Cyprus News Agency: News in English (AM), 98-11-19

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

CONTENTS

[01] President Clerides - UN envoy

[02] SPORT: Soccer - Basketball

[03] Cuban Deputy FM - Cyprus

[04] President - British High Commissioner

[05] President Clerides - Athens - London

[06] Greece - Cyprus - Turkish nuclear plant

[07] Turkish fighters - Occupied Cyprus

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[01] President Clerides - UN envoy

"The meetings continue. Mr Clerides is as you would know overseas next week and so there will be no meetings next week with him," Hercus said after her hour-long meeting here today.

She also said that she anticipates a meeting with the President "immediately on his return."

Hercus started her shuttle talks with the Greek and Turkish Cypriot sides in mid-October but no details about the content of the discussions have been disclosed so far.

On Wednesday Government Spokesman Christos Stylianides said that the UN process cannot continue indefinitely.

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[02] SPORT: Soccer - Basketball

It was a group 6 match, which also includes Spain, Austria and Israel. Austria has seven points followed by Cyprus with 6, Israel with 4, Spain with 3 and San Marino with 0.

Meanwhile, Keravnos basketball club of Strovolos, Cyprus, qualified for the next round of the Korac Cup, beating at home last night Benetton Fribourg Olympic of Switzerland 64 - 54.

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[03] Cuban Deputy FM - Cyprus

She had already a meeting with Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church of Cyprus, Archbishop Chrysostomos.

Later today, she will have official talks with Cyprus Foreign Ministry Permanent Secretary Alecos Shambos.

In the afternoon, she will visit Nicosia Mayor Lellos Demetriades, who will accompany her to the cease-fire line.

Tomorrow, Allende will be received by House of Representatives President Spyros Kyprianou and have meetings with Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides and political party leaders.

She will leave on Sunday.

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[04] President - British High Commissioner

The High Commissioner also reiterated his country's firm support for the UN effort and stressed diplomatic efforts to settle the protracted Cyprus question should continue until a solution is found.

Madden said he did not share the view that there is a distinction between the work in support of the UN effort, undertaken by UN resident representative Dame Ann Hercus, and implementing Security Council resolutions.

"I think they are part of the same thing, we are trying to work so that all the many Security Council resolutions on Cyprus are given effect," he told the press after a meeting with President Glafcos Clerides.

Asked to outline Britain's contribution to Hercus' effort, Madden said this is "to continue to give full support to forward movement on all the issues and to do what we can, from margins, to help and we hope these efforts will be successful."

The British government, he added, has "a lot of interest in the Cyprus question and wants to see progress" noting that "it is important that everyone should know the UK government is firmly behind her."

Replying to questions, he said diplomacy "has a very important role to play precisely in difficult problems like the Cyprus problem until we get a solution."

Madden refrained from saying whether he gets any positive indications from the Greek and Turkish Cypriot sides to carry forward but added "we are encouraging forward movement, positive movement on the various issues."

The British diplomat will see Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash later today.

Madden said he came to see the President to brief himself about recent developments and noted that "locally the important thing going on is the efforts of Hercus."

Replying to questions, he said the President did not brief him on his discussions with Hercus as these are confidential and should be kept as such.

Commenting on a visit by British envoy for Cyprus Sir David Hannay to Ankara, Madden said he is in the Turkish capital to maintain contact with the Turkish government.

Invited to comment on a statement by the German Foreign Minister to the effect that Turkey's accession to the European Union is subject to a solution in Cyprus, Madden said the British view on Turkey's accession is clear.

"We played a large role in the EU summit Cardiff conclusions, it is absolutely clear we want to give Turkey a proper perspective of its future inside the EU and work in that direction," he added, acknowledging that "there are some complications."

He concluded "we are working to make sure the process goes in the right direction."

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[05] President Clerides - Athens - London

Stylianides said the President will be going to London on Sunday and from there will fly to the Greek capital on November 26.

The Foreign and Defence Ministers of the two countries, as well as other officials dealing with the Cyprus problem, are expected to be present at the Athens meeting.

On November 28-29 President Clerides will be in Patra, south-west of Athens, at the invitation of the Patra University, where he will give a lecture and inaugurate a monument in memory of Greeks who lost their lives during the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus.

In Britain, the President will speak at a conference on Cyprus organised by the Conferderation of British Industries and will give a lecture at the London School of Economics.

President Clerides, accompanied by Commerce, Industry and Tourism Minister Nicos Rolandis will also hold meetings on trade issues.

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[06] Greece - Cyprus - Turkish nuclear plant

Turkey intends to construct a nuclear energy plant in Akkuyu, on Turkey's southern coast, north of Cyprus.

Greece's Aegean Minister, Elizabeth Papazoi, said that the plant would directly affect the environment and the tourist industry in the whole region.

Speaking after a meeting with President Glafcos Clerides, Papazoi said that Turkey aspires to be a tourist destination, but its intention to construct thirty nuclear power plants, most of which would be erected on its southern coast, is "an unjustifiable energy choice".

Papazoi said that Turkey, with its anti-environmental profile, "cannot guarantee that this plant will operate on modern models", adding that "it would only cover two percent" of Turkey's future needs, at a price three times higher than today's cost of hydroelectric and natural gas power.

She said that the Akkuyu plant would be an environmental hazard, as the location is prone to earthquakes, adding that a nuclear accident would greatly affect the Aegean.

Papazoi pointed out that it is for this reason that Greece and Cyprus must cooperate to prevent the construction of the plant.

Referring to her meeting with President Clerides, Papazoi said that they discussed other matters of bilateral cooperation between Greece and Cyprus, as well as the multiple pollution caused by Turkey's heavy industries and their untreated toxic waste that flows into the sea.

The Greek Minister had also meetings with the Ministers of Education and Culture Lykourgos Kappas, Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment Costas Themistocleous, and House of Representatives President Spyros Kyprianou.

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[07] Turkish fighters - Occupied Cyprus

Quoting statements by unnamed "officials", the Agence France Press (AFP) said two of the F16 will return to Turkey today while the other four will stay for the exercises, code-named "Taurus" and "Determination".

The Cyprus government is expected to protest to the UN the Turkish manoeuvres, as they violate the Republic's air space the Nicosia Flight Information Region (FIR) and territorial waters.

Four frigates, two submarines and other Turkish warships illegally docked on Wednesday at Kyrenia port, on the northern coast.

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

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