Cyprus News Agency: News in English (PM), 99-03-18

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

CONTENTS

[01] Cyprus Stock Exchange

[02] House - Debate - Interior Minister

[03] Cyprus - WHO - Prize

[04] Electric Power Station - President Clerides

[05] UNFICYP commander - Extension of office

[06] Foreign Minister - Austria

[07] Police - Illegal immigrants

1500:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Cyprus Stock Exchange

      CSE General Index                         122.28 ( 0.14)

      Traded Value            CYP 6,392,985

      Sectural Indices

      Banks                   CYP 3,944,495     154.85 ( 0.41)
      Approved Investment
      Companies               CYP   243,501      75.72 ( 0.57)
      Insurance Companies     CYP   112,185      78.99 (-3.03)
      Manufacturing Companies CYP   234,604      96.88 (-0.02)
      Tourism Companies       CYP   283,890      84.76 ( 1.15)
      Trading Companies       CYP   168,457      51.56 ( 0.29)
      Other Companies         CYP   250,223      86.86 (-0.24)

CNA MM/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1530:CYPPRESS:02

[02] House - Debate - Interior Minister

The announcement was made by House President Spyros Kyprianou, shortly after the minister had handed in his resignation letter to President Glafcos Clerides.

"The deputies have accepted the proposal on condition that the postponement will not be for an indefinite period of time," Kyprianou said.

He added that the issue will probably be included in the agenda of the House meeting on April 2 and if need be on April 9 (the plenary of the House meets on Thursdays).

House Committee chairman, Christos Pourgourides, had charged that Interior Minister, Dinos Michaelides, had abused his power to alter construction rules in an area where he built his own house.

Michaelides' resignation comes only two days after Government Spokesman Christos Stylianides resigned because he disagreed strongly with a cabinet decision absolving the minister of any wrongdoing.

The House President said deputies will discuss two reports on the Michaelides case, a report by the House watchdog committee and that of the Ombduswoman.

"The House will deal with political responsibilities in the general sense of the word," Kyprianou explained.

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1800:CYPPRESS:03

[03] Cyprus - WHO - Prize

Speaking at a press conference, Solomis said the proposal for the joint award was made by the UAE and endorsed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) at its January meeting in Geneva.

The prize consists of a certificate, a commemorative plaque and 40,000 US dollars to be shared by the recipient or recipients of the award.

The award ceremony will take place in May at the Hall of Nations in Geneva during a World Congress on Health and the prize will go to the Centre for Information on Drugs and Rehabilitation of Addicted Persons (KENTHEA) and Egyptian Minister and professor Ismail Sallam.

"The recognition of the work done by KENTHEA is an honour not only for this charity but also for Cyprus," Solomis said.

KENTHEA chairman, Metropolitan of Kitium Chrysostomos, will be in Geneva to receive the award.

This charity has managed to bring under the same roof all voluntary organisations in Cyprus fighting drugs and aims to identify the problems and organise programmes which will prevent drug promotion and provide the necessary treatment and rehabilitation of drug addicts.

Cyprus is not facing a serious drug problem, but drug abuse has been on the increase in the past few years.

CNA MM/MA/1999

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1830:CYPPRESS:04

[04] Electric Power Station - President Clerides

The President described the work done "impressive and modern" and said all precautionary measures have been taken to protect the environment.

The power plant is expected to cost 380 million Cyprus pounds (one pound is about two US dollars).

"Once the project is completed, it will provide as much electricity as all the remaining power plants," he remarked, adding that work is proceeding as planned.

The Director of the project, Louis Zodiades, said the first phase, at an estimated cost of 160 m. pounds, will be ready in early 2000 and the two units of the second phase are expected to start operating in 2004.

The entire project is expected to be completed in 2008, he said.

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2010:CYPPRESS:05

[05] UNFICYP commander - Extension of office

De Vergara was appointed in February 1997 and his term in office expired in mid-February this year.

"I can confirm the UNFICYP Commander has been asked to stay on but I cannot say how long for as I do not know," UN spokeswoman Sarah Russell told CNA, invited to comment on reports that De Vergara will remain in his post.

She explained that "the actual situation is being handled by New York because they handle all appointments."

Russell could not say why the commander was asked to stay on and she said the matter should be referred to New York.

The office of the UN spokesman in New York told CNA that "we have nothing further to add to whatever you were told by the spokesperson in Cyprus."

Commenting on reports that Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash objects to an extension of the commander's stay in Cyprus, Russell restricted herself in saying that "the posts of the Chief of Mission and that of the Force's Commander are the only ones for which we have to have consent from both sides."

Pressed on for a reply to the question, she said the UN headquarters should be asked about this issue.

CNA MM/MA/1999

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2040:CYPPRESS:06

[06] Foreign Minister - Austria

Schussel was speaking after a meeting in Vienna with Cypriot Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides, who is on a tour for talks with his counterparts in Bonn, Vienna and Brussels.

"Nobody outside the EU has the right to veto," Schussel said, noting that by mid-summer half the chapters dealing with Cyprus' accession process will have been dealt with.

Asked if he backs a divided Cyprus joining the EU, Schussel pointed out that the best thing to do would be to intensify efforts to reunite the island in parallel with the accession negotiations.

In his remarks, Kasoulides described his talks "very frank and useful" and thanked Austria, who had the six-monthly rotating EU presidency in the second part of 1998, for its positive role in efforts to start accession negotiations in November last year.

Kasoulides, according to ANA, briefed his Austrian counterpart on attempts to resume the Cyprus peace talks in the summer in New York and referred to the support expressed by the G8 group (the seven most industrialised countries plus Russia).

The situation in the Balkans, Greco-Turkish relations, the arrest of the PKK (Kurdish Workers Party) leader Abdullah Ocalan and Turkey's position on Cyprus were some of the issues discussed at today's meeting between the two ministers.

Kasoulides also met the President of the Austrian Parliament Heinz Fischer whom he briefed on the latest developments in the Cyprus question.

Earlier today, the minister addressed the permanent council of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe and gave a lecture on "Cyprus on the way to the EU" at the EU's office in the Austrian capital.

The minister returns home on Saturday.

CNA MM/MA/1999

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2055:CYPPRESS:07

[07] Police - Illegal immigrants

A Police patrol boat and the force's helicopters, having located a boat carrying the immigrants, went out at sea to dissuade them from disembarking on Cyprus' shores.

Due to rough seas, the boat was in danger and police told the immigrants to follow the patrol boat to Larnaca port.

The boat left Tripoli, Lebanon, earlier today. Officials from the Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of Justice and Public Order are in close contact to deal with the matter.

Lebanon's charge d'affaires will also be at Larnaca port to handle the situation.

In the past year or so, there have been several boatloads of illegal immigrants arriving in Cyprus. Some of them are still being held in special detention centres.

CNA MM/MA/1999

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