Cyprus News Agency: News in English (PM), 98-07-20

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

CONTENTS

[01] Cyprus - Struggle will continue

[02] EU official - Cyprus' screening process

[03] British Conservatives - Cyprus

[04] Kasoulides - Turkish provocations - foreign observers

[05] Greek delegates - Cyprus - invasion

[06] Cyprus Stock Exchange

[07] EU envoy - Cyprus - Statements

[08] Cyprus - US initiative - Tension

1440:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Cyprus - Struggle will continue

"We will never accept the faits accomplis created by the invasion and will continue our struggle until justice is done," President Clerides said, after aying a wreath at Makedonitissa Tomb, in Nicosia, where soldiers killed during the Turkish invasion, 24 years ago, were buried.

The Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church of Cyprus, Archbishop Chrysostomos, led a prayer held in the presence of the island's political and military leadership.

The government of Greece was represented by Minister of Interior, Public Administration and Decentralisation, Alecos Papadopoulos, who is in Cyprus to attend events condemning the 24th anniversary of the Turkish invasion. Also present was a parliamentary delegation from Greece.

A church service for those who lost their lives and for the liberation of the island, conducted by the Archbishop, followed at Saint John's Cathedral, in Nicosia.

At 0530 local time (0230 GMT) today Greek Cypriots woke up to the sound of sirens, which wailed at exactly the same time when the Turkish troops launched their invasion against Cyprus.

In a speech, Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides stressed that "no blackmail, difficulty nor pressure will force us to surrender to the Turkish Attila".

"Attila" was the code-name Turkey gave its invasion against Cyprus, which forced about 200 thousand Greek Cypriots to flee their homes and properties. Thousands of people were killed while a total of 1.619 people have been missing since then.

"Cyprus cannot and should not remain the only divided country in Europe, when Europe itself is working towards its unification," Kasoulides said, adding that Europe should not accept the situation in Cyprus.

The Foreign Minister called for unity among the people of Cyprus and Greece and Hellenism at large, in the struggle for vindication and protection of human rights.

"This is the only way by which we can carry out our struggle for justice and the protection of the human rights of Cypriot Hellenism," he added.

Greek Minister of Interior spoke along the same lines, stressing that today's anniversary brings Hellenism before its obligations.

Papadopoulos said he brings "feelings of love" from the Greek government and Premier Costas Simitis and said the solidarity between the two countries is expressed through a joint defence pact decided by the two governments in 1993.

"The belief in freedom cannot be bent through guns and force," he said, referring to the presence of over 35 thousand heavily armed Turkish troops in the occupied northern part of Cyprus.

House of Representatives President Spyros Kyprianou underlined that "Cyprus will continue its struggle."

"We will not sell out our homeland and our beliefs," he vowed. Kyprianou called on the international community "to turn towards Ankara if it really wants a fair and viable solution in Cyprus, because if Turkey does not abandon its expansionist policy there will never be a solution".

CNA MA/GP/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1600:CYPPRESS:02

[02] EU official - Cyprus' screening process

Flynn, here for a series of meetings on Cyprus' accession course, also said the Commission shares the government view that Cyprus should join the Union as soon as possible.

"Cyprus is in good standing, economically and socially," he said after a 45-minute with Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides, expressing hope that the outstanding political issues can be resolved.

Noting "the strong feeling of commitment by the government" to the EU accession process, Flynn said the screening process on all issues is "progressing well and I look forward to a speedy and successful conclusion to these negotiations."

He said he talked about "a whole range of issues with the Minister, social and employment policy, foreign policy and the political situation on the island, as well as the current state of accession negotiations."

Flynn remarked on the "great determination here that Cyprus should join the EU at the earliest possible time and that is a shared view, it is my view and the view of the Commission."

Replying to questions, the EU official said he could not put a date on the conclusion of membership talks, pointing out that these are ongoing with several other applicant countries.

"One of course is not dependent on the other and negotiations on the first eleven dossiers of these countries start in the immediate future," Flynn said.

Negotiations, he added, need a "little bit of time" just as Cyprus needs some time to make the necessary adjustments in economic and social matters.

He said the country's economic position is "very strong" and stressed the importance of maintaining the existing economic stability.

On social matters, Flynn said there is still some legislative work to be done on outstanding issues relating to health, safety, equal opportunities and social dialogue.

He said the current six-monthly rotating Austrian presidency is "very active in promoting the enlargement process and there is nothing to stop it from going ahead and be resolved as quickly as possible."

Cyprus, he noted, expects to be in the first wave of the new enlargement of the Union.

Flynn met earlier today with Labour and Social Affairs Minister Andreas Moushouttas, on whose invitation the Commissioner is visiting Cyprus, and the social partners.

Speaking at the meeting, Moushouttas stressed that "tripartite consultations and social dialogue are greatly valued in Cyprus" and said that the government has established a wide network of tripartite bodies and committees.

Referring to the Turkish Cypriots, the minister pointed out that in the past their trade unions and employers organisations were also represented in various bodies and noted that "the seats previously held by them have been kept vacant".

"We look forward to the day when labour and social policies will be formulated in close consultation with all employer and worker organisations, in a united Cyprus, as a full member of the European Union," Moushouttas added.

He also welcomed "the cooperation which exists between Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot trade unions and other organisations in a number of issues of common concern".

Meanwhile, a second EU official is on the island for talks on EU-Cyprus relations with specific reference to economic and social matters.

Tom Jenkins, President of the Economic and Social Committee of the EU, had meetings today with the Foreign Minister, the Planning Bureau Permanent Secretary Panicos Pouros as well as the social partners.

Tomorrow he will see Cyprus' chief negotiator to the accession talks, George Vassiliou, and Labour and Social Insurance Minister Andreas Moushouttas.

He leaves tomorrow.

CNA MM/GP/MA/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1605:CYPPRESS:03

[03] British Conservatives - Cyprus

"The Conservative Party is committed to the peace process in Cyprus," Shadow Foreign Secretary Michael Howard said in a statement, issued today on the occasion of the 24th anniversary of the Turkish invasion and occupation of 37 per cent of Cyprus' territory.

The statement said "we are deeply concerned about the future of Cyprus and take the UK's responsibilities as a guarantor power very seriously."

Britain, along with Turkey and Greece, guaranteed the island's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, when it granted Cyprus freedom from colonial rule in 1960.

"We support the work by Sir David Hannay and the international community to resolve the situation," Howard added.

Sir David, who is expected in Nicosia today for meetings with the government, is the British government's and the European Union's special envoy for Cyprus.

"We hope that a bizonal, bi-communal arrangement can be achieved. Above all, we want an agreed settlement which will allow all Cypriots to live in peace and growing prosperity within an enlarged European Union," the British Shadow Foreign Secretary concluded in his statement.

CNA MA/AP/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1605:CYPPRESS:04

[04] Kasoulides - Turkish provocations - foreign observers

"They moved heaven and earth when four Greek military aircraft landed at Paphos air base a few weeks ago. What I want to see now is their reaction to the illegal landing of Turkish planes and the arrival of naval vessels and submarines in Turkish occupied Cyprus," Kasoulides said here today.

According to the Turkish Cypriot press, 12 military planes, four naval vessels and two submarines arrived in the Turkish occupied areas of Cyprus over the weekend.

Last month, the government of Cyprus came under fire for allowing Greek fighters to land on its sovereign soil, a move to which Turkey responded in kind by sending six Turkish fighters to the occupied areas.

"The question to all those foreigners, who rushed to express concern about the arrival of the Greek planes, is whether they can convince us that this time they are acting as honest brokers through their response to Turkey's provocative actions," the Minister said after today's church service to commemorate those killed and murdered during the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus.

If they do not, he added, "they would lose all credibility as third party objective observers as far as their efforts on Cyprus, their relations with us and the way they are handling the Cyprus question are concerned."

Kasoulides pointed out that for the past 24 years the people and the government of Cyprus responds, patiently, with resistance and strength to continuous Turkish provocations, in order to reverse the outcome of Turkey's invasion and occupation.

Replying to press questions, he said the government will make all appropriate representations to the UN.

CNA MM/MA/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1620:CYPPRESS:05

[05] Greek delegates - Cyprus - invasion

Papadopoulos, in Cyprus representing the Greek government in the anti- occupation events marking the 24th anniversary of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, July 20 1974, was received today by President Glafcos Clerides.

The Greek minister said the President briefed him on latest developments in the long-standing Cyprus problem, and pledged that both "Greece and Cyprus will continue efforts for a peaceful solution."

He described the joint defence pact agreed upon by the two governments in 1993 as the "basic pivot" of Greece's foreign policy, stressing "we consider self-explanatory and undeniable for every independent country the right to self-defence."

Papadopoulos strongly criticised the illegal visit of Turkish Premier Mesut Yilmaz and other high ranking officials in Cyprus' occupied areas, to attend celebrations there for the 24th anniversary of the Turkish invasion and continued occupation.

Yilmaz's visit is "nothing else but another link to the endless chain of Turkish provocations," he said, describing the Turkish Premier's threats as a "usual phenomenon".

The Turkish Premier, who arrived in the Turkish-occupied areas earlier today, reiterated threats against Cyprus if it boosts its defences with anti-aircraft missiles, at a time when the Turkish occupation forces not only upgrade their weaponry but increase their strength.

Papadopoulos also met today with Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides. Meanwhile, President Clerides and House President Spyros Kyprianou today received a Greek parliamentary delegation attending the events marking the 24 years of Turkish occupation.

After the meeting with Clerides, head of the four-member delegation Anestis Saatzoglou assured of Greece's support to efforts for a just and viable Cyprus solution.

"Greece's support is evident from the unanimous decisions taken by the two countries and the adoption of the joint defence pact," he said.

The pact stipulates that Greece will come to Cyprus' aid in case of a new Turkish offensive against the island.

The House President said the presence of the Greek bipartisan parliamentary delegation "underlines Hellenism's great interest for the salvation of Cyprus."

"We recognise that Greece is the basic support to Cyprus' struggle for salvation and justification," Kyprianou said.

CNA AP/MA/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1630:CYPPRESS:06

[06] Cyprus Stock Exchange

   CSE General Index                          84.23 (-0.45)

   Traded Value            CYP  1,046,334

   Sectural Indices

   Banks                   CYP   368,046      98.96 (-0.35)
   Approved Investment
   Companies               CYP   191,964      58.78 (-0.25)
   Insurance Companies     CYP   113,102      58.37 (-1.13)
   Manufacturing Companies CYP    28,747      77.44 (-0.33)
   Tourism Companies       CYP    56,696      70.70 (-0.92)
   Trading Companies       CYP    70,781      40.17 (-0.12)
   Other Companies         CYP    59,659      70.84 (-0.52)

CNA MA/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

2035:CYPPRESS:07

[07] EU envoy - Cyprus - Statements

On arrival, Sir David, also Britain's Special Representative for Cyprus, said the other two issues he will discuss here is the Republic's course for EU accession and security matters.

He expressed the hope he will identify "ways forward" and called for "imagination" in efforts to resume negotiations for a Cyprus settlement.

"I've come to talk about three areas of policy which are of great importance both to the EU and Britain. The first of these is to try to find some way out of the impasse over the UN negotiating process," he said.

Sir David said "it's fairly clear that there is no simple way to do this, that neither side involved in these discussions is prepared to recognise the position or status of the other."

He noted that the challenge is to find some way of "engaging negotiations which doesn't prejudice either side's view of their own position, that does not alter the international position in any way, but which does enable substantive talks about all the issues that really matter", such as the geographical division, security and the future federal constitution.

Efforts to resume direct talks between President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash have stalled after demands by Denktash for the recognition of his illegal regime in the Turkish-occupied areas.

Denktash also said he will not return to the negotiating table unless Cyprus withdraws its application to join the EU.

Sir David, who will call on President Clerides tomorrow and then meet Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides, will not meet with Denktash during his three-day visit.

To a question, he said "Mr. Denktash is not prepared to see me. He prefers isolation to dialogue," noting that no international problem has been resolved without talks.

Referring to the discussions he will have on Cyprus' EU course, he reiterated both the Union's and Britain's regret with the Turkish Cypriot side's rejection of a proposal to participate in the official delegation carrying out the talks.

Cyprus and EU opened talks in March, but Denktash has turned down an offer by President Clerides to nominate representatives.

"The EU made it quite clear at that time that we are not prepared to take no for an answer and it remains our objective to involve the T/Cs in having a real say in this matter and I'm hoping to also discuss that in some detail," the EU envoy said.

Sir David said the security issues which he will be discussing "have become more delicate as some rising tension has taken place in recent months."

Replying to questions, he said that with its recent resolution on Cyprus the UN Security Council continues "to take the view that it has taken rather consistently for many years, that a solution has to be found through negotiations between the leaders of the two communities as equals, negotiating on the basis of a bicommunal, bizonal federal state of Cyprus."

The EU envoy pointed out that both sides in Cyprus have "firm views" about the status each has and expressed the view that "you cannot before the beginning of the negotiations settle that dispute. That dispute has to be one of the outcomes of the negotiations not the prelude to it."

"So you have to try to think of ways in which you could engage in negotiations on issues of substance, without prejudicing each side's view of itself," he added.

Asked what other ways could be found to settle the Cyprus problem apart from intercommunal negotiations, he replied "we'll have to put that down to enough imagination."

Sir David refrained from commenting on today's visit to the occupied areas by Turkish Premier Mesut Yilmaz and the presence of Turkish naval vessels, but expressed the view it "would be greatly to the benefit of everyone in Cyprus if there could be no military airplanes anywhere in the air space of Cyprus."

He noted that the presence of warplanes and overflights demonstrate "a tension, a threat to peace and security in general terms which it would be very good if it could be avoided."

The EU presidency envoy said that if there is an end to military planes overflights in Cyprus "that would be one modest step in the direction that President Clerides, for example, was pointing to when he talked about the desirability of moving towards demilitarisation."

Expressing doubt whether demilitarisation could be achieved "in one step" and "until there is a comprehensive solution to the Cyprus problem," Sir David said "that doesn't mean to say you can't do anything at all to reduce the tension..."

Referring to discussions on a no-fly zone over Cyprus, which the government would be prepared to accept if there were sufficient guarantees, the EU envoy said: "I don't think anybody is talking in terms of guarantee, " noting this would mean outside powers having responsibility for Cyprus' security.

"I'm not sure that is a wise step to take, given that there is an existing system known as the Treaty of Guarantees," he added.

The Treaty of Guarantee together with the Treaty of Establishment were agreed in 1960, when Britain granted Cyprus independence from colonial rule.

Britain, along with Turkey and Greece, are the three guarantor powers of Cyprus independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Turkish troops have been occupying 37 per cent of Cyprus territory since their 1974 invasion, in violation of repeated UN resolutions calling for their withdrawal.

CNA MAN/MA/MAN/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

2100:CYPPRESS:08

[08] Cyprus - US initiative - Tension

Austrian Foreign Minister Wolfgang Schussel, told a European Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee meeting that the EU has agreed on this initiative.

He revealed that the decision was taken at a meeting held in Washington, last Friday, between the EU troika political affairs chiefs and their US counterparts.

The EU troika is made up of the former presidency (Britain), the current presidency (Austria) and Germany that will take over next Union's six-month rotating presidency on January 1, 1999.

Schussel said that they had agreed "to make every effort to discourage the arms race" in Cyprus and that "the Americans would take action to defuse tension."

The EU Council of ministers president reassured that Cyprus' negotiations for accession will in no way depend on the armaments situation on the island, but will go ahead as decided at the Luxembourg Summit, held in December last year.

The Luxembourg Summit included the Cyprus Republic in the first wave of countries the EU opened accession talks in March.

Concern about armaments in Cyprus was raised after the government decided in January 1997 to purchase the S-300 surface-to-air missile system from Russia, in an attempt to boost its air defences.

Turkey has maintained a heavily armed military force in Cyprus since it invaded the island in 1974, occupying 37 per cent of the Republic's territory.

CNA NB/MA/AP/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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