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Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 96-10-07Cyprus Press and Information Office: News Updates in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>News Update7/10/96CONTENTS[01] Deadlock must be broken before talks, Clerides SaysCyprus President Glafcos Clerides said on Friday night (4.10.96) that there is no point in going into talks with the Turkish side at this stage, when there is no common ground and no demonstration of goodwill from the Turkish Cypriot side.He added that those asking for the resumption of direct talks now, who advocate a give and take approach, fail to understand the real causes of the present deadlock. On the same topic Government Spokesman Yiannakis Cassoulides said: "The government has already made in clear to the international community that it is not prepared to engage in another round of fruitless negotiations unless there is a concrete chance of finding a solution". Cassoulides said the the US, UN and EU will have to begin negotiations soon with both sides in order to ascertain by the first months of 1997 whether the necessary common ground exists for direct talks between both sides. "This will also depend on the stance the Turkish Cypriot side takes", Cassoulides said. [02] A new round of diplomatic activity is to begin this month.Britain's special envoy for Cyprus Sir David Hannay will arrive on the island on October 13. British Foreign Secretary Malcom Rifkind has also expressed his wish to visit, possibly in November, Cassoulides said. Council of Europe Rapporteur Lord Finsberg is also expected at the end of the month.UN appointee to Red Cross Committee on Missing Persons still awaited Responding to reports by the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation (Cy.B.C.) that UN Secretary-General Boutros Ghali has revealed he will not appoint a replacement UN Representative to the Tri-partite Red Cross Committee on Missing Persons, Government Spokesman Yiannakis Cassoulides said Saturday (5.10.96) that the Secretary-General has conveyed no such decision to President Clerides. The Greek Cypriot member of the Committee Leandros Zachariades has issued a similar denial: "If such a decision was taken, I should be the first to know", he said. [03] Military exercise continues in CyprusThe National Guard's annual military exercise code-named "Nikiforos" continued into its 4th day Monday (7.10.96) with the participation of 8,500 reservists. National Guard Commander Nikolaos Vorvolakos said yesterday that the exercise will send out in all directions the correct messages and that the Turks must realise that there is no room for further tragic incidents in Cyprus.The "Nikiforos" exercise is taking place in conjunction with Greece's military exercise "Toxotis". Greek war-planes overflew Cyprus Monday morning to participate in planned manoeuvres of the "Nikiforos" exercise. [04] International Opera Production of "Otello" a successVerdi's opera "Otello" which was staged in Paphos Harbour ended its six- performance run with a 15-minute standing ovation from the 3.000-strong audience of the last performance.The opera's star-studded production was presented next to the town's medieval castle by the sea and was a unique event for the island's cultural calendar. More than 15,000 people, mainly from abroad, attended the Cyprus' first ever Otello Festival, which in now planned to be repeated for September 1997, featuring "Nabucco", "Otello" and a gala charity concert. Producer Michael Hampe said "it was a pity we could not stage it in its original setting in front of the ancient "Othello Tower" in Famagusta, which is now under Turkish occupation. Hampe, who has directed in many of the world's most celebrated opera houses, including La Scala in Milan, said he was "completely satisfied" with the way the Festival had gone. From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/Cyprus Press and Information Office: News Updates in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |