Cyprus News Agency: News in English (PM), 99-02-19

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

CONTENTS

[01] Cyprus Stock Exchange

[02] President Clerides - Junior Chamber in Europe

[03] Akamas - British exercises

[04] Attorney General - Kurds - passport

[05] Council of Europe - Ocalan - Turkey

1600:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Cyprus Stock Exchange

      CSE General Index                         114.88  (-1.01)

      Traded Value            CYP 4,892,042

      Sectural Indices

      Banks                   CYP 2,484,366     142.04 (-1.20)
      Approved Investment
      Companies               CYP   261,804      72.78 (-1.64)
      Insurance Companies     CYP   204,041      76.82 (-2.26)
      Manufacturing Companies CYP   404,717      96.02 ( 1.60)
      Tourism Companies       CYP    75,867      78.77 (-1.67)
      Trading Companies       CYP   200,471      54.33 (-1.59)
      Other Companies         CYP   280,093      87.57 ( 0.64)

CNA MCH/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1630:CYPPRESS:02

[02] President Clerides - Junior Chamber in Europe

President Clerides said Cyprus "is very old in history but not too old as an independent state", as it "gained its independence in 1960", adding that "the period between 1960 and today has not been smooth".

He also referred to UN resolutions on Cyprus and the support of international fora for the solution of the Cyprus problem, and stressed that all efforts have been "ignored by Turkey" and that "we still have a foreign army of occupation in the middle of our country".

President Clerides pointed out that "we are not desperate", adding that "we survived many conquerors, some of which went from west to east and some went from east to west".

He said that all these conquerors have "gone, but we are still here and we tend to stay here and we intend to solve our problem".

Before receiving the participants of the Meeting, President Clerides met with the Chairman of the Junior Chamber International, Yong Suk Choi.

The Meeting began yesterday at the Hilton Hotel in Nicosia, and will end on February 21.

Addressing the Meeting yesterday, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, Nicos Rolandis, said the Cyprus government gives "special attention to young people, who form the future of our society".

He said that "it is in this respect that one recognises that the Junior Chamber International is dynamically contributing towards the advancement of the global community, with the set goals of giving young people the opportunity to develop leadership skills, social responsibility, fellowship and enterpreneurship, in order to create a positive change".

Rolandis referred to the objectives of Cyprus' development policy, which include attracting foreign investments, adding that "Cyprus is becoming an important business centre for international activities".

CNA MK/RG/MCH/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1645:CYPPRESS:03

[03] Akamas - British exercises

The decision was taken today during a meeting between representatives of the Foreign Ministry, the Defence Ministry, the National Guard, the British High Commission, and the British Bases.

The participants in the meeting discussed the possible use of the Kalo Horio National Guard firing range, in the Larnaca area, instead of Akamas, which has been pronounced a natural reserve.

The British Bases and the Cyprus Government have been deliberating an alternative site for British military exercises, especially after demonstrations by ecologists and environmentalists, who maintain that the Akamas region, which is to be transformed into a National Park, is facing destruction due to misuse.

CNA RG/MCH/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1945:CYPPRESS:04

[04] Attorney General - Kurds - passport

Alecos Markides said that after police inquiries there was no testimony relating any citizen of the Republic of Cyprus to the commitment of a criminal offence.

He explained that according to testimony by an Immigration Department's official, a passport in the name of Lazaros Mavros bearing the number 015918 was issued by the Cypriot authorities on July 10 1995.

"There is no doubt the passport was issued legally bearing Lazaros Mavros photo", the Attorney General said.

Alecos Markides also said that Lazaros Mavros, taking advantage of his rights as derived from the laws of the Cyprus Republic refused to answer to any questions of the inquisitor.

The police was unable to find the passport, Alecos Markides noted, adding that the passport had not been declared lost or stolen.

The Attorney General clarified the inquiry within the areas of Republic of Cyprus controlled by the government was completed, but "the whole inquiry should not be considered as completed".

He explained that further investigation abroad should follow as well as a scientific examination by Cypriot police experts of the Cypriot passport allegedly held by the Turkish authorities.

CNA AA/MCH/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

2030:CYPPRESS:05

[05] Council of Europe - Ocalan - Turkey

According to a press release issued by Council of Europe, Lord Russel Johnston "will seek assurances that the detention and the trial of Mr Ocalan will fully conform with the international obligations of the Turkish state, and in particular with the European Convention of Human Rights".

Lord Russel Johnston said "the presence of international observers at the trial would be in the interest of everybody, including the Turkish authorities, as it would remove the risk of unfounded accusations concerning the respect of internationally and constitutionally guaranteed rights of Mr Ocalan".

Lord Russel said he will also discuss the issue of death penalty, pointing out that "the abolition of capital penalty is one of the key principles of the CoE and all countries that recently joined the organisation had to commit themselves to abolish it".

Concluding Lord Russel said he intends to call for the "speeding up of the parliamentary procedure to amend the Turkish laws on the death penalty, as well as for the immediate adoption of a formal moratorium on the executions of all existing or future death sentences delivered by Turkish courts".

CNA AA/MCH/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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