Cyprus News Agency: News in English (PM), 99-01-14

Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

CONTENTS

[01] Cyprus Stock Exchange

[02] President - Letter to Annan - Foreign Minister

[03] National Guard - Accident - Inquiry

[04] Illegal Economic Migrants

[05] First Slovak Ambassador

[06] EU delegation - Negotiations

[07] Espionage - Arrest

[08] Cyprus - China - Health Agreement

[09] Cook - Hercus - Meeting

1600:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Cyprus Stock Exchange

      CSE General Index                          95.85 ( 0.32)

      Traded Value            CYP 4,489,427

      Sectural Indices

      Banks                   CYP 1,290,463     110.55 ( 0.74)
      Approved Investment
      Companies               CYP   114,393      60.39 ( 1.24)
      Insurance Companies     CYP 1,469,710      77.83 (-0.01)
      Manufacturing Companies CYP   270,933      90.17 ( 0.40)
      Tourism Companies       CYP   300,424      72.16 (-0.01)
      Trading Companies       CYP   332,261      46.15 (-2.27)
      Other Companies         CYP   249,213      84.65 (-1.97)

CNA MM/1999

1620:CYPPRESS:02

[02] President - Letter to Annan - Foreign Minister

Government officials said today the letter, dated January 7, aims at underlining the President's goodwill in anticipation of a similar response by the Turkish side within a reasonable period of time.

The President told Kofi Annan in his letter that he cannot postpone indefinitely the completion of certain agreements relating to arms purchases.

He also expresses the hope that he will hear within a reasonable time from Annan that the Turkish side has accepted in total, and not selectively, the reference in the UN resolution to the reduction of arms and tensions.

"The significance of the President's letter is that our side is ready to comply with UN Security Council resolutions and as far as the reduction of tensions is concerned, we are ready to comply with resolution 1218," Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides said here today.

Commenting on the letter, Kasoulides said the President stated his readiness to "implement in its entirety the content of resolution 1218 and expects that the Turkish Cypriot and Turkey will do likewise."

He said the letter does not place any time deadlines because, as he noted, "we do not send ultimatums."

Resolution 1218, approved end of December, requests Annan to work intensively with the two sides here for a staged process aimed at limiting then substantially reducing the level of troops and armaments in Cyprus.

On his part, Government Spokesman Christos Stylianides clarified that the President is not freezing arms purchases indefinitely and expressed "deep sorrow" about the leak of the letter to the press.

"The President does not refer to an arms freeze. The President proves his good will to adhere to the letter and the spirit of the resolution but allows a reasonable period of time for the Turkish side to demonstrate if and when it is ready to comply with the resolution," he said.

Asked to explain the factors which would determine this period of time, Stylianides replied "the fundamental factor is to see the Turkish side comply, as we do, to the spirit of the resolution."

CNA MA/MM/1999

1715:CYPPRESS:03

[03] National Guard - Accident - Inquiry

Michalakis Pentaliotis died and Constantinos Prodromou was injured during the tragic accident which happened when an armoured vehicle dragged three soldiers who were returning from a military exercise.

The third soldier, George Topouzis, was slightly injured and received medical treatement on site.

Doctor Costas Antoniades said efforts to revive Pentaliotis proved unsuccessful and said Prodromou was "in a stable but out of danger condition."

President Clerides, who visited Nicosia General Hospital where two of the soldiers were flown, said "there are no words to describe this horrific accident. Instructions have been given to conduct a full inquiry to establish the circumstances under which the accident happened."

Defence Minister, Yiannakis Chrysostomis, expressed his deepest sorrow and extended condolences to the family of soldier Michalakis Pentaliotis but refrained from giving any details until the completion of the inquiry.

CNA FZ/MCH/MM/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1740:CYPPRESS:04

[04] Illegal Economic Migrants

Police believe there are more migrants still at large and are continuing their investigations to arrest them.

The migrants, 18 Iraqis, six Egyptians, two Somalians, a woman from Sri Lanka, a man from Burundi and a Palestinian, appeared today before the Court accused of illegal entry into the territory of the Republic.

Famagusta court sits in Larnaca since Turkish troops occupied this eastern coastal town when they invaded in 1974.

Police apprehended the migrants, who arrived last night by boat at the eastern bay of Konnos, early this morning.

According to the police the migrants carried no travel documents or papers denoting their identity.

They had paid anything between 800 to 2,000 US dollars each to be taken to Italy and Rhodes. Reliable sources have said the migrants are believed to have set off from Istanbul (Constantinople) Turkey and headed to Tripoli, Lebanon.

It is estimated that more than 50 migrants arrived on the island and police continue their investigations to track them down.

CNA MAN/MCH/MM/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1940:CYPPRESS:05

[05] First Slovak Ambassador

Accepting the credentials of first Slovak Ambassador to Cyprus, Dusan Rozbora, Clerides expressed the wish for "expanding and solidifying even further our closer ties in particular against the backdrop of our efforts to integrate fully in the European family of nations".

President Clerides also expressed gratitude for the Slovak position on the Cyprus problem and for "efforts of the Head of their Diplomatic Mission to Cyprus to contribute in a tangible way in the rapprochement between the two (Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot) communities and in this way to facilitate understanding and cooperation and a peaceful solution of the Cyprus problem".

Presenting his credentials Ambassador Rozbora expressed his country's support to a peaceful solution to the Cyprus problem and pledged to do its utmost to help towards this end.

Making special reference to Cyprus' and Slovakia's European course, he expressed the belief they "have a great potential to succeed and become members of the Union".

He also pointed to common values and similar objectives shared by the two countries and stressed that this is what brings them "closer to each other in mutual understanding and respect".

The Slovak Ambassador also made reference to his embassy's initiative in organising bi-communal meetings.

"Your entrustment in our initiative of organising the bicommunal meetings of the political party leaders and permanent contacts with them has proven to be the proper and useful contribution to the process of resolving the Cyprus problem," he said.

Concluding the new Ambassador expressed appreciation for the support given to him as Minister-Councellor in capacity of Charge d'Affairs and fully committed himself to fulfil his further duties in a way of mutual trust and satisfaction.

CNA MCH/GP/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1940:CYPPRESS:06

[06] EU delegation - Negotiations

Speaking at Larnaca airport, Chief Negotiator for Cyprus at the Task Force for Accession Negotiations, Leopold Maurer, said this is the second round of "real negotiations" in the course of Cyprus' accession to the European Union.

Cyprus started substantive membership negotiations in November last year.

During the first round, seven chapters were examined and as Maurer pointed out, eight more chapters will be examined this time "so the whole exercise becomes more complicated".

"We have to do what we call monitoring of the implementation of the acquis," he said, pointing out that this will be a "highly technical mission".

The delegation will stay in Cyprus until Sunday 17. The EU officials were scheduled to meet with the Delegation of the European Commission in Cyprus, the Ambassadors of EU member states residing in Cyprus and Chief Negotiator and Coordinator of the Harmonisation Process of Cyprus, George Vassiliou.

Later tonight Maurer will be the keynote speaker at a dinner of the European Movement.

On Friday and Saturday the EU and the Cypriot negotiating teams will discuss Telecommunications, Company Law and Accounting Directives.

Competition Policy, Free Movement of Goods, Justice and Home Affairs, Economic Monetary Union, Ports, Shipping, Agriculture and Fisheries and External Relations are also on the agenda of the discussions.

During their stay they will also meet the Parliamentary Committee for External and EU Affairs.

CNA MAN/MCH/MM/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1945:CYPPRESS:07

[07] Espionage - Arrest

Avgoustinos Skoullou, from Kormakitis village was arrested earlier today when he tried to cross into the Turkish-occupied areas of the Republic through the Ledra Palace check point in Nicosia.

According to the Police, he allegedly had in his possession a paper containing information concerning National Guard armaments.

After searching his car, police found a camera and a film. Police are investigating the case.

CNA RG/MCH/MM/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1945:CYPPRESS:08

[08] Cyprus - China - Health Agreement

The agreement was signed here by Cyprus' Health Minister Christos Solomis and China's Deputy Health Minister, Dr Londge Wang, who later on discussed issues concerning medical education, exchange of experience and information and joint promotion of research programmes.

The two officials praised the signing of this agreement as it is contributing to the further strengthening of relations between the two states.

Solomis expressed satisfaction, pointing out that in this way bilateral cooperation was being strengthened.

He said he was convinced that cooperation programmes to be applied would be followed by exchange of experts from the two countries.

The Chinese Deputy Health Minister expressed the wish that the signing of the agreement would be the beginning for further cooperation in promoting friendship between the two countries.

The Chinese official will be received tomorrow by Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides and have meetings with House of Representatives President Spyros Kyprianou and Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides.

CNA MCH/GP/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

2040:CYPPRESS:09

[09] Cook - Hercus - Meeting

No statements were made after the meeting, but according to a Foreign Office announcement they "reviewed the situation in Cyprus" and "the Foreign Secretary heard her views on the shuttle talks on the island and expressed UK's support for the process as well as the UN effort in general".

Dame Ann started shuttle talks with President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash in mid-October in a bid to make headway towards an overall settlement in Cyprus.

"The Foreign Secretary," the announcement adds, "hoped that progress could now be made on both tracks, i.e. reduction in tension and a settlement."

The announcement stresses that Cook said "the UK would do what it could to encourage the fullest possible cooperation from both sides".

Hercus leaves for New York tomorrow, where she will meet UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.

Present at the meeting were Britain's Cyprus envoy Sir David Hannay, British High Commissioner in Nicosia David Madden, Director of the Southern European Department David Reddaway and Deputy Director of the Political Department Peter Rickets.

CNA KT/MCH/MM/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article