Cyprus News Agency: News in English (AM), 99-01-12

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

CONTENTS

[01] Cyprus - Maritime - Bill

[02] Cyprus Telecommunications Authority - Cable system

[03] UN envoy - Anan - Cook

[04] British diplomat dies

[05] "Coalition government" - "Vote of confidence"

[06] President Clerides - Madden

0940:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Cyprus - Maritime - Bill

The decision was taken by the Council of Ministers at its last meeting and the relevant Bill is expected to be tabled before the House of Representatives.

The Convention and the Protocol define specific actions which constitute criminal acts and call on states to set out fines in their national law, bearing in mind the seriousness of these crimes.

They also define issues concerning the criminal procedures in states that are party to the Convention and the Protocol, the procedures through which the accused perpetrator is handed over to the interested state and the signatory's obligations.

CNA MA/GP/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

0950:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Cyprus Telecommunications Authority - Cable system

The amount invested will lead to a 7,25 per cent CYTA participation in the company, an official statement says.

Noting that the move has been approved by the Council of Ministers, the statement says Cyprus' role as the most important telecommunications centre in the Mediterranean will be upgraded while the bulk of Israel's telecommunications to Europe will be transmitted through the island.

According to the same statement, as a result of the investment in the LEV cable system, the performance of CYTA's investments in other cable systems will be improved.

The investment will also help increase CYTA's revenues, the statement notes.

LEV is a submarine fibre optic cable system which links Cyprus with Israel and "Med-1 Submarine Cables Ltd" has undertaken the cable's construction, operation and maintenance.

CYTA is controlled by the state and is the island's telecommunications monopoly but in view of Cyprus' harmonisation with the (EU) acquis communautaire, local economists anticipate that CYTA's monopoly will come to an end within the next few years.

Cyprus along with Slovenia, Hungary, Poland, Estonia and the Czech Republic started substantive accession negotiations with the European Union in November 1998.

CNA GG/GP/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1120:CYPPRESS:03

[03] UN envoy - Anan - Cook

On her way to New York, the Chief of Mission will stop over in London to hold talks with British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook. She will return to Cyprus on Saturday.

An UNFICYP press release said both meetings "will focus on the UN's 1999 agenda of efforts to resolve the Cyprus problem."

Dame Ann restarted her shuttle talks in Nicosia after the Christmas recess with a meeting with Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides.

Tomorrow morning, she will meet Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash, in the Turkish-occupied part of Cyprus.

The UN chief's envoy started her shuttle diplomacy on the island in mid-October 1998, in a bid to revive efforts for a solution to the protracted Cyprus problem.

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

Yesterday, President Clerides had a meeting with US Ambassador to Cyprus Kenneth Brill and he was seeing today British High Commissioner David Madden.

Denktash saw yesterday Madden and today he was seeing Brill.

CNA GP/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1140:CYPPRESS:04

[04] British diplomat dies

Martin died on January 5, after a short illness. John Martin had served at the British High Commission in Cyprus from 1978 - 1982.

CNA GP/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1230:CYPPRESS:05

[05] "Coalition government" - "Vote of confidence"

It was reported that the "coalition government" received 31 positive "votes" and 18 negative "votes".

All so-called deputies of the two political parties, namely the National Unity Party (UBP) (24) and the Communal Liberation Party (TKP) (7), which formed the "coalition government", voted in favour.

All present "deputies" of the opposition parties voted against. UBP leader Dervis Eroglou, former "prime minister" of the occupation regime, will take over again as "prime minister".

TKP leader Mustafa Akinci will take over as "state minister" and "deputy prime minister".

The UBP has seven "ministers" while the TKP has two ("Education" and "Health").

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37 per cent of its territory.

The occupation regime headed by Rauf Denktash unilaterally declared independence in November 1993. Only Turkey has recognised it.

Through various "cooperation protocols" the illegal regime depends militarily, politically and economically on Turkey.

UN Security Council resolution 541 of 1983 branded the UDI as "legally invalid" and called for its withdrawal.

At the same time, the Security Council called on all states "not to recognise any Cypriot state other than the Republic of Cyprus."

UN Security Council resolution 550 of 1984 reiterated the call upon all states not to recognise the purported state set up by secessionist acts and "calls upon them not to facilitate or in any way assist the aforesaid secessionist entity."

CNA GP/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1445:CYPPRESS:06

[06] President Clerides - Madden

He also said Britain fully backs a resolution adopted by the UN at the end of last year which sets out the objectives for the future and the steps that should be taken for the reduction of troops and armaments.

Madden said a meeting on Thursday in London between Foreign Secretary Robin Cook and UN resident representative Dame Ann Hercus could be seen as an initial step in Britain's support to the initiative she began in October for a settlement in Cyprus and the reduction of tensions.

The High Commissioner announced that Britain's envoy for Cyprus Sir David Hannay will visit the island in the next few weeks.

Madden said he called on the President "to express the full support of the British government for the UN process" and recalled the two statements issued in London in December to this effect, one of which was signed by the Prime Minister.

On December 22, the UN adopted resolution 1217 renewing the mandate of the UN Peace-keeping Force here for a further six months and resolution 1218 calling on Kofi Annan to secure a staged process for the reduction of troops and armaments.

Noting that Tony Blair had supported resolution 1218 in a written statement, Madden said that "in our view it provides very clear objectives and sets out some very important steps which should be followed in the UN process and we shall continue to work very actively in support of that resolution."

Asked why specific support was given to this resolution, he explained that it is "particularly significant and important because it sets out very clear objectives for future work and it sets out some of the steps we would like to see taken."

Invited to comment on Ankara's rejection of the resolutions, the British diplomat pointed out that "reject is a very strong word, they obviously had strong reservations about the resolutions."

He said that irrespective of Ankara's position, those are the SC resolutions and "we will work in support and to implement those resolutions."

Asked if Britain will take concrete moves to support the UN resolutions, Madden replied "we will continue to work very closely and in particular with the UN, other members of the international community and also the parties on the island and try and make progress on the basis of the resolutions."

"Perhaps the initial step under that process is Dame Ann Hercus seeing Foreign Secretary on Thursday afternoon in London," he said, adding that intensive preparations and discussions will continue.

He described the meeting between Cook and Hercus as "a very important indicator of our full support for the process which Ann Hercus is leading on-island and it's also a very good opportunity for her to talk to Robin Cook about what she will be hoping to achieve and for them to exchange views."

Asked to comment on press reports that the US is promoting the establishment of a confederation in Cyprus and not a federation as provided in UN resolutions, he said "I doubt very much whether they correspond to reality, but it's not for me to comment on positions of the US government."

"From our own British point of view we are working on the basis of the resolutions and we want to make progress on the basis of the resolutions," he added.

UN resolutions and two agreements reached between the two sides provide for the creation of a bizonal, bicommunal federation in Cyprus.

Invited to comment on other press reports that NATO security guarantees for Cyprus is on the cards, Madden said "as far as I know there is no specific request to that effect."

CNA MA/MM/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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