Cyprus News Agency: News in English (PM), 99-03-26

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

CONTENTS

[01] President Clerides - Orek's death

[02] Chief Negotiators - Meeting

[03] Cyprus Stock Exchange

[04] President Clerides - Kosovo crisis

[05] AKEL Secretary General - Saint Mary's Hospital

[06] President of the House - Ambassador of Yugoslavia - Kosovo

[07] AKEL-Demonstration-American Embassy

1500:CYPPRESS:01

[01] President Clerides - Orek's death

Government Spokesman, Costas Serezis said today "President Clerides was saddened by the news of Orek's death and expresses his sincere condolences to his family".

Orek, who died while on a trip to London, was born in Nicosia in 1925. He participated in the London Conference where representatives of Greece, Turkey, Britain and the two communities on the island signed an agreement for the final settlement of the Cyprus dispute, establishing the independent state of the Republic of Cyprus.

From 1960 to 1963 he served as first Defence Minister, one of the three Turkish Cypriot Ministers, according to the Cyprus Constitution.

The Constitution imposed on the people of Cyprus under the Zurich and London Agreements in 1959 had been described by UN Mediator on Cyprus, Galo Plaza in his report to the UN Secretary General in 1965 as "a constitutional oddity".

Difficulties in its implementation led the first President of the Republic, Archbishop Makarios, to suggest thirteen amendments in November 1963.

The Turkish government claimed the amendments were "unacceptable" and the Turkish Cypriots withdrew from the government.

CNA EC/MCH/GP/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1520:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Chief Negotiators - Meeting

Vassiliou was speaking on the sidelines of the fifth meeting of the Chief negotiators of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Poland and Slovenia, which will be included in the first wave of EU enlargement. The two-day meeting opened today in Limassol.

"For us, the six candidate member-states, it is (the agreement) of paramount importance because if there was no agreement, then it is almost certain that there would have been a delay in the accession process", Vassiliou said.

EU leaders agreed on a compromise package on far-reaching budget reforms after marathon talks.

The Agenda 2000 package aims to stabilise EU spending on farm and regional aid programmes that swallow most of its 94 billion dollar annual budget.

The Cypriot negotiator was informed about the EU leaders' decision by Greece's Alternate Foreign Minister, Yiannos Kranidiotis.

Meanwhile, at their meeting in this southern coastal town, the six negotiators are examining issues concerning competition policy, free movement of goods and capital, harmonisation of the banking sector with the acquis, the financial aspects of the Agenda 2000, the negotiating positions of the eight chapters of the acquis and potential coordination of timetables.

Vassiliou said the negotiators would try to formulate a common policy in speeding up the accession process.

The negotiators will be received this afternoon by President Glafcos Clerides. Tomorrow they will give a press conference at the end of their deliberations.

Cyprus applied for EU membership in 1990. It signed an association agreement in 1972 and a customs union protocol in 1987.

CNA SC/EC/GP/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1530:CYPPRESS:03

[03] Cyprus Stock Exchange

      CSE General Index                         120.76 (-2.63)

      Traded Value            CYP 6,521,049

      Sectural Indices

      Banks                   CYP 3,541,217     152.54 (-3.33)
      Approved Investment
      Companies               CYP   170,403      74.12 (-2.44)
      Insurance Companies     CYP    59,290      76.81 (-1.95)
      Manufacturing Companies CYP   274,584      96.86 (-0.22)
      Tourism Companies       CYP   583,502      84.39 (-0.99)
      Trading Companies       CYP   503,736      51.98 (-2.24)
      Other Companies         CYP   158,124      87.18 (-0.17)

CNA MCH/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1530:CYPPRESS:04

[04] President Clerides - Kosovo crisis

Speaking to a group of students and teachers of the University of Athens Philosophical School, who are visiting the island, Clerides also called for greater interest to the problem from the UN Security Council.

"The problem should be peacefully resolved. Kosovo should remain within the borders of (the Federal Republic of) Yugoslavia. It is another issue if it should receive a certain autonomy," Clerides remarked.

"The UN Security Council should show interest," he added. Replying to a question on the consequences of the Kosovo crisis in developments in the Cyprus problem, the President agreed that priority is given to problems of direct confrontation.

He added, however, that he would not go to the extent of saying that initiatives on the Cyprus problem would be affected.

President Clerides also expressed the view that increased interest in the Cyprus problem derives from "fears that the way it is developing, with the joint defence pact (between Greece and Cyprus) and armaments, could lead to a Greco-Turkish clash, which could affect stability in the eastern Mediterranean and the Aegean".

Clerides stressed once again that the Cyprus problem is not bi- communal, despite certain differences in interpreting the Constitution between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, but a problem of invasion and continuous occupation.

Meanwhile replying to questions on the Kosovo crisis, Government Spokesman, Costas Serezis, said the Cyprus government did not share views of a possible clash between Greece and Turkey as a result of the Kosovo crisis.

The Spokesman was asked to comment on a relevant statement by US President Bill Clinton.

Serezis also said that the British military bases on the island were not used in the NATO air strikes against Yugoslavia, pointing out that there are NATO bases situated closer to the country, as for example those in Italy.

CNA DG/EC/MCH/GP/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1545:CYPPRESS:05

[05] AKEL Secretary General - Saint Mary's Hospital

The leader of Cyprus' leading opposition party will remain in the UK for one more week and is expected to return back to Cyprus on Thursday, April 1.

Leaving the hospital, Christofias thanked the doctors who performed the operation, his wife and his personal doctor Michael Minas.

Minas said AKEL Secretary General will be in a position to undergo a kidney transplant operation within three months' time.

CNA AA/MCH/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1640:CYPPRESS:06

[06] President of the House - Ambassador of Yugoslavia - Kosovo

Speaking after a meeting with the Ambassador of Yugoslavia in Nicosia Ivan Mrkic, who conveyed to him a written message from his country's leadership, Kyprianou called on NATO "to stop immediately the raids" against Yugoslavia.

He also called for fresh, "sober" negotiations in order to settle every political issue in the region, adding that NATO's military action marks a "new situation" in the world political scene.

If that "new situation" is not set right immediately, that will result in the abolition of the UN Security Council, he pointed out, adding that as a result, international law will be valid "only when the superpower wants it".

Referring to Europe, Kyprianou said the peoples of the continent must realise that "at least on serious issues, Europe has not yet become independent of the US".

He said that if the European Union's role is only to strengthen the economies of the member-states, it "will not survive".

In order to survive, the EU must be based on principles which it must support, choosing "to defend itself and resist".

On his part, Mrkic said "the civilian casualties are growing" in his country because of NATO strikes, adding that "we have many women and children killed".

"We think that is the greatest criminal act against the country", Mrkic pointed out, expressing the hope, "all countries, all friendly, democratic countries will raise their voice in support of Yugoslavia".

Mrkic pointed out that his country is "threatening nobody" and "will not surrender".

In its message, the Yugoslav leadership describes NATO strikes as "unprovoked" and "in direct contravention of the Charter of the UN and fundamental principles of international law".

Yugoslavia, "as an independent, sovereign and peace-loving country, does not endanger anyone, does not threaten anyone, does not question anyone's interests, but strictly respects the Charter of the UN", the message goes on.

Referring to Yugoslavia's "huge contribution to the achievement and implementation of the Dayton - Paris peace agreement for Bosnia - Herzegovina", the message says the country "has legally and practically embraced and developed the policy of full national equality, tolerance, equal opportunities for all citizens without any discrimination".

CNA GG/MCH/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1920:CYPPRESS:07

[07] AKEL-Demonstration-American Embassy

Over 500 demonstrators marched from Eleftheria square, in the centre of Nicosia, to the American Embassy chanting slogans like "USA and NATO, murderers' union" and "Long live peoples' friendship" and burnt an American flag.

The demonstrators approved a petition condemning the American-NATO attacks and bombings against Yugoslavia and expressed their solidarity to the Yugoslavian people.

They accused the US and NATO of following a double-standards' policy and expressed anger because the European Union, mainly composed of social- democratic governments, as they point out, has not opposed US plans.

The area around the US embassy was patrolled by a strong police force.

CNA AA/MCH/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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