Cyprus News Agency: News in English (PM), 99-01-19

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

CONTENTS

[01] Clerides - Kyprianou - Irish House and Senate Presidents

[02] Russian - Arrested

[03] Attorney-General - Illegal immigrants - Lebanon

[04] HMS Invincible - Cyprus - Gulf

[05] Government Spokesman - President Clerides - Sir David Hannay

[06] Attorney-General - Former bishop of Limassol

1645:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Clerides - Kyprianou - Irish House and Senate Presidents

Speaking after the meeting with President Clerides, Patisson said he commended him "for his decision not to go ahead" with the deployment of the S-300 missiles on the island.

Asked if there were any initiatives one could suggest, having in mind the Irish peace process, Patisson replied:

"The initiative we would suggest is one that is already practised very much here in Cyprus, i.e. the initiative of patience and determination and commitment to finding a peaceful resolution" of the problem.

Patisson pointed out that "the basis of the settlement in Ireland has been the decision of the people to resolve the problem by peaceful means" and asked whether he has spotted any such mutual determination in Cyprus, he expressed the belief "there is a genuine wish to resolve the problem".

On his part, Mullooly described the discussion as "very interesting" and thanked President Clerides "for the very clear outline which he gave us of the problem here in Cyprus".

Speaking after the meeting with Kyprianou, Patisson stressed Ireland's support to Cyprus' accession to the EU "hopefully in the non distant future", while Mullooly said he looked "forward to the day when the Irish and the Cypriots will be colleagues in the EU".

On his part, House President Kyprianou made special reference to Ireland's support to Cyprus' accession course, pointing out that "with such friends we can be optimistic about the future".

CNA RG/RM/MCH/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1715:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Russian - Arrested

Thirty-five year old Alexei Voch Amirski was arrested last night at Larnaca Airport when he arrived from Hannover via Amsterdam.

Police found in his luggage one starting revolver three starting pistols, one air pistol and one toy air pistol.

Amirski claimed that he bought all these in order to take them to Russia, where he owns shops selling such products.

The investigator of the case told the court that experts will perform ballistic examination of the pistols and investigations will take place in order to find out if the guns were brought to remain in Cyprus and to be used illegally.

He added that Interpol has been requested to assist into investigations. CNA MK/MCH/1999 ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1845:CYPPRESS:03

[03] Attorney-General - Illegal immigrants - Lebanon

Scores of foreigners have arrived illegally in Cyprus, usually by boat, seeking a better life, while a substantial percentage of them seek political asylum in Cyprus.

Interior Minister Dinos Michaelides revealed Saturday that according to information gathered, around 15 thousand foreigners are in Tripoli, Lebanon, expecting to find a way to leave for Cyprus, Greece, Italy or other countries.

He said the reason for the increase in the number of people illegally arriving in Cyprus is a decision taken a few months ago by the Lebanese government that it would throw all illegal immigrants out of the country.

Cyprus and Lebanon are expected to sign an agreement dealing with the issue of illegal immigrants, Michaelides noted.

Speaking today at a press conference, the Attorney-General said the legislation on political asylum will be followed by a new general legislation on aliens, adding the House of Representatives favours the modernisation of that legislation.

He said questions related to migrants and political asylum will be among the most serious issues during Cyprus' substantive European Union (EU) accession negotiations which started in November last year, as the island will be part of EU's external frontier.

Cyprus police last week took back to Lebanon 29 illegal immigrants who had arrived by boat from Tripoli, but the Lebanese authorities allowed only six Egyptians to disembark.

Responding to a question on the illegal immigrants remaining on the island, Markides said there is a problem as Cyprus has ratified a relevant international convention by which it has to abide, while Lebanon has not ratified this convention.

CNA GG/GP/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1925:CYPPRESS:04

[04] HMS Invincible - Cyprus - Gulf

Speaking to visiting press, he said he is prepared to see action in the Gulf but does not necessarily expect it and also acknowledged that tension has been heightened in the Gulf in the past few weeks.

The aircraft carrier, anchored some two and a half miles out at sea off the British Base of RAF Akrotiri to get supplies and collect personnel, is set to stay in the Gulf as long as necessary, he added.

The 20.000-ton aircraft carrier with a crew of 1.200 will stay off Akrotiri for 24 hours to get supplies of food and some ammunition.

She can carry 24 aircraft at any given moment but at present there are about 15 on board, as she heads to the Gulf.

HMS Invincible is the flagship of Rear Admiral Forbes, Commander UK Task Group, who has command of other ships bound for the Gulf, including the destroyer HMS Newcastle and the Royal Fleet Auxiliaries Fort Austin (fleet stores ship) and Bayleaf (fleet tanker).

The RFA Bayleaf will leave the group in the eastern Mediterranean, handing her tasks over to her sister-ship RFA Brambleleaf.

CNA MM/MCH/GP/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1925:CYPPRESS:05

[05] Government Spokesman - President Clerides - Sir David Hannay

"The President of the Republic has been invited to a dinner by the British High Commissioner at the Commissioner's residence on Friday evening", Stylianides said, adding that a second meeting between Clerides and Sir David has not been scheduled.

Stylianides explained that British Ambassadors to Athens, Ankara and Nicosia have a joint meeting in one of the three capitals every year to review issues relating to the region, including the Cyprus problem.

"It is in the framework of this meeting that the President of the Republic and certain if his associates have been invited," he added.

Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides, the Government Spokesman and the Under Secretary to the President Pantelis Kouros will accompany Clerides to the dinner.

The Government Spokesman said he had not been officially informed of a meeting between Sir David and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash.

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/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

2030:CYPPRESS:06

[06] Attorney-General - Former bishop of Limassol

Chrysanthos resigned in November when the Holy Synod, comprising the Primate of the Cyprus Orthodox Church and the island's bishops, appointed a committee of bishops to carry out an inquiry into his business dealings.

Chrysanthos was accused of involvement in fraud cases of which the most serious was a 3,7 US million-dollar alleged fraud case, but he denied the accusations.

Speaking today at a press conference, Markides said all necessary measures have been taken to prevent the bishop from leaving the island.

The bishop's name has been put on the "alert catalogue" which means that if Chrysanthos tried to leave Cyprus, his exit would be prevented, he explained.

Asked whether a warrant of Chrysanthos' arrest could be issued, the Attorney-General said that this would happen if the bishop tried to leave the island.

In November the Holy Synod imposed a two-year suspension on Chrysanthos, banning him from carrying out any church duties during that time.

They allowed him, however, to remain a clergyman.

CNA GG/MCH/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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