Cyprus News Agency: News in English (PM), 99-06-23

Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

CONTENTS

[01] Government - Cyprus Airways - Strike

[02] Cyprus - AMAN - Lebanon

[03] Cyprus Stock Exchange

[04] Pangalos - Cyprus - Yugoslavia

[05] Pilots - Strike - Liberalisation of flights

[06] German envoy - Visit

[07] Turk detained - Animal theft

[08] EU negotiator - Visit

1540:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Government - Cyprus Airways - Strike

The government has also said the strike measures are "unnecessary, against the rules and destructive", noting that the attitude of the pilots is "unacceptable and blackmail, which takes no heed of the interests of the country."

In a written statement, the government called on the pilots' trade union (PALPU) to "understand the gravity of its responsibility towards Cyprus Airways and the country itself and review immediately its stance by calling off the strike."

Tuesday's 24-hour strike affected some 3,000 passengers and grounded the airline's fleet.

PASIPI called the strike to protest against Cyprus Airways, who they say, has reneged on an agreement about procedures to fill in vacancies for captains in Eurocypria, the national carriers charter subsidiary.

The company says collective agreements signed with unions clearly state that Eurocypria pilots have priority.

"The government and Cyprus Airways will take all appropriate measures to accord the best possible service for the passengers and to lessen the fallout of the strike on tourism and the economy," the statement said.

The government, it adds, is determined to safeguard the interests of Cyprus Airways employees and other workers who are indirectly affected by the strike.

CNA MM/MA/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1625:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Cyprus - AMAN - Lebanon

NNA is playing host to the 8th General Assembly of AMAN, which was opened today by Lebanon's Information Minister Anwar El-Khalil.

All 17 AMAN full-member-agencies and two observers are represented in the Beirut General Assembly.

Handing over the presidency during the opening ceremony at a Beirut hotel, CNA Director Themis Themistocleous wished best success to the endeavours of the new one-year President of the Alliance Khalil Khoury, the NNA Director General, to further the aims of AMAN.

He assured him that CNA will always be ready to assist in any way it can.

CNA, which acted as President of the Alliance from June 1998 to June 1999, will now be first Vice-President of AMAN's follow up executive committee.

Khoury told the opening ceremony that the Alliance "is rather a comprehensive gathering responsible for putting its decisions into implementation. This is what we shall seek to accomplish through the activation of executive apparatuses".

During the first working session of the General Assembly, Themistocleous presented his assessment report as the outgoing President.

He referred to various activities undertaken by CNA as AMAN President and made a number of recommendations to further develop this grouping made up of national news agencies of both shores of the Mediterranean.

The CNA Director is accompanied to the 8th General Assembly by the agency Chief Editor George Penintaex.

Tomorrow participants will visit Lebanese leaders and conclude their General Assembly in the afternoon.

CNA GP/MA/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1700:CYPPRESS:03

[03] Cyprus Stock Exchange

      CSE General Index                         156.81 ( 0.74)

      Traded Value            CYP  9,672,396

      Sectural Indices

      Banks                   CYP 1,675,973     205.97 (-0.05)
      Approved Investment
      Companies               CYP   256,729      78.87 ( 1.40)
      Insurance Companies     CYP   239,439      83.93 ( 3.16)
      Manufacturing Companies CYP   505,677      92.96 (-1.53)
      Tourism Companies       CYP   621,712     116.49 ( 1.28)
      Trading Companies       CYP 2,552,967      78.03 ( 9.72)
      Other Companies         CYP 1,280,446     120.80 ( 8.21)

CNA MA/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1725:CYPPRESS:04

[04] Pangalos - Cyprus - Yugoslavia

He also acknowledged US President Bill Clinton's remarks that NATO will intervene anywhere around the globe where ethnic cleansing is taking place and called on the international community to impose its code of conduct everywhere, including Cyprus, where human rights are being violated by Turkey for more than two decades.

Speaking on arrival, Pangalos expressed hope that, after Kosovo, Europe will "get back on track and move towards progressive enlargement to encompass an area which is politically and culturally European."

Cyprus, he added, no doubt belongs to this area. Commenting on Kosovo, he said Greeks are sensitive to the protection of human rights and have known all along that Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic committed scores of crimes.

"However, we demand and have said it many times that there should be no double standards," Pangalos said.

Invited to comment on Clinton's statement that NATO will intervene in trouble spots around the globe, he said "the issue of human rights is no longer an internal matter for each country and no powerful tyrant can impose his own law and order."

The international community, he said, will come "to impose its own code of conduct, widely accepted by everybody and surely this must apply to Cyprus and elsewhere."

"Let us hope that Sunday's commitment by the G8 to start negotiations in September and President Clinton's remarks will create the right climate leading to a lasting settlement, accepted by all Cypriots," the former diplomat said.

The resolution of the protracted Cyprus question has eluded the international community for more than two decades, and Turkey, in violation of UN decisions, continues to occupy the island's northern third.

Asked if he thought Milosevic will soon be replaced, Pangalos said this was a matter for the people of Yugoslavia to decided.

"He had done a great deal of damage to his country. If I were a Yugoslav, I would not vote for him," he concluded.

Later tonight, Pangalos will give a lecture on "Crisis of European institutions and European unification," organised by the Movement for Political Modernisation.

CNA MM/MA/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1820:CYPPRESS:05

[05] Pilots - Strike - Liberalisation of flights

Cyprus Airways press spokesman, Tasos Angelis, and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Communications and Works, Vasos Pyrgou, told CNA the decision to liberalise flight was taken today to make sure passengers get to their destinations.

On his part, the Pancyprian Airline Pilots Union (PALPU) spokesman George Charalambous said the government is trying to find "a scapegoat" to do away with its responsibility to sack extra staff at Cyprus Airways.

"The government has given the green light to liberalise all flights and has lifted all restrictions for the duration of the strike and this means anybody can come to Cyprus to carry passengers," Angeli said.

Angeli also said Cyprus Airways has made all necessary arrangements to make sure passengers get to their destination and added "the flights will take place on the basis of a new emergency flight schedule."

He said 18 flights are scheduled for Thursday, affecting some 4,900 passengers to and from Cyprus and an additional 14 flights for Friday, affecting 4,500 people.

Pyrgou said Civil Aviation chief or himself will deal with any applications by approved and registered airlines and said the decision was taken to "limit as much as possible the repercussions of the strike."

"The government has given permission to foreign airlines to submit applications to fly for Cyprus or through Cyprus to all destinations," he told CNA.

He could not say what interest airlines would show in the government offer as this was announced with short notice.

The pilots' spokesman said the union is ready to review its position and dismissed government remarks that the strike is irregular.

"The Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance has declared a formal deadlock last summer in efforts to renew the collective agreement," he told CNA.

CNA MM/RG/MA/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1850:CYPPRESS:06

[06] German envoy - Visit

Zu Rantzau is due to see President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash during his five-day visit and is planning to hold a press conference on Friday.

The German envoy, who also represents the German presidency of the European Union, is scheduled to have other meetings and is likely to meet UN resident representative Ann Hercus.

The group of seven richest countries and Russia have called on the UN Secretary General to invite the two sides to negotiations to discuss all issues.

The two sides are asked to commit themselves to negotiating without preconditions and with full consideration of UN Security Council resolutions and relevant treaties.

Germany concludes at the end of this month its six-monthly EU rotating presidency and will hand over the chair to Finland, which is expected to appoint its current Cyprus envoy Jaako Blomberg as presidency representative.

CNA MM/MA/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1915:CYPPRESS:07

[07] Turk detained - Animal theft

Cetin Cekin, arrested on Tuesday night in Dherynia village, appeared before the Court today and admitted involvement in the thefts of animals, which were subsequently sold.

He also named at least five other Turkish soldiers as his accomplices. According to his testament, Turkish soldiers manning observation posts near the ceasefire line, which divides Cyprus since the 1974 Turkish invasion and occupation of part of the island, used to steal herds of sheep or goats in the Frenaros and Dherynia areas, on the south east.

’he animals would then be killed and sold in the occupied areas. According to Cekin, the soldiers who sold the animals in the last such theft did not give him his share of the spoils so he decided to turn them over.

Cyprus police said they suspect Cekin, who was roaming the area at the time of his arrest, was looking for new prey.

Police sergeant Yiannakis Kapnoullas told the Court a Greek Cypriot shepherd reported in February the theft of his animals worth 2,300 pounds.

CNA MM/MA/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

2110:CYPPRESS:08

[08] EU negotiator - Visit

"We are preparing the next round of negotiations for accession," Maurer said on his arrival for a three-day visit adding that he is heading a 13-member delegation from the Brussels-based European Commission.

The EU negotiator said the delegation includes experts in fields such as social policy, the environment, the free movement of capital and taxation who will help in preparing the next round of discussions.

Invited to assess the process made by Cyprus until today he said "Cyprus is still the first in the class, the first pupil with already ten chapters closed out of 31."

"We have already one third of the chapters provisionally closed, which is a very good sign and makes us very optimistic," he added.

Maurer said that efforts for a settlement in Cyprus and the course for EU accession are two different processes.

However he said it would be helpful if Cyprus' political problem was solved.

Tomorrow Maurer will meet with members of the House Foreign Affairs and European Union Committee.

On Friday the teams of both sides will assess the results of the meetings and a press conference will be held on Saturday.

CNA MA/RG/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article