Cyprus News Agency: News in English (AM), 99-07-15

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

CONTENTS

[01] Coup d'etat - 25 years on

[02] President - Coup commemoration

[03] Spokesman - Coup anniversary

[04] House President - Church Commemoration service

[05] President - UN envoy - Foreign Diplomats

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[01] Coup d'etat - 25 years on

Nicosia, Jul 15 (CNA) -- For some memories are fading, willingly or unwittingly. For others, it is that time of the year when they can unleash venomous accusations of treason against others.

For everybody in Cyprus, today marks a quarter of a century since the National Guard, backed by the then military junta ruling Greece, intervened militarily and toppled the democratically elected government of the Republic.

And this was not the end of the story. Five days after the July coup, Turkish troops invaded on the pretext of protecting the Turkish Cypriot community and purportedly restoring constitutional order.

Its repercussions are still felt by the people of Cyprus -their country divided, occupied by a foreign army whose presence has led repeated efforts for a settlement to nothing.

Sirens sounded at 0820 (0520 GMT), when the coup enfolded 25 years ago, and a church service was held in Nicosia to honour those who sacrificed their lives defending democracy.

The service was conducted by the Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church of Cyprus, Archbishop Chrysostomos. Present were President Glafcos Clerides, House President Spyros Kyprianou, who spoke about the event, party leaders, ministers and other officials.

The 56-seat House of Representatives holds a special session this morning to condemn the twin crime against Cyprus; the coup against Makarios and the Turkish invasion and occupation of 37 per cent of the island's territory.

The leftwing AKEL party organises tonight a protest gathering in downtown Nicosia.

Anti-occupation protests organised by other political parties will take place in the next few days, including a rally at the Ledra Palace check point on Sunday evening.

The media, printed and electronic, are commemorating today's anniversary with special supplements dedicated to the events of July 1974 and other programmes telling the story of those who lived through those events.

With the exception of one Greek Cypriot daily, the rightwing leaning "Alithia", every other paper carried either editorials or articles to mark the coup anniversary.

The most striking front page is that of the leftwing daily "Haravgi", affiliated to the main opposition leftwing party AKEL. The whole page is black and carried the banner headline "25 stony years" and invited everybody to attend tonight's party rally.

"Machi", owned by Nicos Sampson, who took over as "president" for eight days after the late Archbishop Makarios III was toppled, carried a front page editorial by him condemning the coup and calling for the publication of archive files on the coup.

"Fileleftheros" the largest selling daily published a 16-page supplement on the coup with eye witness accounts of those events, stressing that these have left an indelible mark on many people, still suffering the results of those actions.

"Politis" is publishing a three-page supplement entitled "five days that rocked Cyprus" and reveals US State Department documents relating to the five days between the coup and the Turkish invasion.

"Simerini" has a front page editorial that the Greek junta had a huge impact and influence on right wingers in Cyprus prior to the coup. It also notes that there is a long way to go and people should pull themselves together and try and sort things out for the future of this island.

The English speaking daily "Cyprus Mail" carries a front page article with facts and figures about the July coup and the subsequent invasion by some 6,000 Turkish troops backed by 40 tanks and the air force. It also notes that after the second Turkish offensive, a ceasefire was agreed on 16 August by the two warring sides but never actually signed.

CNA MM/GP/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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[02] President - Coup commemoration

He stressed that a shift in Turkey's position on the Cyprus problem would come about if the UN Security Council, the G8, Europe and others exert their influence in the direction of Turkey.

"Every year we honour those who died defending democracy, freedom and their country. It is a duty we owe to those heroes who gave their lives so that we can live as free people," the President said.

He was speaking after today's commemoration service for those who died in July 1974 during a Greek junta-engineered military coup that toppled the government of the Republic headed by President Makarios. The coup was followed five days later by a massive Turkish invasion.

The scars of those days are still very vivid on the island, left divided and occupied by the sheer military might of Turkey's occupation troops.

Asked if Cyprus is facing the most crucial phase in the Cyprus problem, the President replied "this is a matter of opinion, some believe it to be so, others believe that nothing has really changed since 1974."

"Turkey's long standing goal has been to secure sovereignty, decisions by consensus, equal representation, rotating presidency and a separate state (in the areas it occupies)," he said.

All these, he added, are elements that make up a confederation and "they were rejected and are rejected now as well, quite rightly so."

The Turkish Cypriot side insists on establishing a confederation of two separate and equal states, which is contrary to UN decisions.

Any change in Turkey's position would depend to a great extent on whether the international community (Security Council, G8, Europe, Non- Aligned) exerts its influence in the same direction, he said.

"A Cyprus settlement must be found in the framework of UN Security Council resolutions," Clerides added.

The President expressed no surprise at comments by US Defence Secretary William Cohen that he will not exert pressure on Ankara during his current visit there.

"I am not surprised and if I were in his place, going to Turkey, I would not state that I am going there to exert pressure," he told the press.

Everybody knows how the international political game is played, he said, noting that "one does not go to a place and announces he would be exerting pressure."

CNA MM/GP/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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[03] Spokesman - Coup anniversary

"The government condemns the coup d'etat against Cyprus, honours all those killed for democracy and is working to strengthen our domestic front, " Government Spokesman Costas Serezis said here today.

In a statement he read out to the press, he said "today is a day to remember, because lack of memory makes the repetition of criminal actions with nationally destructive repercussions easier."

The spokesman said given that Cyprus is facing "a crucial period, we must all work together jointly to achieve the necessary unity with a view to handle effectively the future of this country."

Serezis' statement was issued to mark 25 years since the military coup on July 15, 1974 when the Greek junta, then ruling Greece, orchestrated the coup against President Makarios. Five days later, Turkish troops invaded and occupied the island's northern third.

The Turkish occupation troops are still here, in spite of repeated calls by the UN to withdraw.

CNA MM/GP/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1340:CYPPRESS:04

[04] House President - Church Commemoration service

"Turkey's goal has never been to reach a reasonable solution of the Cyprus question but to render a big part of the island a Turkish protectorate," Kyprianou said in his remarks as the key note speaker at a church commemoration service here today to mark 25 years since the Greek junta engineered a coup in Cyprus and toppled the legitimate government of the Republic.

Present at the church service, officiated by Archbishop Chrysostomos, were President Glafcos Clerides, party leaders as well as the military and religious leaders.

After the service, there was a memorial service at the graves of those killed in the nearby cemetery.

He said the July 15 coup was staged with a view to give an end to the Cyprus question and it marked the first phase of the same designs.

He said the coupists wanted the late President Archbishop Makarios dead to suppress public fighting spirit and impose the division of the island.

"The only pledge we can give to our dead heroes is that we shall serve our country until we die and try and be worthy of their sacrifice," he said.

Invited to comment on statements by US Defence Secretary that he does not intend to exert any pressure on Ankara to facilitate a Cyprus solution during his current visit there, Kyprianou replied "I wonder how the problem will be solved if there is no pressure on Ankara."

"When the US and other powerful nations speak about ethnic cleansing, they first have to take a look at Cyprus. They have not lifted a finger in the past 25 years," he said.

He said "their objective" is to see Cyprus divided, irrespective of any name that might be given to a prospective solution.

Turkish troops have been occupying 37 per cent of Cyprus territory since 1974, in violation of repeated UN resolutions calling for their withdrawal.

CNA FZ/MK/MM/GP/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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[05] President - UN envoy - Foreign Diplomats

The President received Hercus for no more than 15 minutes. During her absence, Senior UNFICYP advisor Peter Schmidt will stand in for Hercus, who returns to Cyprus in the first week of August.

Yesterday, Hercus had a similar meeting in the Turkish-occupied part of Nicosia with the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community Rauf Denktash.

Meanwhile, diplomatic activity here continues unabated with a view to facilitate UN efforts to get the leaders of the two communities back to the negotiating table.

Today Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides was to meet British High Commissioner to Cyprus Edward Clay, who yesterday had a working lunch with European Union Ambassadors here.

Hercus and Clay met yesterday with outgoing US Ambassador Kenneth Brill at the US embassy to discuss the latest bid to rekindle the stalled peace process.

Clay also met Denktash yesterday and exchanged some views with President Clerides at a reception hosted by the French Ambassador to mark Bastille day.

The UN Secretary-General is expected to issue invitations for talks to President Clerides and the Turkish Cypriot leader for negotiations on all issues without any preconditions.

The call to talks is the outcome of a recommendation by the G8 group (seven most industrialised nations and Russia) who at their last month's summit in Cologne asked the UN chief to make this move.

"Yesterday's meeting at the US embassy was a routine meeting, as these take place among heads of diplomatic missions here," a diplomatic source told CNA today.

Brill, who leaves Cyprus at the end of the month, is set to continue to work for the resumption of talks.

CNA MM/GP/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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