Cyprus News Agency: News in English (PM), 98-06-16

Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

CONTENTS

[01] Government on EU summit

[02] UN resolutions basis for solution, says Spokesman

[03] Cyprus strongly backs free shipping

[04] EU summit draft on Turkey, Cyprus

[05] Cyprus Stock Exchange

[06] AMAN General Assembly backs freedom of movement of press

[07] Greek figthers touch down at airbase

[08] Court to rule on evidence in British soldiers' case

[09] AMAN General Assembly - conclusions

[10] AMAN General Assembly backs freedom of movement of press

[11] Greece stands firm on EU decisions

1500:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Government on EU summit

"We are actually awaiting for the conclusions of the EU summit to assess the outcome of the meeting," Government Spokesman Christos Stylianides said here today.

During Monday's afternoon session in the Welsh capital, Cardiff, none of the 15 members raised the possibility of suspending membership talks with Cyprus.

Last week a French presidency spokeswoman said it would be difficult for a divided Cyprus to join the EU and hinted France may ask for a suspension of accession negotiations with Cyprus until the Turkish Cypriots join the negotiating team.

"We consider the fact that there has been no attempt by any country to cause any problems in our accession negotiations as a positive development, " Stylianides said.

The Turkish Cypriots have turned down an invitation from President Glafcos Clerides to nominate their own representatives to the talks as full members of the Cypriot team.

CNA MM/AP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1540:CYPPRESS:02

[02] UN resolutions basis for solution, says Spokesman

The spokesman's statement comes in response to yesterday's comments by UN top envoy in Cyprus, Gustave Feissel, who indicated that federation is not the only path to a solution in Cyprus and that he expects a settlement to be in place within the next five years.

"We aim at a solution based on UN resolutions and we are ready at any given moment to enter into a dialogue on this basis," Stylianides told his daily press briefing.

The present status quo is not the solution of the Cyprus question, he stressed.

CNA MCH/MM/EC/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1600:CYPPRESS:03

[03] Cyprus strongly backs free shipping

He was commenting on yesterday's incident when the Turkish authorities held and searched a Maltese-flagged vessel, suspected of carrying components of S-300 anti-aircraft missiles to Cyprus.

According to Reuters, Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman, Necati Utkan, said that what was announced as the cargo of the ship and what was in fact in the ship were two different things. Turkish authorities said they found weaponry but not the components of missiles.

"Even if Cyprus is not part of this case because the ship involved is not registered under the Cyprus flag and it was not destined for Cyprus, the government underlines its support for free shipping," Stylianides added.

CNA MCH/MM/EC/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1600:CYPPRESS:04

[04] EU summit draft on Turkey, Cyprus

Cardiff, Jun 16 (CNA) -- The European Council has called on Turkey to develop its relationship with Europe.

The call was made in the draft of the summit conclusions, expected to be agreed by the leaders later today, the final day of the Cardiff meeting.

According to the draft, the European Council "welcomes the Commission's communication of the 4th of March 1998 on taking forward the European Strategy to prepare Turkey for membership.

It agrees that, taken as a package, this provides the platform for developing the EU's relationship on a sound and evolutionary basis.

The European Council invites the Commission to carry forward this strategy, including the tabling of any proposals necessary for its effective implementation," it said, adding that "the strategy can be enriched over the time, taking into account Turkey's own ideas."

It added, "the European Council further invites the presidency and the Commission and the appropriate Turkish authorities to pursue the objective of harmonising Turkey's litigation and practice with the acquis, and asks the Commission to report to an early Association Council on progress made."

Recalling the need for financial support for the European strategy, "the European Council invites the Commission to table proposals which will underpin the strategy and requests the Council and budgetary authority to act on these without delay".

Regarding Cyprus, the European Council welcomes the "launch of the accession process in Brussels on 30 March", describing it an "evolutionary and inclusive process".

It refers to the meeting of the Ministers of Justice and Home Affairs of the 15 members of the European Union with their opposite members from the ten Central and East European applicant states and Cyprus on 28-29 May, describing it as "productive", noting that further ministerial meetings will take place as the need arises.

The British presidency conclusions note that "following the opening of accession negotiations on 31 March 1998 with Cyprus, Hungary, Poland, Estonia, the Czech Republic and Slovenia, good progress has already been made" and that "the screening exercises for seven chapters of the acquis have been completed".

The European Council encourages these countries to "bring forward position papers as soon as possible so that negotiations can advance rapidly".

CNA KT/EC/MM/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1640:CYPPRESS:05

[05] Cyprus Stock Exchange

   CSE General Index                          86.48 (-0.10)

   Traded Value            CYP 805,766

   Sectural Indices

   Banks                   CYP   354,348     100.13 ( 0.16)
   Approved Investment
   Companies               CYP   118,399      60.89 (-0.02)
   Insurance Companies     CYP    76,539      64.21 ( 0.61)
   Manufacturing Companies CYP    62,154      79.03 (-1.69)
   Tourism Companies       CYP     7,222      70.46 (-0.37)
   Trading Companies       CYP    86,211      48.03 (-0.44)
   Other Companies         CYP    31,268      73.05 (-0.79)

CNA MM/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1800:CYPPRESS:06

[06] AMAN General Assembly backs freedom of movement of press

The decision was taken at the end of the deliberations of the 7th General Assembly of the Alliance, held in Limassol, Cyprus.

Yesterday, the Chairman of the Cyprus News Agency Board, Anthos Lykavgis, referred to the problem Greek and Turkish Cypriot journalists face due to obstacles imposed by the Turkish Cypriot illegal regime in the northern occupied part of the island.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the General Assembly, Lykavgis stressed that Cypriot journalists can travel anywhere in the world to cover events, but cannot move freely in their own homeland.

Meanwhile, during the discussions that took place today at the General Assembly, the question of Algerian journalists killed in the line of duty was also raised.

The Assembly expressed its solidarity with Algerian journalists, and condemned terrorism against journalists as an attack on the freedom of the press.

CNA RG/MM/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1935:CYPPRESS:07

[07] Greek figthers touch down at airbase

Two of the aircraft have already left. According to CNA sources, the arrival of the four F-16 and a C-130 transport plane gave the opportunity to Greek armed forces officers to get an on-the-spot briefing of the airbase and its operational capabilities and allow them to inspect installations.

Omirou said the landing of the Greek warplanes at the "Andreas Papandreou" military airbase "is part of the implementation of the joint defence pact between Cyprus and Greece".

"The "Andreas Papandreou" airbase has proved to be operationally ready and ready to fulfill its mission", he added.

The Minister said the landing of the aircraft conveys a "specific political message: that the defence pact exists and will develop as long as there is Turkish expansionism".

The governments of Cyprus and Greece agreed in November 1993 on a joint defence pact which would provide Cyprus with Greek air, sea and land cover in the event of a fresh Turkish offensive.

Some 35,000 well equipped Turkish troops continue to occupy Cyprus' northern areas since they invaded in 1974.

Strict security measures were in force at the airbase and access to the base was forbidden to journalists.

CNA SS/GG/EC/MM/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

2120:CYPPRESS:08

[08] Court to rule on evidence in British soldiers' case

President of the Supreme Court George Pikis said the "hearing has been completed and the court reserved judgement on the request."

The application on behalf of the prosecutor Petros Klerides refers to the testimony of British detective Michael Flack, 53, who alleged in a statement that one of the soldiers confessed to him that he dealt the fatal blow on Danish tour guide Louise Jensen.

All three soldiers (Justin Folwer, Allan Ford and Geoffrey Pernell) are serving life for the murder, which took place in September 1994 in the holiday resort of Ayia Napa.

Antonis Andreou, Pernell's lawyer, told the Court that if it accepts the new evidence, there may be an issue of acquittal for his client for the charge of manslaughter and a reduction of his sentence.

Ford's lawyer, Tasos Katsikides, agreed with Andreou. Fowler's lawyer, Christos Pourgourides, had argued against introducing new evidence after the trial and questioned Flack's credibility as a witness.

Pourgourides said Flack is not a credible witness because he opted for publicity by giving his story to the British press instead of offering the information to the Cypriot police.

Pourgourides also argued that Flack cannot be a reliable witness since he was himself in prison for burglary.

Jensen was snatched in September 1994 outside an Ayia Napa petrol station after being knocked off a motorbike driven by her Cypriot boyfriend.

She was bundled into a car and taken to a remote spot where she was beaten to death.

CNA DP/MM/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

2035:CYPPRESS:09

[09] AMAN General Assembly - conclusions

The Assembly, hosted by the Cyprus News Agency, current president of the Alliance, expressed its support "for the right of all journalists to move freely throughout Cyprus in the exercise of their duties."

Regarding the question of Algerian journalists killed in the line of duty, the Alliance expressed its "solidarity with Algerian journalists, and condemned terrorism against journalists as an attack on the freedom of the press."

It was unanimously decided that the Lebanese News Agency (NNA) will take over the one-year presidency of the Alliance in June 1999, followed by the French News Agency (AFP).

The Assembly also decided after a proposal by the follow-up committee, that the annual prize for the best news item be awarded to Aarab Issiali, a journalist with the Morocco News Agency (MAP), whose article deals with relations between the southern and northern coasts of the Mediterranean.

Issiali will be awarded the prize in Cyprus, in March 1999, during a training seminar, which will be organised by the AFP and the CNA.

The Editor-in-Chief of CNA, George Penintaex, presented a working paper on bilateral and multilateral cooperation among AMAN members and the use of the Internet, stressing that "news agencies of Mediterranean countries are facing enormous challenges".

He pointed out that "news agencies unfortunately have not changed fast enough and are running a real danger of becoming marginalised", stressing the need for AMAN members to "think hard about how we should respond to the changing environment and about offering news services to existing or prospective subscribers."

Penintaex suggested that "agencies which are technologically advanced should undertake to give advice and make available technical assistance to other agencies", adding that seminars could be organised to train agency staff.

He also said that agencies could conclude bilateral agreements with other AMAN members, to gain "a wider perspective".

On the issue of the MEDNEWS service, it was suggested to the General Assembly that a study be carried out for the improvement and possible commercialisation of the MEDNEWS bulletin, issued in Arabic and English.

It was finally decided that this study be discussed during the next General Assembly, in Lebanon in June 1999.

Regarding training seminars, it was suggested that seminars be organised on the reporting of financial news and environmental problems.

However, agencies stressed that such undertakings require a huge sum of money, so CNA has agreed to look for sponsors.

CNA RG/MM/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

2205:CYPPRESS:10

[10] AMAN General Assembly backs freedom of movement of press

The decision was taken at the end of the deliberations of the 7th General Assembly of the Alliance, held in Limassol, Cyprus.

Yesterday, the Chairman of the Cyprus News Agency Board, Anthos Lykavgis, referred to the problem Greek and Turkish Cypriot journalists face due to obstacles imposed by the Turkish Cypriot illegal regime in the northern occupied part of the island.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the General Assembly, Lykavgis stressed that Cypriot journalists can travel anywhere in the world to cover events, but cannot move freely in their own homeland.

Meanwhile, during the discussions that took place today at the General Assembly, the question of Algerian journalists killed in the line of duty was also raised.

The Assembly expressed its solidarity with Algerian journalists, and condemned terrorism against journalists as an attack on the freedom of the press.

CNA RG/MM/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

2230:CYPPRESS:11

[11] Greece stands firm on EU decisions

Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis told a press conference today that the Greek delegation was under pressure to accept deviations from the Luxembourg European Council decisions on Turkey.

He said pressure concentrated on making Turkey appear to be a candidate for membership and not eligible for accession, as the Luxembourg summit concluded last December.

It was also indicated that Greece should give its consent to release EU funds for Turkey.

The premier said the Greek side did not accept the British presidency's proposals. Furthermore, he revealed that US President Bill Clinton telephoned him last night, and asked him to abandon the Greek position.

According to Simitis Clinton had stressed that if the Greek premier agreed, this would have enabled him to exert greater pressure on Turkey to improve Greco-turkish relations.

"I replied to President Clinton that he does not handle the issue of relations between the EU and Turkey in the right manner," Simitis told a press conference.

He further said that he does not believe that if Greece changes its position regarding Turkey, the internal situation in Turkey will improve.

The Greek premier said President Clinton was not satisfied with Simitis' replies.

Simitis said that he was satisfied with the presidency's final conclusions.

The conclusions reiterated the position that the Council "welcomes the Commission's communication of 4 March 1998 on taking forward the European strategy to prepare Turkey for membership".

The conclusions further said that "recalling the need for financial support for the European Strategy, the European Council notes the Commission's intentions to reflect on ways and means of underpinning the implementation of the European Strategy, and to table appropriate proposals to this effect".

The Cardiff summit also welcomed "the launch of the accession process in Brussels on 30 March" and the accession negotiations on 31 March with "Cyprus, Hungary, Poland, Estonia, the Czech Republic and Slovenia", noting that the screening exercises for seven chapters of the acquis communautaire have been completed.

CNA EC/MM/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article