Cyprus News Agency: News in English (AM), 99-01-13

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

CONTENTS

[01] Russia - S300 - Re-deployment

[02] Kissinger - Cyprus

[03] Cyprus - Missing - Turkey - Court

[04] House President - South Australian opposition leader

1310:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Russia - S300 - Re-deployment

Citing sources close to the Russian Defence Ministry, Novosti points out, however, that the fact that there has been no response from Russia yet does not necessarily mean it will take a negative decision.

The contract should be revised in order to re-deploy S-300 missiles on the Greek island of Crete, following a decision by President Glafcos Clerides not to deploy the missiles on Cyprus as had been previously agreed.

According to Novosti, the issue was coordinated by Cypriot authorities with the Greek government well in advance, with the Greek side having agreed to the deployment of the S-300 on Crete.

The same sources told Novosti that this issue requires an additional assessment of the situation by Russian politicians and generals, all the more so as Greece is a NATO member, also pointing out that Greece is located inside NATO's zone of responsibility, which borders with crisis- ridden areas.

According to the Russian military, the deployment of S-300 missiles on Crete would ensure their effective performance within the framework of a joint defence pact between Cyprus and Greece, the agency added.

CNA CG/MCH/GP/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1330:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Kissinger - Cyprus

Washington, Jan 13 (CNA) -- Former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger claims the Soviet Union had told Turkey to invade Cyprus following the Greek junta coup against the Republic's government back in 1974 and that had he known about reports for a coup in Cyprus he would have stopped it.

In a top secret conversation with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Oiao, held in New York on October 2, 1974, which has been made public recently, Kissinger also describes Cyprus as "superficially" the "most drastic change" in the world during that period and expresses the view that the Turks would probably come out of the situation in "a slightly stronger position".

Replying to questions by the Chinese Vice Foreign Minister, Kissinger says that when the coup occurred he was in Moscow and that intelligence reports were not taken seriously by his men.

"There are many intelligence reports which float around, but if no one brings them to me I assume they do not exist," the US diplomat claims, and adds, "if I had known about the report, I would have stopped it (the coup)".

Kissinger says that once the coup occurred he assumeed that "Turkey would intervene" and that the reason why the US did not criticise Nicos Sampson, so-called president of the puppet regime set up after the coup, was because "we assumed we could get rid of him in any 36-hour period".

He also notes the criticism by the American press towards the US government for its attitude on Greece, which was at the time ruled by a military junta.

"But we knew that the Soviets had told the Turks to invade," he claims, stressing that the US "did not want them to have any other excuse to involve themselves in the situation, but the 'Second World' in Europe and the American press, kept egging on the Turks".

The US diplomat expressed, however, the view that even though "it is an unfortunate situation, it will come out all right" and that a settlement would be reached "in a few weeks once the Greeks calm down".

Kissinger told the Chinese diplomat that the US already had the basis for an agreement with the Greeks and the Turks which would be, however, removed if the Congress cut off aid to Turkey.

According to Kissinger he expected that during his trip to Ankara "the Turks will make a gesture of good will, like withdrawing five to seven thousand troops, or withdrawing from some territory" and the two interlocutors for the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities at the time, Glafcos Clerides and Rauf Denktash would then be asked "to agree to principles for a political dialogue".

These principles, again according to Kissinger, had been "essentially agreed to already".

Pointing out that nothing would happen until the November elections in Greece, he said the US would then put the issue "in a larger framework, one which would solve such questions as the territorial rights in the Aegean Sea etc".

"If these maniacs will only leave the situation alone!" Kissinger remarks, adding that he was convinced "that eighty per cent of the madmen in the world live in Eastern Mediterranean, so I can't be sure (of the outcome of the situation)".

Asked by Oiao what changes he sees in the world since April, Kissinger describes Cyprus as "superficially the most drastic change," pointing out, however, that "Cyprus makes much noise but no strategic difference, unless we (the US) are prevented by domestic developments from conducting our foreign policy".

Concluding his remarks on Cyprus, Kissinger appreciates "the situation will probably come out with the Turks in a slightly stronger position".

CNA DA/MCH/GP/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1340:CYPPRESS:03

[03] Cyprus - Missing - Turkey - Court

Nicosia, Jan 13 (CNA) -- Turkey will have to account for the whereabouts of a Greek Cypriot, missing since the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus, if the European Court of Human Rights decides to hear the case brought before it by the man himself, his sister and his American mother.

This is the first time a US citizen is taking Turkey to Court seeking justice through legal channels in Europe but this is not the first time Turkey is facing legal procedures relating to missing persons in Cyprus.

Nine other similar cases against Turkey were declared admissible in April last year by the European Commission. They are expected to be dealt with this year.

Moreover, last May Turkey was found guilty of human rights violations against a missing Kurd and was ordered to pay non-pecuniary damages amounting to 15,000 pounds sterling in respect of the said Kurd and 10,000 plus costs to his mother, who brought the case before the Court.

Greek Cypriot, Christos Karefyllides, who fought during the invasion as a reservist, is named in a UN list of people captured and held by the Turkish invading forces near Nicosia in the summer of 1974 with other persons, whose names also appear in the official list of prisoners of war taken to Turkish jails.

They have returned. Christos has not. Although the US has recently concluded a lengthy investigation into the fate of five US citizens of Cypriot descent, listed as missing, on this case an appeal by the family members to the American embassy in Nicosia for help has gone unheeded.

The European Court is there to guarantee protection to people in Europe and Turkey as a member of the Council of Europe has to account for human rights violations and people cannot just disappear without anyone being held responsible for their disappearance.

Christos' sister, Maria Ioannou and his mother, Helen Karefyllides, a US citizen, are now taking Turkey to court demanding to know what has become of their beloved brother and son.

Ioannou has described her brother's disappearance as "a crime and the uncertainty of his fate an unnecessary cruelty" which must be rectified.

"Our one and only demand is profoundly a human one. It is a simple demand for the full restoration and respect of the basic human rights of my missing brother and us," she told CNA.

Asked why she is bringing this case to Court, she said she believed firmly that "Turkey will be obliged to account for her brother's fate only through justice and will have to produce evidence and facts about his whereabouts."

Recognising this is going to be a traumatic process, she said she was sure she was doing the right thing for her brother because "agony is much worse than the bitter truth."

The three applicants claim violation of rights enshrined in the European Convention of Human Rights which guarantee that a person shall not be subjected to torture or inhuman or degrading treatment, shall not be held in slavery or servitude and that everyone has the right to liberty and security.

In the application, filed on January 7 after years of desperate search to ascertain the fate of her brother, Ioannou and her mother also claim discrimination against Christos, being a Greek Cypriot, in what looks very much like ethnic cleansing carried out by Turkey's invading forces.

Christos, who was last seen by his mother on Sunday 21 July, like many other Cypriot males at the time, enlisted in the army in July and being in the commando unit, he was assigned to fight in Kyrenia district.

Having fought in the battle near Agios Georghios, some five kilometres west of Kyrenia, and after the town fell to the Turks, Christos made his way with others to Bellapais and Kythrea where his wounds were nursed and then headed to Pachiamos (near the village of Ayios Epiktitos, 12 kilometres east of Kyrenia) to take up positions against the Turkish invading troops.

This is a far as family investigations have managed to get regarding the events in the summer of 1974. Later on, his sister established that Christos' name was included in a list of names pinned on the notice board of the International Red Cross in Nicosia, stating that the UN reported him as captured and held by the Turkish forces at Boghazi area, some 15 kilometres north of Nicosia.

Repeated appeals by the family to the UN and the Red Cross to shed light on this piece of information have come to nothing but local newspapers at the time published the said list in which Christos name is mentioned with another six persons, all of whom have returned home.

Christos' fate is still unknown and nobody has come up with the answer regarding his whereabouts so far.

A total of 1619 people were listed as missing soon after the Turkish invasion and occupation of 37 per cent of Cyprus territory by Turkish troops in 1974.

CNA MM/GP/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1440:CYPPRESS:04

[04] House President - South Australian opposition leader

After a meeting with House of Representatives President Spyros Kyprianou, Rann proposed the creation of a Commonwealth eminent persons group for Cyprus, praising the organisation's role in the abolition of apartheid in South Africa.

"What I am proposing is that the Commonwealth should pursue a much more active and substantive role on the Cyprus issue," the South Australian opposition leader said.

Rann, who is on a 24-hour visit, suggested that the Cyprus question is a "keynote issue" at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting that will take place in Capetown.

"I am also suggesting that an eminent persons group comprising former Commonwealth Prime Ministers and heads of state and government, be asked to become involved in negotiating on the Cyprus issue," he added.

His proposal was welcomed by the House President who said "it may not solve the Cyprus question, but it could contribute towards Turkey feeling more pressure so that it abandons its intransigent positions and expansionist policy."

Both Ankara and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash have been intransigent in UN efforts for a settlement in Cyprus, divided since Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37 per cent of its territory in 1974.

"The Commonwealth needs to take a tougher line with Turkey", Rann said, noting that Commonwealth countries "are significant trading partners of Turkey".

The South Australian politician said he has asked British MPs "to raise this issue of a Commonwealth initiative in the House of Commons at the earliest opportunity."

He said he came here from Washington where he met State Department Cyprus coordinator Tom Miller and that he has also been to London where he met the British government Cyprus envoy Sir David Hannay and MPs.

"On the issue of apartheid the Commonwealth played an invaluable role with an eminent persons group. So let us try with Cyprus," he said.

The South Australian opposition leader pointed to the need for a "positive initiative" on Cyprus and said "twenty-five years after the invasion I believe that it is now time for the Commonwealth to prove to its fellow nation, Cyprus, that it is interested in human rights."

CNA AA/MA/GP/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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