Cyprus News Agency: News in English (PM), 99-08-17

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

CONTENTS

[01] Cyprus Stock Exchange

[02] Austrian Defence Minister - Arrival

[03] Cyprus - Aftershock

[04] Galanos - Resignation

1540:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Cyprus Stock Exchange

      CSE General Index                         324.68 ( 2.27)

      Traded Value            CYP 33,603,296

      Sectural Indices

      Banks                   CYP12,548,293     451.26  ( 1.14)
      Approved Investment
      Companies               CYP 1,463,146     168.19  ( 9.16)
      Insurance Companies     CYP   685,512     141.05  ( 0.55)
      Manufacturing Companies CYP 1,547,469     124.79  ( 5.41)
      Tourism Companies       CYP 2,269,564     218.08  ( 6.28)
      Trading Companies       CYP 2,063,240     136.82  ( 1.88)
      Other Companies         CYP 4,899,303     266.53  ( 4.52)

CNA MM/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

2015:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Austrian Defence Minister - Arrival

Speaking to CNA on arrival, Dr. Sasslabend said he is in Cyprus to mark the 25th anniversary of the death of three Austrian soldiers, killed near the village of Koshi, in Larnaca district, while on patrol during the 1974 Turkish invasion.

The three soldiers were serving in the Austrian contingent of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP).

"This is an occasion to think over the whole situation, especially to think of the people who had to give their lives in order to try to bring a little bit of peace and stability here to the situation," Dr. Sasslabend said.

He added that the soldiers "were killed by Turkish soldiers". The minister said he will not meet any government officials because he will be in Cyprus for a short time. He is expected to leave tomorrow for Lebanon to inspect the Austrian peace-keepers there.

The Austrian minister said his country has been participating in UNFICYP for "a total of 27 years which is a very long period".

"We would wish that there would come some new political movement, a unifying process for the island", said Dr. Sasslabend, adding that on the other side, "if one thinks realistically and one looks realistically to the situation, one knows by experience that this will be very hard."

Dr. Sasslabend said Austria has had one battalion during the years, in which Hungarians and Slovenians participate.

"This means that the two neighbouring nations are together with us in this peace service here in Cyprus and I think this is the best neighbourhood one can have", he said.

At this point he noted that Cyprus and Turkey, two neighbouring countries with their communities "within the same country, the same island, are too distant to each other."

Referring to his visit to the village of Pyla, where Greek and Turkish Cypriots live together, Dr. Sasslabend said "it shows the whole tragedy that has happened to this island".

"People who lived together for 130 years peacefully were divided and for a quarter of a century now, people are not only separated but live in a sort of cold hostility," he added.

He said his message to Cypriots is that they will "have to live together" in the future, noting that procedures should be found for people to work together.

"What is necessary is to find a way to cooperate and in someway to live next to each other, not in hostility but in a way that they can work together and that they can cooperate", he added.

Dr. Sasslabend, who is accompanied by a 12-member delegation, said he will not visit the Turkish occupied north of Cyprus during his two day visit.

He is expected tomorrow to meet UN Special Representative for Cyprus, Dame Ann Hercus, and UNFICYP commander, Major-General Evergisto Arturo de Vergara.

The Austrian minister 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 peacekeepers are serving.

CNA MAN/EC/MM/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

2040:CYPPRESS:03

[03] Cyprus - Aftershock

Deputy Director of the Geological Department, Sotiris Afrodisis, told CNA that the quake occurred at 1806 local time, (1506 GMT) and had the same epicentre as that of the August 11 quake in the Gerasa area.

Afrodisis said today's quake has no connection with Turkey's fatal tremour of 6.8 on the Richter scale today which resulted in the death, so far, of 1100 people.

He said it was the strongest aftershock in Cyprus, stressing however that this was due to the fact that there were not enough aftershocks during the past two days.

CNA FZ/EC/MM/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

2050:CYPPRESS:04

[04] Galanos - Resignation

Speaking at a press conference today, Galanos said he has lost his enthusiasm in politics after the decision of President Glafcos Clerides to cancel the deployment of the Russian S-300 anti-aircraft missiles in Cyprus. The missiles are now in the Greek island of Crete.

Galanos said he took the decision "calmly, after a lot of thought" and that during the past few months he had reviewed a number of things and reached the conclusion that after 23 years of contribution to politics, "it was the time to take leave."

He criticised politicians who remain in their positions for years. "Politics is not a profession you enter to make money out of...and we should not wait to die on a chair or to be kicked out of it", he added.

Galanos said he disagrees "with the way the island's political life is developing."

Referring to the party he founded in April 1998 after he left the Democratic Party (DIKO), Galanos said it is now standing on firm ground and that he has able successors "who will continue the fight which is not easy."

The Eurodemocratic Renewal Party in a statement, expressed regret over Galanos' decision to withdraw from politics, noting that efforts by his close associates and friends did not make him change his mind.

Galanos served as deputy president of centre-right DIKO but broke ranks with the party before the February 1998 presidential elections after he disagreed with its decision to back independent candidate George Iacovou.

He had contested the first round of the presidential elections as an independent candidate and managed to gain 4,04 per cent of the vote but in the second round of the elections he backed the candidacy of Glafcos Clerides, who was re-elected.

He was appointed by Clerides as advisor to the President but resigned from the post in January, following Clerides' decision not to deploy the Russian missiles.

He maintained his seat in the House of Representatives and was also chairman of the House Finance Committee.

In 1991 he was elected President of the House of Representatives and served for a five year term.

CNA RG/EC/MM/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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