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Thursday, 21 November 2024
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Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 97-01-10Cyprus 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 UpdateFriday, 10/01/97CONTENTS[01] US and Britain warn Turkey not to threaten CyprusThe US has warned Turkey against attacking Cyprus after reports from Ankara yesterday that it was seriously considering a military strike."This is no time for the Turkish government to be making wild and dramatic statements which will not be supported by any sensible member of the international community", US State Department Spokesman Nicholas Burns told reporters in Washington yesterday. "It would be completely out of bounds for Turkey to take this action", he said, referring to Turkish threats over the Cyprus government's decision to purchase the Russian S-300 missile system. Mr Burns said he hoped that the Anatolia news agency report, quoting Turkey's Defence Minister Turhan Tayan that Ankara was seriously considering a military strike against the missile launchers, was incorrect. "We hope that it does not reflect in any way, shape, or form the views of the Turkish government", Mr Burns said. "There can be no question that Turkey must respect the rules of the road here, which are that no country, and specifically in this case Turkey, should threaten the use of military force against Cyprus". Mr Burns added that as a member of NATO there can be no question that Turkey must not threaten Cyprus, a fact which the Turks know and which he was taking the opportunity to remind them of. Moreover, according to a report in local daily "Simerini", Britain has called upon Turkey to react cautiously over the missiles and to avoid issuing threats, in other words it should not take any military action. In addition Cyprus Government Spokesman Yiannakis Cassoulides yesterday confirmed that Deputy British High Commissioner John Buck had made representations to Foreign Minister Alecos Michaelides over the missiles yesterday morning. Cassoulides said that the Foreign Minister expressed the government position on the issue, stressing that there is no intention of any military action against the Turkish Cypriots. "The government", Cassoulides added, "concentrates its efforts towards a peaceful solution of the Cyprus problem and not a solution by military means". The Spokesman expressed the hope that efforts towards a settlement will be intensified during the coming months. [02] Greek Premier recommends calm and prudenceThe Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis yesterday said that tension between Greece and Turkey over Cyprus' decision to buy Russian missiles was running too high and should be defused."We do not need to worry. We are not before a giant crisis", he said after a meeting with his Foreign Minister and other officials on foreign policy issues. He said that what is happening now in our region is not new and that Turkish aggression has existed for a long time and has now intensified. Urging "calm and prudence", he said that Greeks would be "playing Turkey's game if we showed particular concern over the Turkish threats". "Our strength lies in keeping calm and insisting on international law and international treaties ... while at the same time strengthening our armed forces to make them a strong deterrent force". He said: "Cyprus is a sovereign state and should take all measures it deems necessary to its defence". He added that this would give it a strong stand in the negotiations for a political settlement and that Greece supports the island in this effort. Moreover, Mr Simitis announced yesterday that Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides will soon be invited to Athens to discuss developments and strategy to be followed on the Cyprus problem. [03] Weapons purchase is not a threat to anyone, says Russian officialRussian Foreign Ministry official Gennady Tarasov has said that there are no grounds to qualify Cyprus' purchase of certain types of defensive weapons as a threat to anyone."These purchases do not change the balance of forces. Besides that, technical co-operation in the military sphere between two sovereign states is their inalienable right", he said. He added that such co-operation is offered to Cyprus by other countries including Western European ones. He reaffirmed Russia's position with regard to a settlement on Cyprus, saying that "we are willing to promote further - together with other interested countries - a search for ways to settle this old international issue in compliance with United Nations documents". He added that the latest Security Council resolution extending the UNFICYP mandate, clearly defines the directions and specific steps towards decreasing tensions and reducing military activity in Cyprus, which could become important landmarks towards staged demilitarisation of the Republic of Cyprus in the context of a comprehensive settlement. [04] Greek and Cypriot MPs to examine ways for joint actionA Greek Parliamentary delegation arrived in Cyprus yesterday for a working meeting with their Cypriot counterparts, participating in the Joint Co-ordinating Committee of the Parliaments of Cyprus and Greece. They will examine possibilities for joint action in international organisations in support of the Cyprus cause.The Greek parliamentarians yesterday attended the regular weekly session of the House of Representatives and had meetings with House President Spyros Kyprianou. Head of the delegation, Socialist PASOK MP, Eleftherios Veryvakis, said he was convinced co-ordination of action between the two Parliaments would greatly strengthen their position in international fora. Kyprianou agreed that this is the right time for such a move. They also met yesterday with Archbishop Chrysostomos. Today the Greek delegation will be received by President Glafcos Clerides and later will meet Nicosia Mayor Lellos Demetriades before leaving Cyprus. [05] New MP assumes officeChristodoulos Veniamin, a candidate for left-wing party AKEL, was yesterday sworn in before the plenary session of the 56-seat House of Representives, as a new Member of Parliament for the Limassol District.He gained the seat after MP Demetris Kontides resigned after being elected Mayor of Limassol during the recent municipal elections of 15 December 1996. Veniamin, aged 75, served for many years as Minister of Interior and Defence. [06] Strict measures to save waterCyprus' Minister of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment, Costas Petrides, yesterday announced strict measures to save water, following the dry winter Cyprus has been experiencing this year.Water reserves in the island's reservoirs are at their lowest level since 1986. "If the situation continues, there will be no water left in our reservoirs by 1998", the Minister said, adding that the only solution to the problem is a direct implementation of water cuts both to households and for farming purposes. Mr Petrides said that if the public had greater awareness on water saving, the island would not have a water shortage. He said that the government would be launching a publicity campaign to increase public awareness of the problem. Meanwhile, the Council of Ministers has approved the setting up of a second desalination plant on the island in Larnaca, which is due to be completed by 1998. Two more are envisaged for Limassol and Paphos. The Minister said that the first desalination plant, due to start operating in April, will at first supply 20.000 cubic metres of water per day to the free areas of Famagusta district and part of Larnaca district. Water production is expected to double by 1998. 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 |
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