Cyprus News Agency: News in English (PM), 98-06-29

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

CONTENTS

[01] Kasoulides leaves for Luxembourg

[02] President Clerides to visit Moscow

[03] Cordovez to visit Cyprus later this week

[04] Greek and Turkish Cypriot women attend "Planathon"

[05] Captain carrying illegal immigrants in custody

[06] No radioactive leak from British weapons, says MOD

1445:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Kasoulides leaves for Luxembourg

An official press release said during the dinner British Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, will brief his counterparts on the outcome of the recent EU Summit, in Cardiff.

Views will be exchanged focusing on EU enlargement and the accession course of the candidate countries.

The dinner is taking place on the sidelines of the EU General Affairs Council regular meeting, that will mark the end of Britain's six-month EU rotating presidency, on June 30.

On July 1, Austria will take over the EU presidency for the second half of 1998.

CNA AP/GP/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1450:CYPPRESS:02

[02] President Clerides to visit Moscow

Clerides has been invited to Moscow as an honoured guest at the World Youth Games, to take place in the Russian capital from 12 to 19 July.

Cyprus Government Spokesman, Christos Stylianides said today President Clerides will be visiting the Russian capital at the invitation of Moscow Mayor, Yuri Ruskov.

Russian Ambassador to Cyprus, Georgi Mouradov conveyed earlier today the invitation during a meeting with Under-Secretary to the President, Pantelis Kouros.

During his stay in Moscow President Clerides will have a courtesy meeting with Russian President Boris Yeltsin. He will also meet with Russian Patriarch Alexy.

CNA/MM/MCH/GP/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1725:CYPPRESS:03

[03] Cordovez to visit Cyprus later this week

Asked what the government's position would be on the prospect of resuming talks between interlocutors rather than the leaders of the two communities, President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktash, Stylianides replied:

"The government is open to anything concerning matters of procedure that could facilitate the substance," of the problem.

He also said the government will consider this "when it is presented with a specific proposal."

He added the government is informed of Cordovez's intention to visit Nicosia this week but it is not absolutely certain when the visit will be.

Stylianides also stressed that the government considers the "Cyprus problem to be a matter of substance and not of procedure."

He pointed out "the substance is that the international community and the UN Security Council should seek in every possible way to curb Turkish intransigence and to secure the Turkish side's compliance with UN resolutions."

Asked to comment on the expected UN Security Council resolutions, on the renewal of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) mandate and the UN Chief's good offices mission the Spokesman said:

The government "is giving a diplomatic battle for the resolutions and we hope that they will serve our interests."

The government does not reject Cordovez's involvement, "which is under the aegis of the UN Secretary General's good offices mission," he added.

"We are open to procedures which facilitate the substance (of the problem) and are within the framework of UN resolutions," Stylianides stressed.

Meanwhile, President of the House of Representatives, Spyros Kyprianou, said today, after a meeting with President Clerides during which they discussed possible visits of foreign diplomats to Cyprus, that Cordovez could be visiting Cyprus, pointing out that:

"We are awaiting to see whether the Turkish side wishes to meet him," adding that the Turkish decision will depend on the conclusions of the UN Security Council.

CNA MM/MCH/AP/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1735:CYPPRESS:04

[04] Greek and Turkish Cypriot women attend "Planathon"

Maria Kyriakou, Theano Evangelou, Oya Talat and Sevgul Uludag attend the forum Council which takes place in London and Cambridge between June 28 and July 2, a British Council press release said.

The event, described as a "Planathon", is organised by the London-based Project Parity.

Its aim is to enable key women leaders from nine central and eastern European countries, with Cyprus invited as observers at this stage, to create action plans for each of their countries to work towards "Parity Democracy".

Parity democracy is defined as the equal representation of women and men in decision-making processes.

The "Planathon" aims to equip participants with a global viewpoint and will encourage the formation of international alliances.

The Ministry of Justice is meanwhile collaborating with the British Council and the Commonwealth Secretariat to set up a major gender event in Cyprus.

The event will be opened by President Glafcos Clerides on October 9, the press release said.

CNA MCH/AP/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1940:CYPPRESS:05

[05] Captain carrying illegal immigrants in custody

Syrian national Mohamed Hadjimoustafa, 31, captain of Syrian-flagged boat "Rita Allah", carrying illegal immigrants of Arab and African origin to Libya was remanded to eight days in custody accused of illegal and dangerous transport of people, among whom were women and children.

"Rita Allah" was carrying 110 people and had a six-member crew. The police told CNA two of the illegal immigrants on board "Rita Allah" died during the journey and were thrown into the sea.

According to the police one of the dead men is a 23-year-old Nigerian, while the second one has not been identified yet.

Four passengers were taken to hospital suffering from dehydration, while the rest 103 were taken to a hotel in the southern coastal town of Limassol.

The boat was located in international waters at around midnight by a Russian vessel, which having informed the Cypriot authorities, towed the boat to the port in the early hours of today.

She had broken down while sailing from the northern Lebanese port of Tripoli to Libya.

"Rita Allah" is anchored at the new Limassol port guarded by Police. The passengers are nationals from Iraq, Rwanda, Sudan, Syria, Bangladesh, Burundi, Lebanon, Sierra Leone, Libya, Liberia, Egypt, Zaire, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Somalia and India.

CNA RM/MCH/AP/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

2015:CYPPRESS:06

[06] No radioactive leak from British weapons, says MOD

According to a Reuters' report there were a series of mishaps involving British nuclear weapons during the Cold War.

The same report also claims the Cyprus government had never even been told that Britain stored nuclear bombs at its southern Akrotiri military base on the island.

Asked by CNA to comment on the reports, a British Defence Ministry spokeswoman said there have not been any leaks of radioactive gases from any British nuclear weapons.

She refused however to say whether there are nuclear weapons stationed at Akrotiri.

"For security reasons our policy is that we do not disclose details about where British weapons are," she said.

Meanwhile Government Spokesman, Christos Stylianides, said earlier today "the government is investigating the matter."

Since March 1998 the British nuclear weapons have been limited to Trident submarines, while earlier they also possessed RAFWE 177 nuclear bombs.

Britain retains two military bases on the island since 1960 when it granted Cyprus its independence from colonial rule.

CNA KT/MM/MCH/AP/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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