Cyprus News Agency: News in English (AM), 99-08-16

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

CONTENTS

[01] President - Israel

[02] Austrian Defence Minister - Visit

[03] UNFICYP Commander - Extension

[04] UN - Cyprus - Envoy

[05] Morphou - Petition - Embassies

[06] Overseas Cypriots - Congress

[07] Foreign Minister - Norway

0830:CYPPRESS:01

[01] President - Israel

The President's comments were made Sunday amid increasing controversy at home about his decision to pardon and set free two Israelis, who were serving a three-year sentence for approaching a restricted military area.

The two, arrested in November last year, were sentenced in February 1999.

Asked if Cyprus would benefit from this gesture, the President said "I believe that there will be some benefit."

The government had said they were released for reasons of "national interest".

Their imprisonment had strained relations between the two countries and the incident took place only days after Israeli President Ezer Weizman had completed an official visit to Cyprus.

President Clerides, who has accepted Weizman's invitation to return the visit, will probably pay an official visit to Israel in the latter part of the year.

CNA MM/GP/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1045:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Austrian Defence Minister - Visit

Dr Sasslabend, who will be accompanied by a 12-member delegation, will meet UN special representative for Cyprus Dame Ann Hercus and UNFICYP Commander Major General Evergisto Arturo de Vergara on Wednesday.

He will also inspect the 250-strong Austrian contingent and visit the fourth sector of the Force, on the eastern part of the island where Austrian peace-keepers are serving.

The Austrian Minister and his entourage, who arrive on a private aircraft, are expected to leave Wednesday for Lebanon where he will inspect the Austrian peace-keepers there.

During his brief stay in Cyprus, Sasslabend is not scheduled to meet his Cypriot counterpart Yiannakis Chysostomis, who is away at present.

CNA MM/GP/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1115:CYPPRESS:03

[03] UNFICYP Commander - Extension

Major-General Evergisto Arturo de Vergara, from Argentina, who assumed office in March 1997, has accepted a request to stay on until the end of the year, well informed sources have told CNA.

Earlier this year, de Vergara's term in office, which expired in mid- February, was extended until October.

The UNFICYP chief is commanding a force comprising 1,223 military personnel and 34 civilian police from nine countries.

The Argentinian contingent is the largest contingent with 412 men serving. UNFICYP currently has 41 international civilian staff and 215 local civilian staff.

CNA MM/GP/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1200:CYPPRESS:04

[04] UN - Cyprus - Envoy

There are some names under consideration at the moment, they added but avoided any further comment on the matter.

In the meantime, the UN is sounding out the Greek and Turkish Cypriot sides about a proposed name to replace outgoing Special Representative for Cyprus, Dame Ann Hercus, due to leave her post at the end of September.

President Glafcos Clerides will have a meeting tomorrow morning with Hercus, the first after she announced her resignation. Both the President and Dame Ann were away on holiday in the past few days.

"There is only one name, a man, and both sides are being sounded out unofficially at the moment through contact in New York," reliable sources have told CNA.

Dame Ann announced her resignation in late July, only a year after she took up her post in Cyprus, citing family reasons.

The appointment of the UN top envoy for Cyprus has to have the consent of the Greek and Turkish Cypriot sides.

Press reports have suggested that former Norwegian Foreign Minister Jan Egeland is one of the names being considered to replace Hercus.

The name of a former Foreign Minister from Ecuador is also said to be on the cards. Rumours having Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres as a possible successor to Hercus are unsubstantiated, the same sources told CNA.

The UN Secretary-General is expected to call the Greek and Turkish Cypriot sides to talks later this year, following a recommendation by the G8 summit.

CNA MM/GP/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1145:CYPPRESS:05

[05] Morphou - Petition - Embassies

A delegation of Morphou Municipal Council and other Morphou Organisations handed today a petition at the embassies of the permanent members of the UN Security Council in Nicosia and representatives of the European Union delegation in Cyprus and the UNFICYP.

The petition was presented on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the occupation of the town of Morphou by the Turkish troops.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkish forces invaded and occupied 37 per cent of its territory forcibly uprooting 200.000 Greek Cypriots (one third of the island's population) from their homes.

The Morphou refugees condemn the intransigence of the Turkish side and the negative attitude of Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash throughout all these years.

They say "despite the condemnation by the international community and of the numerous United Nations Resolutions the Turkish government and the Denktash regime have refused to come to the negotiating table for a just and viable solution".

They call on the governments and organisations accepting the petition to exert more pressure upon Turkey "to change attitude and work towards a just solution to the Cyprus problem".

The petition was firstly handed over to the Russian Charges d' Affairs Sergei Rogov.

Morphou Mayor Antigoni Papadopoulou told Rogov that the people of Morphou demand to get their land back, want to know about the fate of the 1619 people missing since the Turkish invasion and to put an end to ethnic cleansing taking place in the occupied areas.

She underlined that "we are very much depending on your help, because we live in a new era where we see injustice prevailing".

Rogov assured that he will convey the petition to Moscow and noted that "we always firmly support and we will support the just efforts of the people of Cyprus for vindication".

He said Russia supports a Cyprus settlement based on UN resolutions and will do everything possible in this direction.

"We support a just, lasting and viable solution of the Cyprus problem", he said, noting that Russia advocates a common effort by the Security Council permanent members for a solution.

CNA MK/GP/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1310:CYPPRESS:06

[06] Overseas Cypriots - Congress

The Congress will be opened by Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides, on behalf of President Glafcos Clerides. It will be addressed by a number of speakers, including House of Representatives President, Spyros Kyprianou, Archbishop Chrysostomos, and the President of the World Council of Hellenes Abroad, Andrew Athens.

During its five-day deliberations the Congress will deal with matters concerning the Cyprus problem and the role of overseas Cypriots in promoting peace, humanitarian issues and how to bring together young Cypriots living abroad.

The two main organisations, POMAK (World Federation of Overseas Cypriots) and PSEKA (International Coordinating Committee - Justice for Cyprus), will discuss ways during the Congress to promote their cooperation.

They will also prepare a joint plan of action, in the light of the 25th anniversary of the Turkish invasion and occupation of the northern third of the island.

CNA RG/GP/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1345:CYPPRESS:07

[07] Foreign Minister - Norway

Developments in the Cyprus question and the recent initiative by the G8 (group of seven most industrialised nations and Russia) to push for peace talks, under UN aegis, will be on the agenda of the Oslo talks, diplomatic sources have said.

Trade, financial and economic matters will also be discussed, they added.

They told CNA that Kasoulides would outline the government's views on the person who would replace the outgoing UN special representative for Cyprus Dame Ann Hercus, if Oslo raises the possibility of the appointment of former Norwegian Foreign Minister Jan Egeland.

Egeland was involved in US-backed efforts to get Greek and Turkish Cypriot businessmen together in Brussels, Oslo and Constantinople (Istanbul) in the past three years.

Egeland is one of the names reportedly being discussed as a possible successor to Hercus, along with other names of prominent foreign personalities.

Referring to Norwegian moves to block arms sales to Cyprus, the same sources said "it would be reasonable to assume that the issue will be brought up during the talks."

In a letter to his Norwegian counterpart, Cyprus Defence Minister Yiannakis Chrysostomis notes that the Norwegian Foreign Ministry is not in a position at this stage to give permission of export to Cyprus for a specific arms system (a radar system).

Chrysostomis points out that Cyprus is not interested in acquiring offensive weapons but defensive arms.

Cyprus is facing a constant threat from the massive military presence of some 35,000 Turkish troops in the northern part of the island, which Turkey occupied since it invaded in 1974.

During his stay in Oslo, Kasoulides will give a lecture on Cyprus. The minister, who will be accompanied by Cyprus' Ambassador to Stockholm Leonidas Pantelides, who is also accredited to Norway, returns on Sunday, 29 August.

CNA MM/GP/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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