Cyprus News Agency: News in English (PM), 99-02-11

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

CONTENTS

[01] Cyprus - Trade

[02] Strikes - Port - Hotels - Transport

[03] Cyprus Stock Exchange

[04] Athanasios - New Limassol Bishop

[05] Clerides - Cyprus - Security Council

1530:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Cyprus - Trade

In the same period the European Union (EU) saw its position as Cyprus' main trade partner getting stronger.

According to a report by the official Department of Statistics and Research, total exports in the first eleven months of last year decreased by 13,3 per cent to 514,2 million Cyprus pounds from 593,2 million in the same period in 1997 (one Cyprus pound is trading at 2,0 US dollars).

In the same period of 1998, total imports (including imports for home consumption and imports placed into bonded warehouses) decreased by 0,3 per cent to 1.738,4 million pounds from 1.743,5 million pounds the previous year.

As a result, trade deficit in the January-November 1998 reached 1.224, 1 million pounds, compared to 1.149,5 million in the same period in 1997, which represents an increase of 6,5 per cent.

The EU countries absorbed 52,9 per cent of Cyprus' domestic exports (excluding shipstores) while the share of the Arab countries was 26,6 per cent.

The corresponding percentages in the first eleven months of 1997 were 49,5 and 28,5 per cent, respectively.

As for the island's imports, the EU share was 54,6 per cent, compared to 47,3 per cent in 1997.

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

CNA GG/GP/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1700:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Strikes - Port - Hotels - Transport

Minister of Labour and Social Insurance, Andreas Moushoutas, said following today's cabinet decision, he would try to see representatives of protesting port employees to discuss the issue at hand.

He pointed out that there is no labour dispute as such but differences resulting from lower income for port workers and porters, due to a drop in the work carried out by Larnaca port.

In a different dispute, employers at two Larnaca hotels are on strike in support of the reinstatement of some of their colleagues, laid off when some hotel services were privatised.

The owner of the Lordos Beach hotel and Golden Bay hotel has secured a court injunction allowing him to prosecute those protesters who block entry into the hotels.

Trade unionists have described the court decision as unprecedented in labour disputes history.

Moushoutas said his objective on this score is to get the two sides back to the negotiating table.

The Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Employers and Industrialists Federation have criticised the way protesters at the two Larnaca hotels are staging their strike.

While acknowledging the right to strike, they point out that protesters must not block entry to other workers.

Government Spokesman, Christos Stylianides, has said labour disputes can be solved through dialogue and pointed out that the legal right to strike must be safeguarded.

Yesterday, truckers drove their lorries outside the Presidential Palace to protest against a government decision to change the road licence and allow truckers to work in various districts instead of restricted areas defined by legislation.

Drivers maintain the new regulations would increase competition and create gaps in the services in rural areas.

In a different protest, residents of the southern coastal town of Larnaca met to reiterate their opposition to government plans to build a mobile desalination plant near the salt lakes area in a bid to ease the water problem Cyprus is regularly facing.

The government has stressed its resolve to solve the water shortage problem and said it would examine alternative suggestions before the final location for the plant is made.

CNA MM/RG/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1835:CYPPRESS:03

[03] Cyprus Stock Exchange

      CSE General Index                         124.03  ( 5.20)

      Traded Value            CYP 16,858,318

      Sectural Indices

      Banks                   CYP 8,072,330     157.24 ( 7.98)
      Approved Investment
      Companies               CYP   987,686      83.03 ( 6.15)
      Insurance Companies     CYP 2,394,002      78.72 (-1.11)
      Manufacturing Companies CYP   244,901      97.46 (-0.49)
      Tourism Companies       CYP   204,968      80.90 (-1.77)
      Trading Companies       CYP   693,280      54.53 ( 2.44)
      Other Companies         CYP   106,645      89.76 ( 0.25)

CNA RG/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

2020:CYPPRESS:04

[04] Athanasios - New Limassol Bishop

Voting were 50 general representatives and 20 clergymen. The new Bishop secured all the representatives' votes and 14 of the clergymen's.

Asked what his priorities would be as Bishop, Athanasios said: "The salvation of the faithful".

The post became vacant after Metropolitan Chrysanthos was relieved of his duties, following allegations about his involvement in corruption and fraud of millions of pounds.

CNA DG/RG/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

2045:CYPPRESS:05

[05] Clerides - Cyprus - Security Council

The President was asked to clarify whether he agreed with the position that only a substantive move from US President Bill Clinton and British Premier Tony Blair could help solve the Cyprus problem, as was done in the Middle East and Irish conflicts.

He said that UN Security Council members should make that move "as a whole, but mainly those members which possess levers of pressure towards Turkey".

President Clerides was speaking after a luncheon he hosted in honour of two EDEK Socialist Party Ministers which departed from the cabinet, after their party withdrew its cooperation with the Government, due to the decision not to deploy the Russian S-300 anti-aircraft missiles on the island.

Asked if Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ioannis Kasoulides, would request a Security Council move towards Turkey during his forthcoming meeting with US Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, President Clerides refused to elaborate.

He said that he could not reveal what Kasoulides would request, which would result in Albright finding out about the content of their talks from the media.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied 37 per cent of the island. A solution to the protracted problem has not yet been possible, despite international efforts towards that direction.

CNA RG/AA/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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