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

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

CONTENTS

[01] UN Secretary-General - Cyprus

[02] European Delegation - Cyprus - Website

[03] President - Political Parties - Dialogue

0925:CYPPRESS:01

[01] UN Secretary-General - Cyprus

Replying to questions during a press conference in New York yesterday the UN chief also said the Cyprus government decision not to deploy the Russian made S300 missile system helped reduce tension.

"We will continue our efforts to try to seek a solution to this conflict. It is not an easy conflict and as you know we have lived with it quite a while," Annan said.

He added that the Cyprus problem has become "a bit more complicated for various reasons", but did not elaborate.

The UN Secretary-General expressed the hope that "in the course of this year we may be able to move the process a bit more, because of a certain initiative we are taking, but I am not in a position to get into details at this stage."

UN resident representative Dame Ann Hercus began on-island contacts with the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot sides in October 1998 aiming at the reduction of tension and an overall settlement in Cyprus, divided since Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37 per cent of its territory in 1974.

Annan said that "based on the work of Dame Ann Hercus the S300 missiles were not deployed and that has helped reduce tension somewhat."

Last month Nicosia, Athens and Moscow agreed on the deployment of the S300 in Greece.

The UN chief also expressed the hope "there will be no war between Greece and Turkey".

Asked about relations between the two NATO allies and the abduction by Turkey of rebel Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan, in mid-February after he had left the Greek embassy in Kenya for the airport, Annan said the UN has been following developments.

"We have all followed the developments with the arrest of Ocalan and also the relationship between Turkey and Greece, but I hope this difficult period of tension will be overcome and it is not going to lead to any war," he said.

CNA MA/MCH/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1000:CYPPRESS:02

[02] European Delegation - Cyprus - Website

A Delegation press release says the site includes background information, information on the Union's institutions, the Euro as well as a Euro-rate converter and press releases that relate to Cyprus.

The website address is: http://www.ec-eu-delegation.com.cy It is currently operational in English but will soon be accessible in Greek and Turkish.

The site also includes further web links for more detailed information on the EU and its programme of cooperation and the latest on the accession negotiations.

Cyprus, along with five eastern and central European countries opened accession talks with the EU last year.

The Cyprus team negotiating accession launched its own website earlier this year, in Greek and Turkish, with the main aim of informing Turkish Cypriots on the Republic's EU course.

CNA MA/MCH/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1420:CYPPRESS:03

[03] President - Political Parties - Dialogue

"We believe this dialogue is a historic challenge to us all and it will help us reach consensus on pivotal issues to avoid any delay and avert any derogations from the acquis communautaire," Government Spokesman Christos Stylianides said here today.

The start of substantive negotiations with the European Union last November has underlined the need to speed up the process of harmonisation with EU norms.

Stylianides said the dialogue will start with the issue of liberalisation of the monetary system. Talks will move on the other issues, including value added tax (VAT), telecommunications and fiscal matters.

The President has called on the political leadership to enter the dialogue in a constructive spirit and said the government wished to "listen and study" the views of the parties before tabling the relevant bills, concerning Cyprus' harmonisation effort.

The government, he added, will then try to formulate bills which would have the best possible chance of consensus.

CNA MM/MA/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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