Cyprus News Agency: News in English (AM), 99-04-16

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

CONTENTS

[01] Indian students - Cyprus trip

[02] US House - Cyprus - Bill

[03] Cypriot doctors - Yugoslavia

[04] Defence Minister - Buffer Zone incident

[05] Kasoulides - Euro-Mediterranean Conference

[06] Cyprus Stock Exchange

[07] European Parliament - Green - Cyprus

[08] Bank Manager - Imprisonment

0820:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Indian students - Cyprus trip

Rachita Mittal and Abhisek Khadria, aged 17, students of Delhi Public School, Noida, are expected to visit Cyprus between 19-28 April 1999.

The quiz contest was organised in collaboration with the Cyprus Ministry of Education and Culture and the Jawaharlal Nehru University, in New Delhi. More than 400 students from 60 schools took part in the competition.

The winners of the contest held on 4 October last year in New Delhi will be staying with Cypriot families.

CNA RM/GP/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1030:CYPPRESS:02

[02] US House - Cyprus - Bill

The position was included in an amendment on Cyprus adopted by the Committee and will be included in the State Department Authorisation Bill for the fiscal years 2000 and 2001.

The amendment notes that at the urging of the US government, the Republic of Cyprus "refrained from exercising the country's sovereign right to self-defence, a right fully recognised by the US government" and by the UN, and cancelled the deployment on Cyprus of the S300 defensive anti- aircraft missiles.

According to the provisions of the amendment, which was tabled by Congressman Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Cyprus "rerouted the missiles to the Greek island of Crete" following close cooperation with the US and Greek governments.

It says that "this extraordinarily conciliatory and courageous action was taken in the interest of peace" and that Cyprus displayed "full compliance" with the recently adopted Security Council resolutions 1217 and 1218.

The amendment emphasises that the "Republic of Cyprus has no navy, air force or army and faces one of the world's largest and sophisticated military forces, just minutes away, in Turkey", as well as an area described by the UN Secretary -General as 'one of the most densely militarised areas in the world' in the Turkish-occupied north of Cyprus.

It further notes that "in the light of this and similar extraordinary actions taken" by Cyprus, "the US should do all that it is possible to bring about commensurate actions by Turkey".

"The time has come for the US to expect from Turkey actions on the Cyprus issue in the interest of peace, including steps in conformity with US proposals concerning Cyprus and in compliance with" provisions of the two recent Security Council resolutions, the amendment adds.

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

CNA DA/EC/GP/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1040:CYPPRESS:03

[03] Cypriot doctors - Yugoslavia

The head of the delegation of the Cyprus branch of Doctors of the World, paediatric surgeon Dr. Eleni Theoharous told CNA today that the mission delivered top level medical supplies to Krajevo, south of Pristina.

A further two truckloads with medical supplies were sent yesterday to Yugoslavia via Bulgaria.

She said Krajevo, which was bombed on a daily basis and attacked by NATO missiles, is the first place for injured civilians to resort to.

The delegation, together with Serb doctors, were treating only emergency cases in underground facilities.

Dr. Theoharous, who went to Yugoslavia with another doctor, a nurse and two journalists, said the aim of their visit, was "to work with our Serb colleagues in the hospitals and try to convey the message that we are standing by their effort for national and natural survival".

She said Serb civilians were defying the "unjust and barbaric attack". "We wanted to send a message to all humanitarian organisations from European countries and the US that they cannot offer one-sided humanitarian help to the Kosovo refugees but to all people who need it," she added.

The Cypriot delegation remained in Yugoslavia for eight days and was able to ascertain excellent organisation in the country's hospitals with most doctors working round the clock.

CNA RG/EC/GP/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1100:CYPPRESS:04

[04] Defence Minister - Buffer Zone incident

Defence Minister, Yiannakis Chrysostomis told reporters here Friday that the armed Turkish soldier entered provocatively in the UN-controlled buffer zone, in Nicosia's eastern suburb of Kaimakli, holding his automatic rifle and approached the National Guard post.

The Turkish soldier was spotted by a Greek Cypriot soldier who asked him to stop. When he failed to do so, the National Guard soldier fired "two warning shots", the minister said.

Chrysostomis said the area was thoroughly searched afterwards. "It seems the Turkish soldier returned (to the occupied areas) and it was ascertained that he was not shot in any way," the minister added.

He added the Cyprus government made representations to the United Nations over the incident.

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

The 180-kilometre long buffer zone, across this eastern Mediterranean island, is patrolled by a 1.200-strong peacekeeping force.

CNA FZ/EC/GP/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1330:CYPPRESS:05

[05] Kasoulides - Euro-Mediterranean Conference

On the sidelines of the conference, the Cypriot minister met yesterday his Greek counterpart, George Papandreou and held separate meetings with the foreign ministers of Syria, The Netherlands, Portugal, Great Britain and Malta.

The foreign ministers of the 27 Euro-Mediterranean partners, (15 EU member states and 12 South Mediterranean partners) and the European Commission, will make an assessment of the process which was agreed upon during the Euro-Mediterranean Conference in Barcelona.

The objective of the two-day conference, which began yesterday, is to perpetuate the operating mode of the partnership in its positive elements, correct some elements in the light of the experience acquired and reflect on its development.

From Stuttgart, Kasoulides will go to Brussels to address a seminar on Cyprus organised by the European Commission. Ambassadors of Cyprus to European capitals will participate in the seminar.

Cyprus' accession process was launched in Brussels on March 30, 1998. The island applied for EU membership in 1990.

CNA EC/GP/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1450:CYPPRESS:06

[06] Cyprus Stock Exchange

      CSE General Index                         120.06 (-0.39)

      Traded Value            CYP 3,323,089

      Sectural Indices

      Banks                   CYP 1,814,780     152.32 (-0.52)
      Approved Investment
      Companies               CYP    87,509      72.39 (-0.29)
      Insurance Companies     CYP   104,995      76.71 ( 0.26)
      Manufacturing Companies CYP   131,124      93.01 (-0.32)
      Tourism Companies       CYP   237,544      85.94 ( 0.20)
      Trading Companies       CYP   136,676      49.98 (-0.91)
      Other Companies         CYP   381,249      84.94 ( 0.54)

CNA EC/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1455:CYPPRESS:07

[07] European Parliament - Green - Cyprus

She also said she understood the feeling of the people of Cyprus that the international community bases its policy on double standards, taking into consideration action in Yugoslavia.

Green said that she has "some sympathy with the underlying sense that is being expressed, because it has been a part of my criticism over 25 years, that nothing has been done to change the situation in Cyprus".

She stressed, however, that "no-one would advocate violent action of the sort we have seen in Yugoslavia, none of us would argue that it should happen in Cyprus".

"Nevertheless", she said, "the international community has let down Cyprus".

Green pointed out that there is enormous support for the resolve of NATO because there is a view that NATO should not stand by and allow minorities to be persecuted.

However she said this "is a very-very sensitive issue, particularly in the Balkan area, where you have got the Kurdish problem and nobody is taking a similar action against the oppression of the Kurds. We have also got the continuing problem of Cyprus which remains unresolved all these years late".

Referring to Cyprus' European Union accession course, Green said that last night a report was presented to the European Parliament by Cyprus rapporteur, Jan Wilhelm Bertens, who along with Commissioner Hans Van den Broek said that Cyprus is demonstrating "extremely good progress".

They indicated that "Cyprus is not just making good progress, but the best progress out of all the applicant states towards membership of the European Union".

"At every level of the acquis communautaire", she said, "Cyprus is advancing very fast towards integration".

Green said that next week she will be in Cyprus for the final meeting of the Joint EU-Cyprus Parliamentary Committee.

She added that the parliamentarians, who will meet in the western coastal town of Paphos, will be taken to the Akamas peninsula to see the "damage that has been done" by British Bases military exercises and "push the process which has now begun to try and stop the manoeuvres".

During her stay in Cyprus, Green will be received by President Glafcos Clerides and will hold separate meetings with Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides, UN Representative, Dame Ann Hercus and others.

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

CNA RG/EC/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1500:CYPPRESS:08

[08] Bank Manager - Imprisonment

Charalambos Kokkinos was found guilty of having embezzled 1 million 300 hundred thousand Cyprus pounds of the clients' money. (One Cyprus pound is trading at two US dollars).

Kokkinos was arrested last February when a bank employee accused him of transferring money from clients' accounts to a third account which he then appropriated.

CNA MK/EC/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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