Cyprus News Agency: News in English (AM), 98-12-19

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

CONTENTS

[01] Cyprus - Iraq - Government - Parties

[02] Council of Europe - Ministers Committee - Loizidou case

1215:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Cyprus - Iraq - Government - Parties

Government Spokesman Christos Stylianides has said Cyprus is strongly opposed to the production and use of weapons of mass destruction and stresses the need for compliance with the UN Security Council resolutions.

"We have established, according to the UN report, that Iraq has not complied with the Security Council resolutions as regards the weapons of mass destruction", the spokesman has noted.

He added that the Cyprus government expresses the hope that "peace and stability will prevail in the region to the benefit of the people of Iraq".

On its part the left wing party AKEL has condemned operation Desert Fox, adding that the US and Britain "have again ignored the UN".

In a statement the party said the two countries are trying to impose their views by the use of military force, disregarding the losses in human life they are causing to the Iraqi people.

AKEL pointed out that instead, the US and Britain should support pro- democratic Iraqis who are straggling to overthrow Saddam Hussein and restore democracy in their country.

The party stressed that the US and Britain use double standards as they overlook the fact that both Turkey and Israel are acting in breach of international law, ignoring UN resolutions.

AKEL in cooperation with other leftist organisations held today a picketing in Nicosia's central square and approved a petition to UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, condemning operation "Desert Fox" and expressing support to the Iraqi people.

Centrist Democratic Party (DIKO) has stressed that Saddam Hussein has been ignoring UN resolutions adding however that military action should be undertaken following relevant UN authorisation.

DIKO also accused the US and Britain of using double standards as they ignore for a quarter of a century the occupation of a part of Cyprus' territory by Turkish troops, despite successive UN resolutions.

United Democrats, have pointed out that as peace and stability in the Middle East are fragile, military action should be exercised only after careful consideration and always within the framework of the UN.

On his part the newly founded Euro-Democratic Renewal Party has stressed that operation "Desert Fox" is not in line with the UN Charter, describing however Saddam Hussein as a "dictator".

The operation constitutes a major breach of international law, the party said, adding the US and Britain have ignored the rest of the permanent members of the Security Council.

CNA GG/MCH/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1400:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Council of Europe - Ministers Committee - Loizidou case

According to an official statement, the Committee yesterday examined the case in the wake of the European Court of Human Rights ruling which found Turkey guilty of human rights violations.

Turkey was ordered by the Court to pay the Greek Cypriot Titina Loizidou about 640.000 US dollars for the loss of her property in the Turkish occupied part of Cyprus.

Turkey however has not yet implemented the ruling and has not paid up the compensation to Loizidou.

During yesterday's meeting of the Deputy Ministers Committee, Cyprus' permanent representative to the Council of Europe Thalia Petrides stressed that Turkey's refusal to comply with the Court ruling is unacceptable and will harm the reliability of the Council of Europe.

That "would endanger the democratic principles and values in Europe", she added.

Petrides also urged the Committee of Ministers to secure Turkey's compliance with both the Court ruling and the country's obligations resulting from its Council of Europe membership.

As Petrides' comments received a warm welcome by a great number of representatives, the Committee decided to discuss the Loizidou case again during its next meeting on February 8-9, 1999.

The Loizidou case attracted media attention both at home and abroad and a recent article in the "Washington Times" described the ruling as "thorny for Turkey".

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

CNA GG/MCH/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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