Cyprus News Agency: News in English (AM), 99-04-24

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

CONTENTS

[01] Cyprus - Tremor

[02] Symposium - Journalists - EU

[03] Foreign Minister - Union of Cyprus Journalists - Serbian TV

1120:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Cyprus - Tremor

According to a Geological Department announcement, the quake's epicentre was Antalya in southern Turkey and was felt at 9.20 pm (1820 GMT) in the capital Nicosia and in the western area of Paphos.

No injuries or damage were reported.

CNA EC/RG/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1230:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Symposium - Journalists - EU

The main message at the opening of the symposium was that the media play a crucial role in forming public opinion on the subject of European integration.

Opening the symposium, Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides referred to globalisation and stressed the role of the media in each country's EU accession course.

Kasoulides said that the media "are called to respond to the multilateral invitation and challenge which this course provides".

He said that the media must inform citizens on what the EU is, and stressed that "informing public opinion is the link between each state's policy and the wider society".

Addressing the symposium, the head of the Delegation of the EU in Cyprus, Donato Chiarini, said that informing EU citizens on "their rights and obligations in the construction of the new Europe is of crucial importance".

Chiarini said that "better information and greater transparency are paramount" and stressed that this is a "difficult task".

He also made reference to the important role of the media in the information process and noted that "the better informed the citizens and the governments are, the better they will understand the Union".

The President of the Union of Cyprus Journalists, Andreas Kannaouros, said that developments in Yugoslavia underline the necessity for journalists to protect their freedom of expression, inform the public in an objective manner, and safeguard their independence.

He also said that the war in Yugoslavia "may spread to the rest of Europe and even further" and condemned NATO bombings, especially those aimed at the media, which he described as "a deplorable crime against the freedom of expression".

Referring to the Cyprus problem, Kannaouros said that the unification of the island is "in the interests of peace and security" and said that Cyprus "can and must become a bridge of cooperation and contact between three continents".

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

Secretary-General of the International Federation of Journalists, Aidan White, said that "politicians do not understand journalists", nor do they understand that "there is a unifying force in journalism".

White said that there is "a shadow cast over this meeting today" by NATO bombings of media targets, adding that "it goes against all the joint principles and common understanding which politicians and journalists have sought to bring together these last 10 years at the critical process of promoting integration and peace and stability in Europe".

The symposium aims at briefing the unions of the six candidate for EU accession countries (Cyprus, Estonia, Hungary, Poland, Slovenia and the Czech Republic) on the situation in their countries regarding the media, and on how to effectively overcome the problems which will arise from EU accession.

CNA RG/EC/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1240:CYPPRESS:03

[03] Foreign Minister - Union of Cyprus Journalists - Serbian TV

Foreign Minister, Ioannis Kasoulides, told reporters today, on the sidelines of a symposium of the Journalists Unions of the six candidates countries for accession to the European Union (EU), that it is sad that journalists and media establishments become "targets".

"If we start targeting journalists, we will not know when to draw the line", the Minister said.

The Union of Cyprus Journalists, in a statement Friday, described the bombing as a "monstrous criminal act" which led to the death of people who were carrying out their duties.

"We condemn the murderous attack against the freedom of the press and the freedom of expression", the Union stated, adding that it is a "crude violation of the fundamental principles of international law".

The Union also called on NATO to end its "ruthless bombing of Yugoslavia, protect the lives and mission of journalists, respect the human rights of people and solve all problems through peaceful means, based on UN and international law principles".

CNA EC/RG/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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