Cyprus News Agency: News in English (AM), 99-06-18

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

CONTENTS

[01] British Foreign Secretary - Cyprus issue

[02] Cyprus Stock Exchange

[03] G8 - Cyprus problem

0915:CYPPRESS:01

[01] British Foreign Secretary - Cyprus issue

"We expect that Britain and other countries will seek to put a new momentum in the UN process for the Cyprus talks," British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook told reporters after talks with his Greek counterpart George Papandreou here last night.

Cook said "what we want to see is for those talks to get underway without preconditions from either side."

Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash, backed by Ankara, has been refusing to participate in peace talks unless his illegal regime in the areas of Cyprus occupied by Turkey since 1974 is recognised.

He has been demanding talks aimed at establishing a "confederation of two states", a precondition rejected by the UN and the Cyprus government as it is contrary to UN resolutions and two previous agreements reached between the two sides stipulating for a bizonal, bicommunal federation.

The leaders from the Group of seven most industrialised countries and Russian (G8), whose meeting in Cologne begins today, are expected to call for an unconditional resumption of Cyprus peace talks based on UN resolutions.

Asked whether similar efforts to those aimed at the return of the Kosovar refugees to their homes will be taken for some 200 thousand Greek Cypriot refugees forced to flee their property after the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus, Cook said an overall settlement on the island must address this issue.

"The position is that any final settlement must of course find a solution to those who have been displaced from their homes," the British Secretary said.

He added that "the first thing is to get both sides around the table without preconditions so we can make progress on the political issue."

Referring to Cyprus' bid to join the European Union, Cook said Britain has been one of the "strongest supporters" of the Republic's accession.

"We want that to go forward because we believe Cyprus has got a strong case on its merits," he added.

Cyprus opened substantive accession talks with the EU late last year and is considered to lead other applicant countries in its adoption of European norms and regulations.

The British Foreign Secretary said "it would greatly help us to secure a successful outcome of the accession negotiations if we could find a solution to the division of the island."

CNA KT/MA/GP/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1430:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Cyprus Stock Exchange

      CSE General Index                         155.05 (-0.19)

      Traded Value            CYP  7,300,773

      Sectural Indices

      Banks                   CYP 1,550,489     205.78 (-0.47)
      Approved Investment
      Companies               CYP   203,697      78.60 ( 0.80)
      Insurance Companies     CYP   411,616      83.13 ( 0.08)
      Manufacturing Companies CYP   597,606      96.24 ( 1.05)
      Tourism Companies       CYP   414,188     112.12 ( 0.60)
      Trading Companies       CYP   551,322      65.33 (-1.60)
      Other Companies         CYP 1,343,457     112.07 ( 1.56)

CNA EC/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1430:CYPPRESS:03

[03] G8 - Cyprus problem

Cologne, Jun 18 (CNA) -- As the leaders of the seven most industrialised nations and Russia (G8) prepare for their summit today, indications are they will adopt a recommendation, approved last week by their Foreign Ministers, despite Turkey's strong opposition Turkey to their involvement in the Cyprus question.

Bilateral meetings are well underway and already US President Bill Clinton has had a meeting this morning with Japanese Premier Keizo Obuchi and is scheduled to meet with British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

G8 diplomatic sources stress however that their effort comes as no substitute to the UN peace effort but as "supportive" of it and that their overriding goal is to get the two sides back to the negotiating table, where all issues can be up for discussion.

As one French diplomat put it, "the role of the UN must be decisive" and reiterated his country's backing for a Cyprus settlement within the UN framework providing for a bizonal, bicommunal federation.

According to American diplomats, Turkey's strong opposition to the G8 effort on Cyprus stems from Russian active involvement in this attempt and the absence of any direct or indirect reference to Turkish demands for a confederation of two states on the island.

They also argue that Ankara objects to the fact that yet another international organisation appears to be chastising it for the absence of a desire to solve the Cyprus question.

The US believes Turkish concerns about the G8 involvement might put in jeopardy the group's entire effort to give an impetus to Cyprus peace talks, nonetheless the American administration is of the view that the timing of this effort is just as good as any other period.

There is now a government in Turkey, following the April elections, and despite concerns about Greco-Turkish relations, especially after the Ocalan affair, both countries seem to have worked during the Kosovo crisis within the NATO framework.

Western diplomats express the hope that Turkey will change its stance to allow negotiations to take place but following public statements from Ankara about the G8 effort, they do not appear too encouraged.

They do however take note of the readiness of the government of Cyprus to respond positively to a call by the UN Secretary General for the resumption of intercommunal talks without preconditions.

On its part the government of Cyprus has made it clear to the leaders of the G8 that such talks, if they were to resume, would have to take place within the framework of the UN Security Council resolutions on Cyprus and on the basis of the two high level agreements of 1977 and 1979.

The government has also expressed the view that the G8 involvement and active support of UN efforts "is of particular importance", noting that the influence and leading role of the eight nations can contribute in an effective manner in the UN effort to settle the protracted Cyprus problem.

CNA MM/MCH/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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