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CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY, 96-05-10Cyprus News Agency Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Panayiotis Zaphiris <pzaphiri@glue.umd.edu>CONTENTS
[01] PANGALOS WARNS AGAINST LINKING CYPRUS WITH EU FINANCES TO TURKEYWASHINGTON, MAY 9 (CNA) -- GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER THEODOROS PANGALOS HAS WARNED EUROPEAN UNION (EU) MEMBER STATES, ESPECIALLY FRANCE AND GERMANY, AGAINST ATTEMPTS TO LINK THE QUESTION OF EU FINANCES TO TURKEY WITH THE CYPRUS-EU ASSOCIATION COUNCIL.SPEAKING TO THE PRESS, PANGALOS SAID THE EU COUNCIL OF MINISTERS, WHICH ALSO INCLUDES EU ASSOCIATION COUNCILS WITH CYPRUS AND MALTA WILL MEET ON MONDAY, MAY 13. ''UNFORTUNATELY'', HE SAID, ''CERTAIN PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVES WISHED TO LINK CYPRUS' RELATIONS WITH THE EU WITH GREECE'S VETO AGAINST THE EU FINANCES TO TURKEY.'' ''I HAVE ALREADY WARNED THAT SUCH AN ATTEMPT WOULD MEAN A GRAVE CRISIS IN THE EU AND ITS FUNCTIONING'', PANGALOS REMARKED. HE SAID GREEK AMBASSADORS IN EU COUNTRIES WERE MAKING REPRESENTATIONS IN THIS DIRECTION. EU AMBASSADORS TO ATHENS WERE ALSO BEING INFORMED THAT THE EXCLUSION OF CYPRUS FROM THE ASSOCIATION COUNCIL WILL IMMEDIATELY IMPLY THE EXCLUSION OF MALTA AS WELL. ''MALTA AND CYPRUS GO TOGETHER AND IF ONE IS EXCLUDED SO IS THE OTHER'', PANGALOS STRESSED, NOTING THAT THIS IS THE FIRST STEP GREECE WOULD TAKE AGAINST SUCH A DECISION. AS A SECOND STEP, PANGALOS ADDED, GREECE WOULD POSE A VETO TO ALL DECISIONS TAKEN BY THE EU. MEANWHILE, ITALIAN SECRETARY OF STATE FOR EUROPEAN AFFAIRS, LUIGI VITTORIO FERRARI, WHOSE COUNTRY PRESIDES OVER THE EU THIS TERM, SAID HIS COUNTRY DOES NOT SHARE THE POSITIONS EXPRESSED BY FRANCE AND GERMANY. HE STRESSED THAT ITALY HAS NEVER LINKED THE CYPRUS-EU ASSOCIATION COUNCIL WITH EU FINANCES TO TURKEY. CYPRUS AND MALTA HAVE APPLIED FOR FULL EU MEMBERSHIP. ALREADY THE EU COUNCIL OF MINISTERS HAS GIVEN THESE TWO MEDITERRANEAN COUNTRIES A FIRM DATE FOR MEMBERSHIP TALKS, SIX MONTHS AFTER THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL CONFERENCE. CNA DA/MCH/GP/1996ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY[02] COE RAPPORTEUR TO PREPARE REPORT ON HUMAN RIGHTSNICOSIA, MAY 9 (CNA) -- THE RAPPORTEUR OF THE COMMITTEE ON LEGAL AFFAIRS AND HUMAN RIGHTS OF THE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE (COE) ERIK JURGENS, SAID TODAY HE WAS ON THE ISLAND TO INVESTIGATE THE FACTS DERIVING FROM THE HUMANITARIAN REPORT OF THE UNITED NATIONS PEACEKEEPING FORCES ON THE ISLAND.SPEAKING AFTER A MEETING WITH U.N. DEPUTY RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE, GUSTAVE FEISSEL, JURGENS SAID THE U.N. IN CYPRUS WROTE A VERY GOOD REPORT IN DECEMBER, STATING MANY FACTS ON THE HUMANITARIAN ASPECT OF THE CYPRUS PROBLEM. HE SAID THE HUMANITARIAN PART OF THE REPORT IS ''SIMPLY THE SORT OF FACTS THAT I AM COMING HERE TO INVESTIGATE FOR THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE AND AS THAT REPORT IS PUBLIC, I DO NOT THINK I HAVE TO ADD VERY MUCH MORE TO THAT, ESPECIALLY ABOUT THE SITUATION OF GREEK CYPRIOTS IN THE NORTH, AND TURKISH CYPRIOTS IN THE SOUTH''. FEISSEL SAID THEY DISCUSSED MATTERS WHICH ARE RELEVANT TO JURGENS' MANDATE. TO A REMARK IF JURGENS HAD ASKED HIM ABOUT HIS OPINION ON HUMAN RIGHTS IN CYPRUS, FEISSEL REPLIED, ''WE TALKED ABOUT THESE MATTERS (HUMAN RIGHTS). HE ASKED ME SOME QUESTIONS. I GAVE HIM SOME ANSWERS''. THE DUTCH SOCIALIST SENATOR ARRIVED IN CYPRUS EARLIER THIS WEEK FOR A SEVEN-DAY VISIT TO PREPARE A REPORT ON THE LIVING CONDITIONS OF ENCLAVED GREEK CYPRIOTS AND MARONITES IN THE TURKISH-OCCUPIED AREAS, AND TURKISH CYPRIOTS LIVING IN THE FREE AREAS OF THE REPUBLIC. EARLIER TODAY, JURGENS HELD SEPARATE MEETINGS INTERIOR MINISTER DINOS MICHAELIDES, AND MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS PERMANENT SECRETARY ALECOS SHAMBOS. HE ALSO VISITED THE CYPRUS RED CROSS SOCIETY IN NICOSIA. LATER THIS AFTERNOON HE WAS EXPECTED TO VISIT THE LIMASSOL DISTRICT OFFICE FOR TURKISH CYPRIOT AFFAIRS. HE LEAVES ON SUNDAY. CYPRUS HAS BEEN DIVIDED SINCE 1974 WHEN TURKISH TROOPS INVADED AND OCCUPIED 37 PER CENT OF THE ISLAND'S TERRITORY. CNA EC/GP/1996ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY[03] FOUR-PARTY IDEA WAS RAISED IN 1991, SAYS U.N. ENVOYNICOSIA, MAY 9 (CNA) -- U.N. DEPUTY RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE GUSTAVE FEISSEL SAID THE IDEA OF A FOUR-PARTY MEETING ON CYPRUS WAS RAISED IN 1991 AND 1992 AND WAS INCLUDED IN U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS.HE MADE THIS STATEMENT AFTER A MEETING HERE TODAY WITH THE RAPPORTEUR OF THE COMMITTEE ON LEGAL AFFAIRS AND HUMAN RIGHTS OF THE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE (COE) ERIK JURGENS. ASKED TO COMMENT ON THIS IDEA, FEISSEL SAID IT ''IS A THOUGHT AND WHEN SOMEONE RAISED THAT WITH ME SOMETIME AGO, IN 1991-1992, THE SECRETARY-GENERAL TALKED ABOUT A MEETING WHICH WOULD BE ATTENDED BY THE TWO COMMUNITIES AND TURKEY AND GREECE, TO COME UP WITH AN OVERALL SETTLEMENT. THIS IDEA WAS ALSO ENDORSED BY THE SECURITY COUNCIL IN A COUPLE OF RESOLUTIONS AT THAT TIME.'' TO A QUESTION IF HE WAS IN FAVOUR OF SUCH MEETING, FEISSEL REPLIED IT IS NOT A QUESTION OF BEING IN FAVOUR OR NOT IN FAVOUR. FEISSEL REPLIED IN THE NEGATIVE IF HE WAS AWARE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION AND THE UNITED STATES AGREEING TO SHARE THE EFFORT ON CYPRUS. CYPRUS PRESIDENT GLAFCOS CLERIDES SAID IN ATHENS IF SUFFICIENT PROGRESS IS MADE ON THE ISSUE OF SECURITY THEN SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES ON THE 1960 ALLIANCE AND GUARANTEE TREATIES (ESTABLISHING THE CYPRUS REPUBLIC) SHOULD BE MADE AND A FIVE-PARTY CONFERENCE SHOULD CONVENE TO MAKE THESE AMENDMENTS. THE TREATIES WERE SIGNED BY REPRESENTATIVES OF THE GREEK AND TURKISH CYPRIOT COMMUNITIES, BRITAIN, GREECE AND TURKEY. CYPRUS HAS BEEN DIVIDED SINCE 1974 WHEN TURKISH TROOPS INVADED AND OCCUPIED 37 PER CENT OF THE ISLAND'S TERRITORY. CNA EC/GP/1996ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY[04] CYPRIOT AND GREEK LEADERS HELD TALKSATHENS, MAY 9 (CNA) -- CYPRUS PRESIDENT GLAFCOS CLERIDES AND GREEK PRIME MINISTER COSTAS SIMITIS HELD TALKS HERE TODAY ON THE CYPRUS PROBLEM AND BILATERAL RELATIONS, INCLUDING A GREECE-CYPRUS JOINT DEFENCE PACT.DURING HIS STAY IN ATHENS, THE CYPRIOT PRESIDENT, WHO RETURNS TO CYPRUS THIS EVENING, HAD ALSO A MEETING WITH GREEK PRESIDENT COSTIS STEPHANOPOULOS, WHO IS CURRENTLY IN WASHINGTON. HE HELD TALKS TODAY WITH U.S. PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON. PRESENT AT THE ATHENS MEETING WERE CYPRUS FOREIGN MINISTER ALECOS MICHAELIDES, GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN YIANNAKIS CASSOULIDES, PRESIDENTIAL UNDERSECRETARY PANTELIS KOUROS, THE AMBASSADOR OF CYPRUS TO GREECE CHARALAMBOS CHRISTOFOROU AND THE AMBASSADOR OF GREECE TO CYPRUS ALEXANDROS SANDIS. SIMITIS ANNOUNCED THAT HE WILL VISIT CYPRUS LATER THIS YEAR. HE DID NOT GIVE SPECIFIC DATES. DESCRIBING THEIR TALKS AS ''FRIENDLY AND THOROUGH'', THE GREEK PREMIER SAID HE BRIEFED THE CYPRIOT LEADER ABOUT HIS RECENT TOUR OF EUROPEAN CAPITALS AND HIS TRIP TO THE U.S. WHERE HE MET PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON WITH WHOM HE DISCUSSED THE CYPRUS PROBLEM. THE GREEK PRIME MINISTER SAID DURING HIS VISIT TO THE WHITE HOUSE, THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT REFERRED TO HIS EARLIER PROMISE THAT 1996 WILL BE THE YEAR OF CYPRUS AND TOLD THE GREEK PREMIER THAT THE U.S. WOULD LAUNCH AN INITIATIVE ON THE CYPRUS PROBLEM. SIMITIS ADDED HE TOLD CLINTON THAT THE U.S. EFFORTS SHOULD TRY TO OVERCOME THE ''UNJUSTIFIED RESISTANCE'' DISPLAYED BY THE OTHER (TURKISH) SIDE ON THE SOLUTION OF THE CYPRUS PROBLEM. ASKED ABOUT THE ATTEMPTS TO LINK EU FUNDS TO TURKEY WITH THE CYPRUS-EU ASSOCIATION COUNCIL, THE GREEK PRIME MINISTER SAID EU MEMBER STATES ASK FROM TIME TO TIME WHETHER THE EU FINANCIAL PROTOCOL FOR TURKEY CAN BE DISCONNECTED WITH THE OTHER ISSUES. GREECE HAS REPEATEDLY STATED THAT SUCH A MOVE IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN IF TURKEY CONTINUES TO MAINTAIN ''NON PEACEFUL OR UNFRIENDLY ATTITUDES'', HE SAID. SIMITIS ADDED, HOWEVER, THAT NO COUNTER-MEASURES IN THE CASE OF CYPRUS SHOULD BE EXPECTED AS A RESULT OF THE POSITION ADOPTED BY GREECE. ASKED IF THIS GREEK POSITION ON THE MATTER MIGHT RESULT TO THE POSTPONEMENT OR CANCELLATION OF THE EU-CYPRUS ASSOCIATION COUNCIL SCHEDULED FOR TUESDAY IN BRUSSELS, HE REPLIED THAT ''THIS ISSUE IS OUT OF THE QUESTION'' AND THAT THE COUNCIL WILL TAKE PLACE AS PLANNED. YESTERDAY, GREECE'S FOREIGN MINISTER THEODOROS PANGALOS WARNED EU MEMBERS STATES, AND ESPECIALLY FRANCE AND GERMANY, AGAINST ATTEMPTS TO LINK THE ISSUE OF THE EU FINANCES TO TURKEY WITH THE CYPRUS-EU ASSOCIATION COUNCIL. REFERRING TO THE GRECO-CYPRIOT JOINT DEFENCE PACT, SIMITIS SAID TODAY'S MEETING SIMPLY REAFFIRMED THE COOPERATION IN THIS FIELD. THE TWO COUNTRIES AGREED TO ADOPT A JOINT DEFENCE POLICY IN NOVEMBER 1993 TO FACE TURKISH EXPANSIONIST DESIGNS. TURKISH TROOPS HAVE BEEN OCCUPYING 37 PER CENT OF CYPRUS TERRITORY SINCE 1974. GREECE HAS WARNED TURKEY WITH WAR IN CASE THE TURKISH OCCUPATION TROOPS ADVANCE FURTHER TOWARDS THE SOUTHERN GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED PART OF CYPRUS. CNA RG/KPK/GP/1996ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY[05] U.N. INVESTIGATE ALLEGED ABDUCTION OF TURKISH CYPRIOT BOYNICOSIA, MAY 9 (CNA) -- THE U.N. WERE INVESTIGATING THE CASE OF THE ALLEGED ABDUCTION OF A 15-YEAR-OLD TURKISH CYPRIOT, WHO WAS THEN TAKEN TO THE TURKISH-OCCUPIED PART OF THE ISLAND, U.N. SPOKESMAN IN CYPRUS WALDEMAR ROKOSZEWSKI TOLD CNA THURSDAY.''WE HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE CASE RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING WHEN IT WAS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION ON MAY, 6'', THE U.N. SPOKESMAN SAID. THE ABDUCTION OF YOUNG MEHMET WAS REPORTED TO LIMASSOL POLICE BY HIS FATHER, SALIH MEHMET RAMADAN KOURSIOUNILER, WHO ACCUSED TURKISH CYPRIOT IRFAN MAVIDENIS FOR THE ABDUCTION. THE U.N. WERE IN TOUCH WITH THE AUTHORITIES AND POLICE OF THE CYPRUS REPUBLIC AND THE OCCUPATION REGIME. ''OUR TARGET IS TO GET THE BOY BACK BECAUSE HE IS A MINOR AND TO MANAGE TO ARRANGE A MEETING WITH HIS FAMILY AT THE LEDRA PALACE HOTEL'' (SITUATED IN THE U.N.-CONTROLLED NICOSIA BUFFER ZONE), HE SAID, NOTING THAT THERE HAS BEEN ''NO PROGRESS SO FAR.'' A LONG MEETING WAS HELD WITH THE BOY'S OLDER BROTHER, WHO IS REPRESENTING THE FAMILY, THE SPOKESMAN SAID, ADDING THAT U.N. OFFICERS HAD ALSO SPOKEN WITH MEHMET OVER THE PHONE. HE IS STAYING IN THE TURKISH-OCCUPIED EASTERN TOWN OF FAMAGUSTA. MEANWHILE, THE RAPPORTEUR OF THE COMMITTEE ON LEGAL AFFAIRS AND HUMAN RIGHTS OF THE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE, ERIK JURGENS, WHO IS VISITING THE ISLAND TO PREPARE A REPORT ON HUMAN RIGHTS' SITUATION ON CYPRUS IN BOTH SIDES OF THE DIVIDE SAID HE WOULD ''DEFINITELY INVESTIGATE THE CASE.'' JURGENS, WHO IS VISITING THIS AFTERNOON TURKISH CYPRIOTS LIVING IN SOUTHERN PORT TOWN OF LIMASSOL, IN THE FREE AREAS, WHERE THE BOY'S FAMILY LIVES, SAID THIS ''WILL CERTAINLY BE ONE OF THE THINGS I WILL BE ASKING.'' U.N. CHIEF'S RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE GUSTAVE FEISSEL, WITH WHOM JURGENS HAD A MEETING TODAY, SAID THE SITUATION REMAINS UNCLEAR AS TO WHAT IN FACT HAPPENED. ''I AM NOT SURE I WOULD USE THE WORD (KIDNAPPED) THAT WAS USED IN THE QUESTION BECAUSE IT IS NOT CLEAR AS TO WHAT HAPPENED'', HE SAID. THE U.N. OFFICIAL ADDED ''IT IS POSSIBLE AND THE U.N. ARE LOOKING INTO IT, THAT THE BOY WENT UP THERE ON HIS OWN. ''WHEN WE HAVE FINISHED OUR WORK, WE WILL KNOW BETTER AS TO WHAT HAPPENED'', HE SAID. CNA MCH/GP/1996ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY[06] CREATION OF NEW STOCKBROKINGNICOSIA, MAY 9 (CNA) -- THE CREATION OF A NEW STOCKBROKING FIRM HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED IN NICOSIA, UNDER THE NAME, SIGMA SEVERIS AND ATHIENITIS SECURITIES LTD.THE LAUNCH OF THE FIRM COINCIDED WITH THE OPENING OF THE NEW STOCK EXCHANGE IN CYPRUS AND CELEBRATED ITS LAUNCH BY EXECUTING THE FIRST TRANSACTION ON THE NEW STOCK EXCHANGE. THE FIRM IS OWNED AS TO 60 PER CENT BY SEVERIS ATHIENITIS FINANCIAL SERVICES LTD AND 40 PER CENT BY SIGMA SECURITIES SA, THE LARGEST STOCKBROKING FIRM IN GREECE. ANNOUNCING THE CREATION OF SIGMA SEVERIS AND ATHIENITIS SECURITIES LTD, NICOS SEVERIS FOUNDER AND CHAIRMAN OF THE FIRM, SAID ''THE STARTING OF THE NEW STOCK EXCHANGE LED US TO LAUNCH OUR COMPANY AND REALISE THE FIRST LINK BETWEEN THE STOCK EXCHANGES OF GREECE AND CYPRUS.'' HE EXPRESSED THE BELIEF THAT ''THE NEW STOCK EXCHANGE WILL DEVELOP SIGNIFICANTLY AND FURTHER INTEREST WILL BE SHOWN BY BOTH LOCAL AND FOREIGN INVESTORS.'' SEVERIS DECLINED TO GIVE AN ESTIMATED FIGURE ON THE INFLOW OF FOREIGN FUNDS BUT SAID ''JUDGING FROM THE EXPERIENCE OF THE SOFA FUND WHICH HAD GROWN TO 16 MILLION U.S. DOLLARS INTEREST SHOULD BE QUITE KEEN.'' THE COOPERATION WITH SIGMA SECURITIES SA IS OF IMMENSE IMPORTANCE TO THE NEW FIRM, SEVERIS SAID , NOTING THAT IT WILL BRING EXPERTISE IN THE AREA OF UNDERWRITING AND NEW ISSUES. HE SAID THE NEW COMPANY WILL HELP TO ACCELERATE THE INTRODUCTION OF NEW FIRMS, BOTH CYPRIOT AND GREEK ORIGIN, TO THE CYPRUS EXCHANGE. CNA MCH/GP/1996ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY[07] CYPRIOT MINISTER FLIES TO ITALYNICOSIA, MAY 9 (CNA) -- CYPRUS COMMERCE, INDUSTRY AND TOURISM MINISTER KYRIACOS CHRISTOFI LEFT FOR NAPOLI, ITALY, TODAY TO TAKE PART IN A MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE, WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF EUROPE'S TOURISM WEEK (MAY 7-11).THE CYPRIOT MINISTER WILL ADDRESS THE CONFERENCE, WHICH WILL DEAL WITH TOURISM AS PART OF EURO-MEDITERRANEAN COOPERATION. ON THE SIDELINES OF THE CONFERENCE, CHRISTOFI WILL HAVE A SERIES OF MEETINGS. HE WILL SEE, AMONG OTHERS, ITALIAN TOURISM MINISTER MARIO D'ADDIO AND EUROPEAN UNION COMMISSIONER CHRISTOS PAPOUTSIS, FROM GREECE. CNA GP/1996ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY[08] CYPRUS PRESIDENT RETURNS FROM ATHENSLARNACA, MAY 9 (CNA) -- CYPRUS PRESIDENT GLAFCOS CLERIDES RETURNED THIS EVENING FROM ATHENS WHERE HE HELD TALKS WITH GREEK LEADERS ON THE CYPRUS PROBLEM AND BILATERAL RELATIONS.SPEAKING ON RETURN AT LARNACA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, THE PRESIDENT STATED THAT NO PROPOSAL FOR A FOUR-PARTY OR A FIVE-PARTY MEETING ON THE CYPRUS PROBLEM HAS BEEN RAISED BY ANY ONE INVOLVED IN THE CYPRUS PEACE PROCESS. CLERIDES SAID THE GREEK CYPRIOT SIDE ACCEPTS NEITHER A FIVE-PARTY MEETING NOR A FOUR-PARTY MEETING BECAUSE THIS WOULD ''MAKE BRITAIN THE ARBITER OF OUR DIFFERENCES, SOMETHING'', HE SAID, ''WE DO NOT WANT. HE EXPLAINED THAT THE GREEK CYPRIOT SIDE WANTS, IN THE CASE THE TWO SIDES REACH AN AGREEMENT, TO SUMMON A FIVE-PARTY MEETING WITH THE PARTICIPATION OF THE TWO COMMUNITIES AND THE GUARANTOR POWERS, (BRITAIN, GREECE, TURKEY) TO RE-DEFINE THE GUARANTEES INCLUDED IN THE CONSTITUTION FOR THE SECURITY OF THE REPUBLIC OF CYPRUS. ASKED TO COMMENT ON STATEMENTS MADE BY HIS GREEK COUNTERPART COSTIS STEPHANOPOULOS, THE CYPRUS PRESIDENT SAID THAT NO PRESSURE WAS EXERTED ON THE GREEK CYPRIOT SIDE TO MAKE CONCESSION ON THE CYPRUS PROBLEM. REPLYING TO QUESTIONS, THE CYPRIOT PRESIDENT REFERRED TO THREE CYPRUS INITIATIVES FROM BRITAIN, THE U.S. AND THE EUROPEAN UNION. CLERIDES ADDED THE GREEK CYPRIOT SIDE WANTED ALL THOSE INTERESTED IN A CYPRUS SETTLEMENT TO COORDINATE ACTION, OTHERWISE THEY WILL LEAD TO ''A TOWER OF BABEL SITUATION'', AS HE PUT IT. REFERRING TO HIS VISIT TO GREECE, CLERIDES DESCRIBED IT ''USEFUL'' IN VIEW OF HIS FORTHCOMING VISIT TO THE U.S. IN MID-JUNE FOR TALKS WITH THE U.S. PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON. CNA KPK/GP/1996ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCYCyprus News Agency Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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