Cyprus News Agency: News in English (PM), 99-04-19

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

CONTENTS

[01] Viagra - Cyprus - Sales

[02] Cyprus Stock Exchange

[03] Vassiliou - EU - Chapters

[04] House President - Visit - Iran

[05] HSBC Holdings - Seminar

[06] Oncology Centre - official opening

[07] PSEKA - Annual Conference

[08] Kasoulides - Statements

[09] Tourism - Minister of Tourism

1700:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Viagra - Cyprus - Sales

The arrival of the long-awaited miracle drug was announced here Monday at a press conference by the distributor company, Geo. Pavlides & Araouzos.

Ten thousand pills are expected to be distributed to pharmacies today to meet demand, while the distributor company was inundated with phone calls this morning with additional orders.

However, there is a "price to pay" for anything new and innovative. Viagra comes in packs of four or eight tablets of various strengths and each tablet sells for 5,55 for 25 mg, 6.73 pounds for 50 mg and 8.16 pounds for 100 mg. (One Cyprus Pound trades at around two US dollars).

A spokesman for the makers of the miracle pill, the US pharmaceutical company Pfizer, said "our message to the public is not to be ashamed. Those who realise they have an erectile dysfunction, are not alone."

Distributors said viagra can only be offered on prescription, it is effective for up to four hours and can be taken by men between the ages of 18-85.

Viagra distributors warned that the tablet must never be used by men who are taking medicines that contain nitrates of any kind, at any time and this includes nitroglycerin.

It also helps a man with erectile dysfunction only when he is sexually aroused. Under no circumstances the drug is an aphrodisiac, a Pfizer spokesman added.

CNA MK/EC/MM/1999

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1800:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Cyprus Stock Exchange

      CSE General Index                         120.53 ( 0.39)

      Traded Value            CYP 5,495,235

      Sectural Indices

      Banks                   CYP 3,070,358     153.05 ( 0.48)
      Approved Investment
      Companies               CYP   164,723      72.80 ( 0.57)
      Insurance Companies     CYP    58.312      77.11 ( 0.52)
      Manufacturing Companies CYP   181,164      92.63 (-0.41)
      Tourism Companies       CYP   267,163      86.96 ( 1.19)
      Trading Companies       CYP   335,981      49.51 (-0.94)
      Other Companies         CYP   602,908      85.42 ( 0.57)

CNA EC/1999

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1810:CYPPRESS:03

[03] Vassiliou - EU - Chapters

Cyprus' chief negotiator in the accession talks with the EU, George Vassiliou, described as "very friendly" a meeting held today in Brussels with representatives from the 15 member-states, within the framework of substantive accession negotiations between Cyprus and the EU.

The two chapters, which were concluded, are Telecommunications and Information Technologies and Statistics. Negotiation is pending on Consumers and health protection and Fisheries.

Regarding Telecommunications, Vassiliou said Cyprus wished to waive its right for a transition period to adjust. This right was granted to Cyprus last November.

He explained that the telecommunications sector in Cyprus is technologically advanced with a high standard of services and that it should be considered almost certain it will fully harmonise with the acquis communautaire by January 1, 2003 when the next enlargement will take place, Vassiliou said.

The Cypriot delegation's announcement was welcomed by the representatives of the 15 EU member-states.

The chapter of Statistics was also finalised after a presentation by Vassiliou.

He said the island's Statistics Service is increasingly becoming more independent and will obtain an upgraded role, especially with the creation of an Advisory Committee, which will be comprised of members of the private and public sectors.

Referring to the Consumers and Health Protection policy chapter and the Fisheries chapter, it was ascertained that there was insufficient time to prepare the positions of Cyprus and the EU.

Cyprus has already provided the European Commission with the additional information which was required. Negotiation on these two chapters will take place during the next meeting of the negotiators.

The former Cyprus President assured the EU that the east Mediterranean island applicant is ready to implement the EU policy on the Consumers and Health Protection chapter "sooner than the set deadline".

The Cypriot delegation presented its positions on the Fisheries chapter, noting that the island's fisheries fleet and improved trading of the fisheries' products will be safeguarded.

The next negotiators' meeting will be held on May 19, in Brussels, while the ministerial meeting between the EU and Cyprus, where final decisions will be taken, will be held in Luxembourg on June 22.

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

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1930:CYPPRESS:04

[04] House President - Visit - Iran

According to a statement by the House of Representatives, the visit will take place between 15-17 May, 1999.

The visit was announced after today's meeting between Kyprianou and Iranian Ambassador to Cyprus, Ali Akbar Farazi.

Kyprianou has also accepted an invitation from his Slovak counterpart, to pay an official visit to Slovakia.

The invitation was conveyed to Kyprianou by the Ambassador of Slovakia to Cyprus, Dusan Rozbora. No date has been arranged for the visit.

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1930:CYPPRESS:05

[05] HSBC Holdings - Seminar

The key note speaker, Robert Cooper, Regional Money Laundering Control Officer with HSBC Holdings, is expected to present an outline of international regulations designed to combat money laundering.

The meeting on April 29, is expected to be attended by more than 250 delegates and will tackle Cypriot legislation on the issue and money laundering deterrence policy. It will also look into some case studies and examine whether the Euro constitutes a money laundering threat.

Participants will exchange views on fraud prevention and a special operation called Casablanca, as well as the use of the Internet, the PC and TV banking in connection with money laundering.

The Governor of the Central Bank, Afxentis Afxentiou, Cyprus' chief negotiator in the accession talks with the European Union, George Vassiliou and Michael Bussey, chief executive officer private banking Europe/Middle East will also address the seminar.

A similar seminar on money laundering two years ago was a resounding success, according to the organisers.

HSBC Holdings has over 5,000 offices in 79 countries and territories and assets of 483 billion US dollars at 31 December 1998. HSBC Holdings is among the world's largest banking and financial services organisations.

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2150:CYPPRESS:06

[06] Oncology Centre - official opening

The construction and equipment of Oncology Centre, the first of its kind in Cyprus, cost 6,5 million CYP (one CYP trades at two US dollars approximately).

It aims to offer treatment not only to Cypriots but also to people from neighbouring countries.

In his speech, President Clerides said the Centre can offer sophisticated treatment which was only available overseas, something which will reduce the number of Cypriots seeking treatment abroad.

The chairman of the Bank of Cyprus Group, Solon Triantafillides said the Centre "is the island's top medical centre on the diagnosis and treatment of cancer".

He expressed the hope that it will become a regional medical centre.

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2155:CYPPRESS:07

[07] PSEKA - Annual Conference

"This year's conference will highlight the 25th anniversary of the Turkish invasion and occupation of Cyprus", a PSEKA statement said.

"Participants will meet over 30 US senators and members of Congress who serve on the key committees and subcommittees and others that play a major role in the formulation of US policy toward Cyprus, Greece and Turkey, " PSEKA added.

During the conference, PSEKA will honour President Bill Clinton's Chief of Staff, John Podesta, Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs, Marc Grossman and John Catsimatidis, a most prominent Greek American businessman and president of the archdiocese and council of the Greek Orthodox church.

At previous conferences participants have met President Bill Clinton, Vice President Al Gore, Special Presidential Emissary, Richard Holbrooke and others.

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2200:CYPPRESS:08

[08] Kasoulides - Statements

Speaking here Monday on his return from Brussels, Kasoulides described his meeting with the Cypriot diplomats as "very useful and especially constructive".

"We have discussed and agreed on positions and arguments, as well as ways to act to promote the accession course and the Cyprus problem", the minister added.

Before Brussels, Kasoulides attended the third Euro-Mediterranean Conference of Foreign Ministers in Stuttgart, Germany.

During the conference he put forward a proposal to set up a Euromediterranean Development Bank to promote economic development in the region.

Kasoulides also proposed the establishment of a team of experts from all Euro-Med countries to deal with illegal immigration.

Regarding the Euro-Mediterranean partnership, Kasoulides said Cyprus considers it especially significant because it will give the island the ability, as a future EU member, "to act as a bridge which will economically unite Europe with the Middle East".

Invited to comment on the results so far, of the Turkish elections, Kasoulides said "surely the results cannot be considered positive for Cyprus".

He pointed out however that in the past no Turkish government had made any positive difference towards a Cyprus settlement.

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

The island applied for EU membership in 1990 and its accession process was launched in Brussels in March 1998.

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2205:CYPPRESS:09

[09] Tourism - Minister of Tourism

In a speech at the Larnaca Rotary Club, the minister said in spite of adverse conditions, 1998 can be described as a "good year for the tourist industry."

Arrivals of tourists increased by 6,5 per cent (2.223.000 tourists), a figure that brought into the country a revenue of 880 million CYP (one CYP is about two US dollars).

"This year is expected to be better", the minister said. Rolandis said the Cyprus Tourism Organisation, bearing in mind the need to create a long term policy on tourism, has undertaken to establish a new marketing strategy.

A study on the tourist strategy until the year 2010, will be ready in a month and final decisions on what should be done will be taken by the summer, Rolandis added.

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