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Thursday, 19 December 2024
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Cyprus News Agency: News in English (AM), 99-04-13Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org.cy>CONTENTS
1020:CYPPRESS:01[01] President Clerides - HercusNicosia, Apr 13 (CNA) -- Shuttle talks between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot sides resumed today after a brief interval, because of leave abroad taken by UN resident representative in Cyprus, Ann Hercus, who conducts the dialogue.This morning, President Glafcos Clerides met Hercus for about one hour and later in the week she is due to see the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community Rauf Denktash. "I have met this morning with His Excellency Mr. Clerides and there has been a small gap in the shuttle talks, while I have taken some leave, off island, and we are now back to regular meetings," Hercus told the press after her talks with the President. Hercus embarked on the shuttle talks last year in mid-October with a view to reduce tension on the island and help resume the intercommunal dialogue, stalled for months. The talks are shrouded in mystery so far and very little has emerged as to their content. Tomorrow Hercus is due to give a press conference. CNA RG/MM/MK/1999ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY1135:CYPPRESS:02[02] Pilgrimage - Apostle Andreas MonasteryNicosia, Apr 13 (CNA) -- Presidential Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs, Takis Christopoulos, expressed today his satisfaction that things went smoothly during yesterday's visit by 1452 Greek Cypriot pilgrims to the Turkish occupied Monastery of Apostle Andreas, on the most eastern tip of the island.Speaking to CNA, Christopoulos said the Turks "were very polite, everybody was pleased and everything ran smoothly despite the large number of pilgrims." Last month the Humanitarian Affairs Commission approved 1209 applications by Greek Cypriots who wanted to take part in the pilgrimage. Among them were old people and sick children as well as Greek Cypriots who live abroad. The total number of pilgrims included around 180 Greek Cypriots who work at the UN in Cyprus, he added. The next pilgrimage to the Monastery of Apostle Andreas is expected to take place on 15 August, a very important date in the Orthodox religious calendar. Monday's visit to the occupied Monastery is one of several such visits to and from both sides of the divide. Turkish Cypriots, living in the northern occupied part of the island, visit Moslem holy shrines in the southern areas to pray on religious feasts. The last such visit took place in March to the Halal Sultan Mosque, near Larnaca airport, when 1227 Turkish Cypriots crossed into the southern government controlled areas of Cyprus for the visit. CNA MK/MM/1999ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY1150:CYPPRESS:03[03] House President - Yugoslav AmbassadorNicosia, Apr 13 (CNA) -- The Yugoslav government believes last week's humanitarian mission to Belgrade by Cyprus House President, Spyros Kyprianou, with a view to secure the release of three American soldiers, was successful and positive, the country's Ambassador to Cyprus, Ivan Mrkic, has said.Kyprianou returned to the island empty-handed and said that the continuing NATO bombardment of Yugoslavia did not help his four-day mission. "My government sees the visit of the President of the House as very successful. We think that this visit was very successful and positive," Mrkic said after a meeting here today with Kyprianou. Asked why this was so, the Ambassador restricted himself in saying "they have their own reasons." Mrkic refrained from assessing the outcome of the Belgrade mission and referred the press to Kyprianou's comments on the issue. "I won't enter into any detail because actually I was not there," he added. Replying to questions, Mrkic said it was up to the House President to decide whether he will press on with his efforts to have the three Americans freed. The Ambassador said he also had the opportunity to inform the President of the House about yesterday's decision by the Federal Parliament of Yugoslavia regarding the Union of Yugoslavia with Russia and Bellarus. CNA AA/MM/1999ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY1325:CYPPRESS:04[04] Spokesman - UN talksNicosia, Apr 13 (CNA) -- Government Spokesman, Costas Serezis, said today that the shuttle talks on the Cyprus problem, conducted by UN Resident Representative Dame Ann Hercus, are continuing because they are considered necessary.Asked whether the shuttle talks are approaching their "use-by date", Serezis said that the continuation of the talks "means that they are necessary". Referring to this morning's meeting between President Glafcos Clerides and Dame Ann at the Presidential Palace, Serezis said that he had nothing more to add to the UN Representative's statement. Dame Ann had said that the shuttle talks have resumed after her holiday and that she would meet Turkish Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktash, later in the week. CNA RG/MM/1999ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY1330:CYPPRESS:05[05] Spokesman - Yugoslavia - CyprusNicosia, Apr 13 (CNA) -- Government Spokesman, Costas Serezis, said today that President Glafcos Clerides had expressed some views on the Kosovo crisis, which did not mean that he would be undertaking some kind of initiative.Serezis was invited to comment on a statement by Russian First Deputy Foreign Minister, Alexander Avdeyev, that President Clerides had made some suggestions regarding the Kosovo problem which Russia would examine. The Spokesman said that after being briefed by Avdeyev, the President "outlined some ideas on how the crisis could be defused, in order to reach a peaceful settlement". Serezis said that "many of the President's ideas were described by Avdeyev as wise". Responding to questions, Serezis said that "Cyprus believes in the intervention and the leading role of the UN Security Council", adding that the government supports the autonomy of Kosovo, within the territorial integrity of Yugoslavia. He also clarified that President Clerides did not intend to undertake an initiative on the problem, adding that to do so, "Cyprus would have to be asked to". Asked if the British Bases in Akrotiri, on the south of Cyprus, were being used for NATO purposes in Yugoslavia, Serezis said that the Bases are "too far away". He said that NATO has bases closer to the theatre of war in Italy. CNA RG/MM/1999ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY1330:CYPPRESS:06[06] House President - Russian AmbassadorNicosia, Apr 13 (CNA) -- Russia believes that NATO's intensified bombing of Yugoslavia in the past several days has contributed to the failure of last week's humanitarian mission to Belgrade by Cyprus House President, Spyros Kyprianou.Russia, through its Ambassador here, has also expressed its opposition to the involvement of ground forces in the Yugoslav crisis, warning that any such move would complicate the situation and result in a lengthy war. "There were positive prospects which NATO did not exploit and American forces not only did they fail to assist this mission but they intensified their bombing, something which affected in a negative way Kyprianou's mission," Russia's Ambassador to Cyprus Georgi Mouradov said here today. Speaking after a meeting with Kyprianou, following his attempt to free three American soldiers captured by the Yugoslav forces, Mouradov said his government sees this initiative "in a positive light and with sympathy." He said US moves "indicated they were not that interested in their captives." "Had they been interested, they should have stopped bombing and created a positive climate to help yield positive results," he added. Replying to questions, the Ambassador dismissed Israeli press reports that Russia's Foreign Minister was working with his Israeli counterpart while Kyprianou was on his Belgrade mission. "Ariel Sharon (Israeli FM) has asked some help from Russia for the release of the three soldiers but neither Russia nor Ivanov have made any promises on the matter," Mouradov explained. Asked if he thought Kyprianou could continue with his humanitarian mission, the diplomat replied that there is always room for political missions and for politicians to carry on but referred journalists to Kyprianou on this specific matter. Mouradov said Kyprianou briefed him about his visit to Belgrade as any other ambassador is briefed on such matters and he listened with interest to what Kyprianou had to say. Replying to questions, he said he did not participate in any preparations ahead of the Belgrade visit, but acknowledged he was informed about it. Noting he conveyed to the House President a Russian Duma declaration calling for an end to the offensive in Yugoslavia, Mouradov said "there are all the possibilities to return to political and diplomatic means which is the only way out of this situation." "It looks as if, as time goes by, the bombing does not yield any results. It is obvious that any involvement of ground forces will complicate the situation and will produce no results, except a lengthy war, " he warned. Commenting on the union of Yugoslavia, Russia and Belarus, announced yesterday, he described it as an act of political will and political move which will need time to be implemented. "This is a move with a economic-political character to it," he added. CNA AA/MM/EC/1999ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY1430:CYPPRESS:07[07] Cyprus Stock ExchangeNicosia, Apr 13 (CNA) -- The Cyprus Stock Exchange (CSE) All Share Index closed at today's stock exchange meeting as follows:
CSE General Index 121.43 ( 1.22)
Traded Value CYP 3,880,565
Sectural Indices
Banks CYP 2,327,848 154.25 ( 1.56)
Approved Investment
Companies CYP 108,806 73.07 ( 0.63)
Insurance Companies CYP 33,790 75.92 (-0.47)
Manufacturing Companies CYP 196,798 94.93 (-0.42)
Tourism Companies CYP 253,056 85.63 ( 1.73)
Trading Companies CYP 141,629 51.29 ( 1.75)
Other Companies CYP 56,914 85.03 ( 0.12)
The third column presents the percentage variation of the indices as
compared to the last meeting.
CNA EC/1999ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCYCNA ENDSCyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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