

Reppas told the press the deployment of the S-300 missile system later this year in Cyprus was discussed "within the framework of cooperation between Greece and Cyprus."

In November 1993, the governments of the two countries agreed on a joint defence pact providing for Greek air, sea and land cover in the event of a fresh Turkish offensive against Cyprus. Turkish troops attacked and occupied the island's northern part in 1974. They still control nearly 40 per cent of Cyprus' territory, in violation of repeated UN resolution calling for their withdrawal.

The spokesman assured that "nothing has changed" in Greece's foreign and defence policy and said today's meeting concluded a series of recent deliberations.

CNA KI/AP/MM/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1930:CYPPRESS:05

[05] EU task force to visit Cyprus

The Director General of the European Commission's Task Force for the accession negotiations Nikolaus van der Pas and the Task Force's negotiator for Cyprus Leopold Maurer will be visiting Cyprus from June 4 to 8, the delegation said in a press release.

The two EU officials will meet with President Glafcos Clerides, House President Spyros Kyprianou, Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides, Finance Minister Christodoulos Christodoulou and Cyprus' chief negotiator for the accession talks George Vassiliou, it added.

They will also meet with the permanent secretaries of all the ministries, with officials from the Attorney-General's office and have contacts with representatives of the civil society.

On Saturday, Van der Pas and Maurer will hold a joint press conference with Vassiliou at the Foreign Ministry.

Cyprus along with Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia and Estonia started in March accession talks with the EU.

Cyprus applied for EU full membership in 1990. It signed an association agreement with the European Community in 1972 and a customs union agreement in 1987.

CNA AP/MM/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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