Cyprus News Agency: News in English (PM), 99-02-03

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

CONTENTS

[01] Greek Cypriots - Freed

[02] Conference - Cyprus - Eastern Mediterranean - EU

[03] Cyprus Stock Exchange

[04] Government - Cyprus Airways

[05] EU - Cyprus

1500:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Greek Cypriots - Freed

"Thanks to the cooperation between the UNFICYP police and the police on both sides, they were released," she said.

Dinos Anastasiou was abducted on Sunday lunchtime while he was picking up asparagus in fields in the UN buffer zone, according the Cypriot police.

George Ioannou was taken last Wednesday and was handed a remand order by a self-styled court in the northern part of the island occupied by some 35,000 Turkish troops since 1974.

Russell also said there was an exchange of cars, which for some reason, ended up on the wrong side of the divide.

"Four cars went north and six cars came south," she said. She could not elaborate on the ownership of the cars or the circumstances under which they were found on either side of the divide.

CNA MM/GP/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1510:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Conference - Cyprus - Eastern Mediterranean - EU

The forum, taking place May 9-11, is organised by the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KEVE), the Cyprus Institute for Mediterranean, European and International Studies (KIMEDE) the Israel/Palestine Center for Research and Information (IPCRI) and the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP).

Prominent political, academic, business and other personalities from Cyprus, Greece and other EU countries, the Middle East, Russia and the US are expected to participate.

Speaking at a press conference KEVE General Secretary Panayiotis Loizides expressed certainty that the forum will help Cyprus become a bridge for cooperation in the region and said that businessmen attending will be able to have meetings to discuss cooperation between them.

President of the think-tank KIMEDE, Costas Melakopides said it is the first time such a conference is organised here with the cooperation of non- governmental organisations, aiming at cooperation in the Eastern Mediterranean and with emphasis on Cyprus' role as a bridge between Europe and the Middle East.

Melakopides announced it has been decided that this conference will become a yearly event, with the next one to be held in Bethlehem in 2000.

Speaking at the press conference, the Israeli Director of the IPCRI Gershon Baskin said "we believe very strongly that Cyprus has a role to play in helping to facilitate the open relations which are necessary in our region in the Middle East, between Israel and Palestine first and between the other countries in the region."

He also underlined that economic prosperity can help "not only on the level of political agreements but bringing peace down to the ground" and expressed the view that regional economic cooperation necessitates open borders and free trade.

The Palestinian International Director of the IPCRI Zakaria al Qaq said Cyprus should not see itself as an isolated island but "an oasis for stability and prosperity and strengthening stability of the region."

He said Cyprus has "bridges everywhere" and pointed out that as a Palestinian it was easier for him to fly to Cyprus than to go to Gaza.

Citing the conference title, the Palestinian professor said "stability brings prosperity and the prosperity also cements the factors of stability so both of them go together."

ELIAMEP member Constantinos Sasmantzoglou described this initiative as "important" and "unique", adding it will help develop closer cooperation between think tanks and non governmental organisations of the region.

CNA MA/GP/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1715:CYPPRESS:03

[03] Cyprus Stock Exchange

      CSE General Index                         106.44  (1.68)

      Traded Value            CYP 7,106,266

      Sectural Indices

      Banks                   CYP 1,931,537     124.41 ( 1.81)
      Approved Investment
      Companies               CYP   464,375      69.52 ( 3.71)
      Insurance Companies     CYP 1,402,685      79.96 (-0.61)
      Manufacturing Companies CYP   577,033      99.07 ( 2.35)
      Tourism Companies       CYP   507,958      82.88 ( 0.10)
      Trading Companies       CYP   639,128      50.95 ( 2.47)
      Other Companies         CYP   590,269      89.73 ( 3.67)

CNA MM/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1840:CYPPRESS:04

[04] Government - Cyprus Airways

Government Spokesman, Christos Stylianides, said after today's cabinet meeting that if a labour dispute emerged from the talks, the Minister of Labour and Social Insurance would intervene.

"The cabinet wants this company to survive in the long term and therefore it is ready to undertake the appropriate initiatives to achieve this goal", Stylianides said.

He also explained that the problems between management and the trade unions is not considered a labour dispute at this stage but a discussion on structural changes with a view to making the company viable for the benefit of its employees and the country at large.

A cabinet statement expressed "grave concern" for the long term survival of Cyprus Airways and noted with concern the rising labour costs.

The cabinet called for a dialogue on the strategic plan to restructure the company, renewal of the collective agreement and the demands by the employees.

Last week, Cyprus Airways employees staged a four-hour strike to back demands for a 4,5 per cent pay rise before they sit at the negotiating table. The company said the demand should be put to the table along with company demands for discussion.

Communications and Works Minister, Leontios Ierodiakonou, said he was pleased with today's cabinet statement.

CNA MM/RG/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

2105:CYPPRESS:05

[05] EU - Cyprus

He also said that if EU membership comes before the Cyprus problem is settled, the Republic of Cyprus should ask for a concession from the EU, under which it would be released from its obligation to implement the acquis in the areas occupied by Turkey for as long as the occupation continues.

Markides was speaking at seminar on the EU organised by the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KEVE) addressed also by KEVE's Brussels- based consultant and former EU senior official, Eberhard Rhein.

Head of Delegation of the European Commission in Cyprus, Donato Chiarini and KEVE President Vassilis Rologis also attended the event.

Markides described the EU as "a sui generis cooperation between states", which constantly strengthens the links between its member-states.

Nine years ago, when Cyprus was submitting its application for membership, accession was an elusive dream, but accession negotiations have already started and accession will be a reality "sooner or later", he noted.

Urging all social partners to prepare themselves for the adoption of the acquis communautaire, Markides said a significant part of Cyprus' legislation is already in line with it.

He also called on the House of Representatives to accelerate the process of adoption of the acquis by passing relevant Bills in a shorter period of time than it currently does.

Referring to the island's political problem, Markides said if EU accession takes place before a settlement is reached, then the Republic of Cyprus should ask for a concession from the EU, under which it would be released from its obligation to implement the acquis in the areas under Turkish occupation as long as the occupation continues.

"We have no intention of seeing the government controlled part of the Republic joining the EU and find the Cyprus problem resolved through division," Markides said.

EU member-states have expressed their desire to see a solution to the Cyprus problem prior to the island's EU accession.

On his part, Rhein said "the successful launching of the Euro on January 1 has been the single most important step on Europe's way to ultimate unity" since the Treaty of Rome in 1957.

The Euro will "create the world's biggest capital market within the next decade, establish the closest bonds of interdependence among European citizens ever achieved and redefine the meaning of nationhood within Europe", he pointed out.

It will also "oblige European governments to co-ordinate their macro- economic policies and will force the EU to become much more involved in the management of the world economic and financial system and thereby raise Europe's profile in the world," Rhein noted.

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

CNA GG/MM/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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