Cyprus News Agency: News in English (AM), 99-08-14

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

CONTENTS

[01] Turkish invasion - Second offensive - Famagusta

[02] European Institute - Director

[03] Pilgrimage - Occupied Monastery

1325:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Turkish invasion - Second offensive - Famagusta

This evening, municipalities in the Turkish occupied district of Famagusta are organising a mass rally in Dherynia, bordering the UN control buffer zone, on the eastern part, only a few kilometres from the occupied town of Famagusta.

"We want to tell the world that the occupation of our town is illegal, a crime and unfair," Famagusta mayor Andreas Pouyiouros told CNA today.

He called on powerful nations and the UN Security Council to apply international law and order in the case of Cyprus as well.

President Glafcos Clerides will address the rally, to be attended by foreign parliamentarians.

On the occasion of the 25th anniversary, political parties have issued statements condemning Turkey's second offensive after its troops invaded on July 20 a large part of territory in and around the northern port of Kyrenia.

Parties stress that Turkey's offensive is contrary to every notion of international law and order at a time when the world community says it is fighting to restore principles and values, but turning a blind eye to Turkey's crimes in Cyprus.

The political leadership also emphasises the need for a peaceful settlement in Cyprus and describes the current phase in the peace effort as "very crucial", noting that the people of Cyprus, backed by Greece and hellenism at large, will not give their fight for justice and freedom irrespective of difficulties ahead.

Turkey, having launched a military offensive purportedly to restore constitutional order after a coup had toppled the legally elected government of the Republic of Cyprus, continues to maintain a 35,000 strong army of occupation on the island and demands recognition of the puppet regime it helped set up in occupied Cyprus.

CNA MM/MK/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1340:CYPPRESS:02

[02] European Institute - Director

Antonis Malaos will take over on 1 September from Angelos Angelides as Director of the Institute, which is funded by EU and local sources.

The Institute promotes research and study into matters concerning Cyprus' harmonisation process and aims to set up a specialised library on the EU.

Malaos studied economics in Greece and the UK. He has served in the Planning Bureau for more than two decades and then moved on to the Ministry of Justice. He is to take early retirement from his current post as permanent secretary at the Ministry of Finance to move to the Institute.

CNA MM/MK/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1405:CYPPRESS:03

[03] Pilgrimage - Occupied Monastery

Many are elderly, others young people going for the first time to see the monastery, where a priest will officiate a church service.

This is the 12th such pilgrimage which the UN peace keeping force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) has helped to organise since 1995, UN spokeswoman Sarah Russell has told CNA.

She explained that the UN "will help them through the buffer zone (which the UN patrols)" and four UN vehicles and a mini-bus for the elderly will accompany the convoy of more than ten buses which will carry the pilgrims to the most eastern tip of the island, in the Karpass peninsula.

Greek Cypriots do not pay an illegal visa fee, which the Turkish Cypriot regime in occupied Cyprus imposes on visitors, but they do pay a nominal transport fee as Turkish Cypriots do when they visit places of worship in the government controlled part of the island.

The one-day trip will start early in the morning when pilgrims gather at the Ledra Palace check point, in the capital Nicosia, to board the buses.

They are due to return late in the evening before dusk. Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs Takis Christopoulos, whose office organises the visits, has said pilgrims will stop over in Bogazi village, on the way, for a break during the three hour trip to the monastery.

CNA MM/RM/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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