Cyprus News Agency: News in English (AM), 99-05-31

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

CONTENTS

[01] President Clerides - Greek Foreign Undersecretary

[02] Committee of Relatives of Missing - Exhumations

[03] Israeli submarine - Location

1045:CYPPRESS:01

[01] President Clerides - Greek Foreign Undersecretary

Speaking after a meeting with the President, Niotis said "this big gathering of Hellenes abroad will be dedicated to the new millennium and the joint visions and efforts of Hellenism as well as the Cyprus question."

He said Greek President Constantinos Stephanopoulos and Greek Premier Costas Simitis will also address the opening ceremony of the meeting.

Niotis said the problem of Cyprus, the continuing military occupation by Turkey of one third of the island, will be the focus of discussions at the December congress.

Replying to questions, he said Cyprus' European Union accession course could act as a catalyst in efforts to settle the protracted Cyprus question and pointed out that a political solution is not a precondition to Cyprus' EU membership.

He also said that after an agreement is reached, NATO could participate in an international force on the island.

CNA MM/RG/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1110:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Committee of Relatives of Missing - Exhumations

Committee co-chairman Nicos Theodosiou has appealed to everybody and especially the media to show respect for the feelings of relatives and their suffering and treat the entire task with dignity.

Speaking to the press, Theodosiou described this project as a "difficult phase" and stressed "this issue should not be used to increase ratings or circulation."

"We the relatives of missing are reliving the tragic days of 1974 when prisoners of war returned home but our beloved persons have not," he explained.

There is a need for respect of the living and the dead, he added. There are 1,619 persons listed as missing since the Turkish invasion and so far the fate of only one person (an American citizen of Greek descent) has been ascertained.

The government of Cyprus has decided to exhume remains of war dead in two cemeteries in and around Nicosia and establish the identity of those buried there through scientific means.

Theodosiou also said the work done today may pave the way for renewed efforts to investigate the fate of the missing.

The Turkish Cypriot side has refused to cooperate in these efforts and comply with the provisions of an agreement, reached in July 1997 between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot sides, to exchange information about the location of graves and return the remains of those found to be dead for proper burial.

CNA MM/RG/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1200:CYPPRESS:03

[03] Israeli submarine - Location

"They have been looking for the submarine for quite a long time and we went out there, a very good team, and we found it," captain Duncan McKenzy of the "Flying Enterprise" has told CNA.

He said "it was hard work but with dedication we found it." Dakar was located at 3000 metres in an area between Crete, Cyprus and Egypt.

The search area covered between 2.500 and 3.000 metres deep and it was marked to facilitate the task, the captain said.

"The submarine itself showed up very well on the sonar and the technicians were delighted about it, we called in our Cypriot ship, the Argonaut, and they deployed a remote operation vehicle and took pictures," he explained.

The recent search for the Dakar started 25 days ago and now it is up to the Israeli navy to decide whether to raise it or not.

Dakar disappeared in January 1968 while on a journey from England to Haifa, where the then Israeli Premier Golda Meyer was preparing to welcome the vessel to the country.

Since then, the search for Dakar has continued but yielded no results until last Friday.

CNA MM/RG/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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