Cyprus News Agency: News in English (PM), 98-09-09

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

CONTENTS

[01] Cyprus - Israel - Health

[02] Business Centres Conference

[03] Greek Culture Minister - visit

[04] Defence Minister - Israel - Turkey

[05] Cyprus issue - UN Assembly

1530:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Cyprus - Israel - Health

Matza and his Cypriot counterpart Christos Solomis will sign tomorrow a plan of cooperation in the field of health and medicine between the two health ministries.

The Israeli Minister said on arrival today that Cypriot patients will continue to be treated in his country and that he would invite Solomis to visit Israel.

Solomis noted the friendly relations between the two countries and added that "we have an inter-state agreement and a common development programme on issues which we could develop further, including the training of nursing staff and scholarships."

Matza was due to visit today the Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, as well as the old city of Nicosia and the ceasefire line.

Tomorrow, he will call on President Glafcos Clerides and House President Spyros Kyprianou, and hold talks with Solomis before the signing of the plan of cooperation.

The Israeli Minister leaves Saturday.

CNA MM/RG/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1755:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Business Centres Conference

The two-day meeting, entitled "Business Centres of the Future" and organised by the Central Bank, the Bar Association, the Offshore Enterprises Association, the Institute of Certified Accountants, and the Employers and Industrialists Federation (OEB), will deal with international legal, financial and fiscal issues.

Antonis Pierides, OEB chairman, said "we are giving others the opportunity to compete with us but the whole point is to enable everyone to exchange views and ideas because we all face the challenge of dealing with the fast-moving technological advances, the globalisation of the world economy and the intensified corporate competition".

He described the meeting as "unusual" in that it is not just selling Cyprus as a location to do business from but it is also bringing together international experts to talk about the requirements of future business centres.

Pierides said Cyprus does not expect to continue to prosper automatically as a recognised international offshore centre if it does not address the realities of what the next century will bring.

He said a future business centre must provide all the latest business, banking, transport and communication facilities as well as a financially attractive taxation scheme and a good living environment for the family.

CNA MM/RG/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1800:CYPPRESS:03

[03] Greek Culture Minister - visit

He will sign a protocol of cooperation in cultural matters with his Cypriot counterpart, Lykourgos Kappas.

Venizelos will be received by President Glafcos Clerides and meet House President Spyros Kyprianou and the Primate of the church of Cyprus, Archbishop Chrysostomos.

He will also have talks with Kappas and give a lecture in Nicosia on "Cultural Olympiad and Greece's position in the international cultural cooperation".

CNA MM/RG/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1910:CYPPRESS:04

[04] Defence Minister - Israel - Turkey

He also said Cyprus favours a collective security system for the region.

Yiannakis Omirou, speaking on his return from Greece, also noted the "good relations" Cyprus enjoys with Israel and pointed out that Turkey is a destabilising factor in the area.

The Minister's comments come only a couple of days after a visit to Israel by Turkey's premier Mesut Yilmaz, during which Yilmaz is reported to have asked for Israeli support in case of hostilities with Greece over Cyprus. Israeli Defence Minister Yitzhak Mordechai denied any such request was put forward.

"Israel cannot possibly declare that its defence agreement with Turkey is not directed against us or any other country on one hand and on the other strengthen a country, Turkey, which acts as a destabilising factor in the region," Omirou said at Larnaca airport.

Replying to questions, he said neither Cyprus nor Greece favour security axes in the region.

"We back collective security systems which will encompass all the people in the region. We do not favour the creation of axes, which by definition operate as a destabilising factor in the area," Omirou added.

Stressing the "good bilateral ties", the Minister said Cyprus opposes the military cooperation reflected in a military axis between Israel and Turkey.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a speech that the central axis between his country and Turkey is the basis, though not the exclusive basis, to form a regional framework here.

Relations between Cyprus and Israel have been greatly enhanced in the past few years, since Cyprus opened an embassy in Tel Aviv and there have been exchange visits by government officials. Israeli President Ezer Weizman is due to visit the island before the end of the year at the invitation of President Glafcos Clerides.

CNA MM/../1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

2020:CYPPRESS:05

[05] Cyprus issue - UN Assembly

The decision was taken during the present session of the General Assembly, after its members deemed that it would be appropriate to defer consideration of the item "Question of Cyprus" to the 53rd session of the General Assembly.

CNA RG/MM/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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