Cyprus News Agency: News in English (PM), 98-07-24

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

CONTENTS

[01] President Clerides - US envoy

[02] Britain - no change in travel advice

[03] Spokesman - Demirel

[04] Cyprus - Miller - embargo

[05] ITA Director - IFTDO Executive Board

[06] Cyprus - no-fly zone

[07] President - Miller - visit ends

[08] Cyprus Stock Exchange

1610:CYPPRESS:01

[01] President Clerides - US envoy

US State Department Cyprus Coordinator, Thomas Miller, also talked about "important aspects" of the Cyprus question to help find a solution.

The Oslo statement backed "steps to relax and eventually lift all restrictions on the free movement of people and goods and services and increase contacts in business, cultural and sports areas."

Miller welcomed the backing the Cyprus government has given the Oslo meeting and described this as "good news and very useful".

He noted that the President had expressed his "complete satisfaction with the work done at this meeting and encouraged them to continue to work in the same direction and said they could count on the cooperation and support of the government on these issues".

Miller said that a Turkish Cypriot demand for the lifting of the economic embargo on the Turkish occupied part of the island, imposed by the European Court, is connected to the issues under discussion.

Asked how he would deal with Denktash's lack of support for such moves, Miller said "this is the task before us today".

He explained that the Turkish Cypriot side has been talking about lifting of all restrictions for a long time and expressed the view the Turkish Cypriot leader would probably welcome "something like this."

Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash not only prevents freedom of movement between the island's northern Turkish occupied areas and the government controlled areas of the Republic but has repeatedly boycotted bicommunal meetings.

The US envoy refrained from explaining how he intends to remove the obstacles Denktash places and restricted himself in saying that "there are a lot of aspects to the Cyprus problem and I just dwelled on one, you make progress where you can."

"You've got to crawl before you walk, you've got to walk before you run, " he said, repeating that the President's stance on the Oslo statement was "very forthcoming."

Furthermore, Miller refused to discuss a European Court ruling which imposed a trade embargo on goods from the Turkish occupied part of Cyprus.

The Court of Justice of the European Communities in Luxembourg ruled in July 1994 that EU member-states cannot accept produce or health certificates accompanying goods from the occupied part of the Republic.

The ruling was upheld by Britain's High Court in November the same year.

"Everything is a legal issue. The embargo is a very complex issue. I'm not going to get into the legalities, I know the legalities very well, I know the court decision," he remarked.

Miller avoided diligently to disclose the substance of his discussions with the President and said they entail some ideas he brings with him which may be "new, repackaged or reformulated".

The US envoy said he deals with issues of concern to both sides that have to be dealt with if a settlement to the Cyprus problem is to be found.

"My job is to work on a solution to the Cyprus problem and I think it is very very important for all of us to stay focused on that. That's what this is all about and all of the things that we've discussed are aspects that are important to getting to a solution to the Cyprus problem," he added.

CNA MM/MA/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1620:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Britain - no change in travel advice

The spokesman was asked to comment on a BBC TV report last night, according to which the possibility of war in Cyprus is greater than any other time since 1974 when Turkish troops invaded Cyprus.

"We do not change our position in response to any report in the papers or the BBC", the spokesman said, adding "we rely on our own evaluation of the situation and our own expertise".

The spokesman said there is "no change in our advice for people who visit Cyprus".

"As far as the overall situation (in Cyprus) is concerned, the key- question is to restart the UN talks", the Foreign Office spokesman noted.

CNA KT/GG/MM/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1600:CYPPRESS:03

[03] Spokesman - Demirel

Stylianides' comments come in response to statements by Turkish President Suleyman Demirel that Turkey would take steps to achieve economic integration with the self-styled Turkish Cypriot regime in occupied Cyprus.

Demirel said that from now on the regime will be "just like a Turkish province in all economic matters."

Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot regime also held a meeting of the so- called association council they have set up.

"I believe Demirel's statement and the convening of the 'Council' are further proof that the tolerance shown by the international community aggravates Turkish provocative stance," Stylianides said, pointing out that apparently other forms of pressure need to be exercised.

Demirel is due to pay an illegal visit to Cyprus' occupied areas tomorrow to inaugurate a project to bring water from Turkey to the northern part of the island.

"It is high time that Turkey's provocative actions and its strategic goals, which create problems in the wider region of Eastern Mediterranean, cannot be tackled with tolerance or a pat on the back," the spokesman said.

It seems, he added, that "the international community needs to apply other pressure levers."

Stylianides pointed out that international law offers "very many possibilities to exercise pressure on Turkey."

Asked if violence is included in these possibilities, he replied "there are many ways before we get to exercising violence."

CNA AA/MM/GG/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1850:CYPPRESS:04

[04] Cyprus - Miller - embargo

He also stressed the government has always backed attempts to bring the two communities together with a view to assisting efforts to find a just and lasting settlement in Cyprus.

The spokesman's statements came in response to earlier comments by US State Department Special Cyprus Coordinator Thomas Miller that the Turkish Cypriot demand to lift the embargo is connected with attempts by Greek and Turkish Cypriot businessmen to "lift all restrictions on the free movement of people and goods and services."

The Turkish Cypriot side, which has raised and continues to raise many obstacles to bicommunal contacts, is seeking recognition of the puppet regime in the occupied part of the Republic of Cyprus, the only internationally-recognised representative on the island.

"The government does not consider it is exercising an embargo. There is no embargo on our part. What we are doing is to abide by international law and order and comply with rules and regulations governing the international community," Stylianides said.

Miller gave a very warm welcome to a statement by Greek and Turkish Cypriot businessmen, who met in Oslo last month under an American initiative, backing increased contacts in business, cultural and sports areas but failed to explain how he would garner support from the Turkish Cypriot leader for such activities.

The spokesman said the government and the political leadership believe efforts for rapprochement should continue as they prove the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities can live together.

"The government backs all these efforts but wishes to make it clear that it does not support any attempts leading to any kind of recognition of the illegal Turkish Cypriot regime or its institutions," Stylianides added.

The spokesman also pointed out that the "freedom of movement is one of the three basic freedoms which for years our side has been pursuing in the framework of an overall settlement of the Cyprus question."

He refrained from disclosing anything further about talks Miller held today with President Glafcos Clerides and restricted himself in saying that "matters relating to the Cyprus problem are raised every time."

This, he stressed, does not mean that the Greek Cypriot side does not put forward its own concrete views and firm positions.

Stylianides said Clerides and Miller discussed all issues relating to the resumption of the intercommunal dialogue.

They also discussed President Clerides' positions as they are outlined in his letter to US Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright and there was a general review of the latest Cyprus developments.

Asked if the US envoy had presented any new ideas, Stylianides replied that "foreign mediators always come with various views and positions which we discuss."

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37 per cent of its territory. Turkey has ignored numerous UN resolutions calling for the withdrawal of its troops from Cyprus.

CNA AA/EC/MM/GP/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1855:CYPPRESS:05

[05] ITA Director - IFTDO Executive Board

The election took place Wednesday during IFTDO's 27th Annual Conference which was held in Dublin, Ireland, between July 20-23, an ITA announcement says.

Koutouroussis' re-election "proves once again that the ITA is internationally-recognised for its achievements in training and human resources development (HRD)", the press release said.

The theme of IFTDO's 27th Annual Conference, with 700 participants from some 40 countries, was "Revitalisation of HRD: A Vision of the New Millennium".

ITA is one of Cyprus' semi-governmental organisations and its mission is to train unskilled workers and participate in the state HRD strategy.

IFTDO, which was established in 1972 in Switzerland now based in the US, is the only international organisation aiming at establishing a worldwide network of institutions and services to promote the exchange of knowledge, skills and technology.

CNA GG/GP/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1940:CYPPRESS:06

[06] Cyprus - no-fly zone

He said the government is also discussing the wider issue of Cyprus' demilitarisation.

"We are proposing a mechanism which we consider it will work in Cyprus and this is the establishment of a no-fly zone," Stylianides told his daily press briefing.

The spokesman did not elaborate on the details of the government's views on the matter, saying this would not be appropriate while discussions on the issue are still underway.

The issue of a no-fly zone over Cyprus has been under discussion for quite some time in a bid to reduce tension, caused by illegal flights of Turkish aircraft over Cyprus.

US State Department Special Cyprus Coordinator Thomas Miller, who concluded a visit here today, hinted yesterday that Cyprus establish a mechanism similar to the one Greece and Turkey have in the Aegean, which is monitored by the US.

The government believes that a no-fly zone should be part of a wider scheme aiming at the demilitarisation of Cyprus, as proposed by President Glafcos Clerides in December 1993.

Cyprus' Permanent Mission to the UN protested to UN Secretary-General against the violation of Cyprus' air space by 16 Turkish fighters between 17 - 20 July 1998.

In two letters, which circulated as official documents of the Security Council and the General Assembly, the Cyprus Republic also protests about the presence of five Turkish navy vessels, including two submarines, in the Turkish-occupied port of Kyrenia, during the same period.

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

CNA AA/MM/GP/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

2100:CYPPRESS:07

[07] President - Miller - visit ends

Speaking after a second meeting today with President Clerides, Miller said "time will tell" where his discussions will lead.

"There are a lot of issues out there and we are working on them as seriously as we possibly can", Miller said, but did not elaborate.

Asked what his expectations are, Miller replied, "I am by nature...an optimist."

He said as far as the proposed deployment of Russian anti-aircraft missiles in Cyprus is concerned, he wants "to try to look at the glass half full instead of half empty, as much as I can do, because I think there is a need."

Asked what the next step will be, Miller said on his return back to Washington he will discuss where things stand and determine the future steps.

Commenting on a statement by the Austrian Foreign Minister on a US initiative to prevent the deployment of the missiles, Miller said "we talked to the Austrians last week and US officials are having a lot of discussions on the missile issue."

He reiterated US concerns about the deployment of the missiles, noting that these are very well known.

Miller said he talked to US Presidential Emissary, Richard Holbrooke this afternoon, and added that he is in "constant consultation" with him on a daily basis.

Asked if Holbrooke intends to visit the region, Miller suggested that attention should not be focused on that, noting that "Holbrooke visits when there is something that his presence can lend to a visit".

He said both he and Holbrooke are trying to focus on the substance and that the process should always follow the substance.

"You focus on the substance, and then you make the process fit the requirements of the substance," he added.

Miller refused to comment on tomorrow's illegal visit to Cyprus' Turkish occupied areas by Turkish President Suleyman Demirel.

According to reliable sources Miller brought views and ideas on security issues and the resumption of the stalled UN-led peace process.

The same sources believe the US has undertaken to promote security related matters and developments in the Cyprus problem, while Britain concentrates more on issues concerning Cyprus' application to join the European Union.

The Greek Cypriot side, the sources said, urged Miller to focus discussions on issues of substance such as the resumption of the intercommunal dialogue and the demilitarisation of Cyprus.

Miller left for Athens in the evening.

CNA EC/MM/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

2100:CYPPRESS:08

[08] Cyprus Stock Exchange

   CSE General Index                          84.08 (-0.78)

   Traded Value            CYP 1,176,261

   Sectural Indices

   Banks                   CYP   533,144      98.77 (-0.94)
   Approved Investment
   Companies               CYP    25,787      58.89 (-0.07)
   Insurance Companies     CYP    81,762      58.42 (-0.09)
   Manufacturing Companies CYP    50,912      76.89 (-0.14)
   Tourism Companies       CYP    32,378      70.14 (-1.20)
   Trading Companies       CYP    27,450      40.74 (-2.30)
   Other Companies         CYP   341,390      71.10 (-0.08)

CNA MM/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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