Cyprus News Agency: News in English (AM), 98-11-02

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

CONTENTS

[01] Kasoulides - Pangalos

[02] Israeli President - Arrival

[03] Weizman - Clerides - Remarks

[04] Cyprus - Finnish parliamentarians

[05] Cyprus - Israel - Talks

[06] Cyprus - Romania - Culture

[07] Cyprus - Israel - Egypt - Exercise - Sea pollution

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[01] Kasoulides - Pangalos

Kasoulides was in Athens for talks with his Greek counterpart as part of regular contacts between the two governments.

The Athens talks come a week before Cyprus and five other Central and Eastern European countries start substantive negotiations for accession to the European Union.

From Athens, Kasoulides will go to Madrid for talks with his Spanish counterpart Abel Matutes and then move on to London to meet Robin Cook.

On November 8, the Cypriot minister will be in Brussels to represent the Cyprus government in the start of official accession talks between the Cyprus Republic and the European Union.

CNA MM/GP/1998

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1045:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Israeli President - Arrival

Weizman was met at the steps of his aircraft by President Glafcos Clerides ten minutes after it landed.

Police have taken stringent security measures in and around the airport for the presidential visit.

Cypriot and Israeli flags are fluttering in the autumn breeze as Cyprus government officials lined up along the red carpet to welcome the Israeli President.

A guard of honour stood by the presidential aircraft to welcome Weizman as well as the police band.

Israel's Ambassador to Cyprus Shemi Tzur was also among the officials welcoming Weizman.

Weizman's visit comes after relations between Cyprus and Israel were enhanced in many sectors, after Cyprus opened an embassy in Tel Aviv a few years ago.

At lunchtime Weizman will have private talks with President Clerides before embarking on official talks at the Presidential Palace.

The two heads of states will then sit at a working lunch. Later in the afternoon Weizman will meet his Beatitude, the Archbishop of Cyprus Chrysostomos, visit the Byzantine Museum and brief editors of local media.

President Clerides will give a state banquet in honour of his guest Monday night.

On Tuesday Weizman will host a working breakfast with party leaders and see the President of the House of Representatives Spyros Kyprianou and afterwards he will be presented with a plaque by Nicosia Mayor, Lellos Demetriades.

On Tuesday, the Israeli President will attend a lunch given by Commerce, Industry and Tourism Nicos Rolandis and meet members of the Cyprus-Israeli Friendship Association.

He will leave on Wednesday morning. Weizman is one of few heads of state who have visited the Republic of Cyprus, including Greek President Costis Stephanopoulos, former Yugoslav President Tito and former Indian Prime Minister Indira Ghandi.

CNA MM/GP/1998

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1150:CYPPRESS:03

[03] Weizman - Clerides - Remarks

The Israeli President arrived this morning for a three-day state visit at the invitation of Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides.

In his welcoming remarks, President Clerides said strengthening relations between Cyprus and Israel serves the cause of peace, stability and security in the region as well as the interests of the people of both countries.

He said Weizman's visit is a good sign for future enhanced relations. Thanking President Clerides and First Lady Lila-Irene Clerides for their invitation to visit Cyprus, Weizman said he had been here many years ago.

He announced that his visit had to be cut short by several hours because as he said "my little country is very busy now." He will now leave on Wednesday morning instead of Wednesday evening.

Noting that both Israel and Cyprus "are countries suffering from conflict and aiming for peace," Weizman referred to the Wye Plantation agreement and described it as "a very positive step towards a final settlement."

"I hope that soon we will hear that a solution has also been found to your problem," he said and concluded his remarks with a blessing from the prayer book "and I shall give peace to the land and eternal joy to its inhabitants."

"Our countries and people have much in common," Weizman said, adding that Israeli tourists "feel very much at home" when they arrive on the island, noting the local hospitality of the people of Cyprus.

"Relations between our two peoples go back to thousands of years, to Roman times when there was a large Jewish community in Cyprus," he remarked.

"I am pleased," he added, with the cooperation between Israel and Cyprus in the fields of economy, commerce, agriculture and others.

Welcoming Weizman, President Clerides referred to him as "my good friend" and greeted him with the Israeli word "shalom".

"Cyprus and Israel are already linked with bonds of friendship and close cooperation, your arrival marks the beginning of a new bright chapter in the relations between our two countries and predicts well for the future, " Clerides said.

Noting with great satisfaction "a great improvement" of bilateral relations, the President said "we look forward with confidence to an even closer cooperation and bilateral regional and international affairs."

Clerides expressed certainty that "in our endeavour to strengthen the relations between our two countries, not only we serve the interests of the people of Cyprus and Israel but at the same time we promote and reinforce the cause of peace, security and stability in this volatile region."

Concluding, President Clerides assured his Israeli counterpart that his visit will be not only "fruitful but also pleasant."

"I am looking forward to our talks. Welcome again to Cyprus Mr. President," Clerides said, as he stood on a podium speaking to the press.

Government officials including House President Spyros Kyprianou, party leaders, members of the cabinet, the Under-secretary to the President, the Government Spokesman, Cyprus' Ambassador to Israel, the chiefs of police and army lined up to greet the Israeli President, whose arrival at the airport was marked also by a big banner "Cyprus welcomes the President of Israel."

Flag-waving children were also at the airport to greet the President who chatted with them for a short while.

The police band played the national anthems of Israel and Cyprus as Presidents Clerides and Weizman stood in attention.

CNA MM/GP/1998

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1155:CYPPRESS:04

[04] Cyprus - Finnish parliamentarians

The parliamentarians' position was set out at a meeting here today with Cyprus House of Representatives President Spyros Kyprianou.

They are members of the Grand Committee of the Eduskunta (Parliament of Finland), who are paying a one-day visit to Cyprus at the invitation of the island's parliament.

Speaking after the meeting, Kyprianou said he briefed the 10-member delegation on the Cyprus issue and the island's EU accession course, describing the meeting as "very useful".

Erkki Tuomioja, Chairman of the Grand Committee, said a "special relationship" exists between Cyprus and Finland as his country is one of EU's newest members.

"We very much favour the possibility for all those countries who are able and willing to join the EU to do so, and we are happy that Cyprus is among the group of countries which are now negotiating about the entry into the EU", Tuomioja noted.

He said, however, that "we know there are many problems involved and we discussed the specific problems of Cyprus."

Tuomioja stressed that "it should be realised that if the enlargement negotiations will take some time, this is not necessarily because of problems with the applicant countries in general or Cyprus in particular."

"It is also because the EU has to solve quite a lot of difficult questions concerning its internal reforms and institutional reforms before the enlargement could take place", he explained.

"But we, in Finland, firmly support the enlargement", he added, pointing out that "we hope to welcome Cyprus among the new group of members into the EU as soon as possible", he said.

Cyprus begins official entry talks with EU on November 10. The Finnish parliamentarians were scheduled to have meetings later today with Acting Foreign Minister, Finance Minister Christodoulos Christodoulou, George Vassiliou, the head of Cyprus' accession negotiating team, and the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

The parliamentary delegation leaves Cyprus tonight. Finland is one of the countries participating in the United Nations Peace-Keeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP).

CNA GG/GP/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1330:CYPPRESS:05

[05] Cyprus - Israel - Talks

Weizman arrived here earlier today for a three-day state visit at the invitation of his Cypriot counterpart.

He was greeted at the Presidential Palace by President Clerides, the ministers of the government and the ambassadors of the two countries.

The Israeli President laid a wreath at the statue of the first President of the Cyprus Republic, Archbishop Makarios.

President Clerides and President Weizman had private talks before they were joined by officials of the two countries.

CNA MM/MA/GP/1998

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1340:CYPPRESS:06

[06] Cypru - Romania - Culture

The Programme, which covers the period 1998-2000, provides for cultural exchanges between Cyprus and Romania in the fields of education, archaeology, sciences, art, culture, radio -television and Press and Information.

It was signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education and Culture Andreas Phylaktou and the Director -General of the Cultural Affairs of the Romanian Ministry of State and Foreign Affairs Serban Stati.

CNA EC/GP/1998

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1445:CYPPRESS:07

[07] Cyprus - Israel - Egypt - Exercise - Sea pollution

The exercise is taking place in the context of the agreement on cooperation in facing sea pollution resulting from naval accidents signed by the three countries.

Under the scenario of the exercise, state departments and private organisations from the three countries will avert the risk of sea pollution off the coast of the southeastern town of Larnaca, following a naval accident.

The combined operation will involve ships and other special equipment from the three countries.

The Cyprus Fisheries Department is coordinating the exercise, which is attended also by experts from international organisations engaging in sea pollution and the European Union.

CNA MAN/GG/GP/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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