Cyprus News Agency: News in English (PM), 99-03-16

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

CONTENTS

[01] Cyprus Stock Exchange

[02] Mousioutas - International Year of the Elderly

[03] Clerides - Angelopoulos - Medal

[04] Stylianides - Resignation - Letter

[05] UN - Security Line Markers

1540:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Cyprus Stock Exchange

      CSE General Index                         121.36 ( 0.44)

      Traded Value            CYP 6,711,075

      Sectural Indices

      Banks                   CYP 3,438,557     153.27 ( 0.95)
      Approved Investment
      Companies               CYP   158,885      75.50 (-0.59)
      Insurance Companies     CYP   177,090      78.32 ( 0.12)
      Manufacturing Companies CYP   341,290      98.80 (-2.99)
      Tourism Companies       CYP   287,185      82.91 ( 1.82)
      Trading Companies       CYP    96,440      50.85 ( 0.65)
      Other Companies         CYP   120,354      86.83 (-0.49)

CNA EC/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1735:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Mousioutas - International Year of the Elderly

Speaking to the press on the occasion of the UN International Year for the Elderly, Mousioutas said annual state budget for the elderly amounts to some 200 million US dollars.

He admitted however, that the needs of senior citizens are not fully met.

The Labour and Social Insurance Minister said that at present there are seven state homes for the elderly serving the needs of 266 persons and 120 private ones serving the needs of another 4.243.

Mousioutas also said that his ministry is carrying out a study to ascertain and handle all problems relating to old age.

CNA MK/MCH/EC/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1750:CYPPRESS:03

[03] Clerides - Angelopoulos - Medal

At a special ceremony at the Presidential Palace, the President said that the honour "expresses the gratitude of Cypriot Hellenism" towards Angelopoulos' contribution to the art of cinematograph and for promoting Greece worldwide.

Referring to Angelopoulos' work, President Clerides said that "it stands out for its high quality, innovation and purity", making the famous director "the best ambassador of the quality of our civilisation in Europe and the rest of the world".

In 1992, Angelopoulos received the French medal of the Knight of the Legion and in 1995 was pronounced honourary lecturer of the Brussels University. He also received a number of other awards.

Present at today's ceremony were Greek Ambassador Kyriacos Rodousakis, Minister of Education and Culture Ouranios Ioannides, Presidential Commissioner Manolis Christofides, chairman of the Journalist's Union Andreas Kannaouros and a delegation of the Cultural Services of the Ministry of Education.

Angelopoulos is currently in Cyprus for the opening premier of his film "An Eternity and One Day", which won him the Gold Phoenix at the Cannes Film Festival.

CNA NG/RG/EC/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1830:CYPPRESS:04

[04] Stylianides - Resignation - Letter

The resignation was accepted by President Glafcos Clerides but Stylianides will stay on until a replacement is appointed.

He pointed out the decision was taken jointly with the Executive Secretariat of the Movement for Political Modernisation. Stylianides is a founding member of the Movement, which supported President Clerides' re- election in 1998.

In his letter of resignation to President Clerides, Stylianides pointed to his disagreement with a recent Cabinet decision concerning allegations of abuse of power for personal profit against Interior Minister, Dinos Michaelides.

The Cabinet exonerated Michaelides of the allegations, saying that "no further investigation is justified concerning the accusations".

The two allegations against Michaelides concerned alleged abuse of power at the immigration department and alleged unlawful enrichment through the sale of apartments.

Stressing that his disagreement to the decision was known, Stylianides said that "as a matter of principle" he could not defend the decision.

"The way the situation is developing and the prior history of the matter has turned it into a major political issue", Stylianides told the President.

As Government Spokesman with the "prime responsibility to defend in public the decisions of the Council of Ministers", Stylianides said he would be obliged, "in spite of my disagreement, to defend the Council's decisions".

"I believe that the Council of Ministers' decision downgrades it from the political organ par excellence of the Cypriot state to an organ which resorts to legalistic approaches," he said, adding that "this is even more so when the said decision is outside the spirit" of the Ombudswoman's report.

Stressing his "strongly-held views regarding the moral dimension of politics", Stylianides said he was faced with the dilemma of either dissociating himself from the political responsibility which is demanded by the post of Government Spokesman, or to remain in this post which would bring" him in conflict with the firm positions and programme of his movement.

These facts, he added, "force me to tender my resignation so as, on the one hand, to avoid the creation of an internal problem in the government, and on the other, not to find myself acting against what I profess, which would inevitably lead to a betrayal of my principles".

Stylianides stressed that his action "is not and should not be regarded as a censure or as disputing all government policies and particularly the person of the President of the Republic," underlying that it is well-known how vigorously he supported President Clerides' positions on the Cyprus problem and the island's European course.

Concluding, Stylianides thanked President Clerides for the trust he had showed in him during his term in office and said that he regarded his daily contact with the President "as a lesson on the moral approach to politics".

CNA MM/MCH/EC/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1925:CYPPRESS:05

[05] UN - Security Line Markers

Nicosia, Mar 16 (CNA) -- Turkish troops in the Paralimni area are moving buoys which were placed in waters of the free areas of the Republic of Cyprus.

Defence Ministry spokesman, Andreas Charides, told CNA that this development "satisfies" the Republic.

He explained that last Saturday, Turks began placing buoys a few metres into the free areas of the Republic, and that the authorities had complained to the United Nations, which in turn made representations to the illegal regime in the Turkish occupation north of the island.

Charides said that two of the three buoys remained in place, while the third was moved forward. A fourth was also placed well into waters controlled by the Cyprus Republic.

He said that the third had already been moved back, and that the Turks were working on moving the fourth.

UNFICYP spokeswoman, Sarah Russel, told CNA that "the good news" is that the buoys are further back than they originally were, i.e. further into the occupied areas.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37 per cent of the island's territory.

The UN patrols the 180 kilometre long buffer zone, dividing the island, with a view to maintaining the ceasefire lines and the military status quo.

The UN considers the maritime security line marking the midpoint between the 3,000 metres seaward extension of the ceasefire line.

CNA RG/EC/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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