Cyprus Mail: Press Review in English, 98-02-25

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From: The Cyprus Mail at <http://www.cynews.com/>

Wednesday, February 25, 1998

Edek expected to finalise participation

MOST of the Greek newspapers yesterday focused their attention on the latest developments regarding the formation of the new Council of Ministers by President Clerides and the arrival in Cyprus of Greek Foreign under- secretary Yiannos Kranidiotis to discuss the policy to be followed on the issue of the participation of Turkish Cypriots in the accession talks.

Phileleftheros says that socialist Edek party are expected to decide today if they will participate in the new administration.

The paper says that Edek is expected to decide today if they will seek one or two ministries. The party's leader Vassos Lyssarides is expected to head the National Policy Council to be formed soon.

On another issue the paper says that the Russian ambassador to Cyprus had informed the Cypriot government that the US was about to `advise' against the deployment of the Russian-made S-300 missiles.

Simerini reveals that the National Policy Council (NPC) will undertake the strategic planning for the implementation of policies on defence, finance and foreign policy.

According to the paper a draught plan of the structure of the NPC has been prepared by Edek and will be presented to President Clerides for approval.

On another issue the paper says that an initiative to reconcile the Diko rebels with the leadership seem to have little hope of success.

Alithia says that Diko postponed the meeting of the party's Executive Committee because of the intransigence of Spyros Kyprianou regarding the party rebels forced many party officials to express their objections to the line the leadership has adopted on the issue.

The paper says that Diko leader Spyros Kyprianou's attempts to expel the rebels will not be easily implemented as there seems to be strong reaction within both the lower and higher ranks of the party.

Agon focuses on the arrival to Cyprus of Greek Foreign under-secretary Yiannos Kranidiotis to discuss the policy to be followed in view of the Cyprus-EU accession talks.

In an interview with the paper Kranidiotis said that the talks will start regardless of whether the Turkish Cypriots decide to participate on the negotiating team or not.

The paper says that the issue of the participation of Turkish Cypriots will be one of the most difficult issues to tackle before and after the start of the talks on March 31.

Machi reports that the Nicosia District Court on Monday ordered that George Iacovou appears before the court on July 6 regarding the case of the unauthorised use of the photo of a Limassol woman in one of his election pamphlets.

During the court session on Monday Iacovou's lawyers said that their client could not be present during the day's session because he was abroad.

Haravghi focuses on the problems facing the Cyprus Port Authority.

The paper says that the many problems only serve to encourage the private sector who have now found fertile ground in their attempts to have the Authority privatised.

© Copyright Cyprus Mail 1998

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