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Cyprus News Agency 96-06-13.Cyprus News Agency Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Γιώργος Ζαχαρία <lysi@mit.edu>CONTENTS
1200:CYPPRESS:01[01] US follow closely arm race in CyprusWashington, Jun 13 (CNA) -- The United States follow closely the question of the military build-up in Cyprus.This was said by US State Department Spokesman Nicholas Burns, who said his country pays attention to this problem. ''Our belief is and our position is that we all need to make an effort to try to resolve the problems of Cyprus, and we've been at this now for a long time, over 20 years,'' he told his press briefing. He said US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Canadian Affairs John Kornblum has made this clear publicly and he has had extensive conversations with all the parties to the conflict. ''We have special Ambassadors, too, working on this, and we have a very competent Ambassador in Nicosia. We're paying attention to this problem'', the Spokesman added. Burns repeated the US position regarding war scenarios and said his country does not believe there is any rationality in them. ''We don't believe there's any rational reason why we should be raising the diplomatic temperature and talking about war games and scares, and a future of conflict. We actually want to turn the situations in the other direction'', the Spokesman added. Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37 per cent of its territory. CNA DA/GP/1996ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY1310:CYPPRESS:02[02] No US solution plan for Cyprus, says CleridesNicosia, Jun 13 (CNA) -- The US will not, at the present stage, put forward any specific solution plan for Cyprus as it does not consider this to be the right time for such a move, President Glafcos Clerides said, arriving in New York to meet with the five permanent members of the UN Security Council.Referring to his meeting on Monday, June 17, with US President Bill Clinton, in Washington, Clerides expressed the view that ''at present the US has not decided to put forward any specific plan concerning the Cyprus problem.'' ''We have been repeatedly assured of this'', he said, adding that he believes the US would not consider the time right for such a move. President Clerides cited two reasons, namely the pre-election period in the US and the government instability in Turkey, to support that the American initiative on Cyprus is not expected to be launched at the present stage. He said he is not expecting any pressure from his US counterpart towards a solution of the Cyprus problem and noted that the meeting was proposed after the Cyprus government had asked the US to exercise pressure against Turkey and especially the Turkish military to abandon its intransigent position on the basic issues of the Cyprus problem. Asked whether the recent tension between Greece and Turkey could have an adverse effect on the Cyprus problem, President Clerides said Greco-Turkish relations do have an effect on Cyprus and vice-versa. He agreed that Europe could play an important part in efforts for a solution to the Cyprus problem. He noted, however, that it is the US and not Europe that has the power to exercise pressure in this direction. ''Co-ordinated efforts by the US and Europe in this direction would be the ultimate'', he added. Referring to his meeting in Geneva with UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali, on Tuesday, President Clerides said they reached the conclusion that there could be no direct talks between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot sides since there was no common ground on the basic aspects of the Cyprus problem. He said when asked by the UN Chief whether the Greek Cypriot side was ready to discuss even one single issue, he referred to his proposal for the island's demilitarisation, he put forward two years ago. ''I believe this is the right time for the issue of demilitarisation to be discussed,'' President Clerides said. The Cypriot President recalled that Turkey had turned down his proposal even before Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash expressed his views on the matter. Referring to Cyprus' bid to become a full member of the European Union, President Clerides said the UN Secretary-General and other personalities and statesmen consider that this issue could act as a catalyst for the solution of the Cyprus problem. Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37 per cent of its territory. CNA MCH/GP/1996ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY1355:CYPPRESS:03[03] Cyprus to host Mediterranean Congress of Prosthetic DentistryNicosia, Jun 13 (CNA) -- Cyprus will host the first Mediterranean Congress of Prosthetic Dentistry (MCPD), organised by the Pancyprian Dental Association in collaboration with the International society of Dental Ceramics (ISDC).A total of 24 distinguished specialists in the field from European, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern countries have been invited to speak to the congress which will take place in the southern town of Limassol from June 27 - 30. The congress is expected to be attended by more than 600 Cypriot and foreign delegates. Swedish Professor Per-Ingvar Branemark, who has discovered osseointegration and designed and developed reconstructive surgical procedures based on this principle, is an honourary guest to the congress. Speakers will deal with implantology, a practiced in different countries as well as other relating issues. CNA MCH/GP/1996ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY1700:CYPPRESS:04[04] Local bank establishes unit in Channel IslandsNicosia, Jun 13 (CNA) -- The Bank of Cyprus, the largest banking institution on the island, will operate an ''Administration Banking Unit'' in Guernsey, one of the Channel Islands, Solon Triantafyllides, Chairman of the Bank of Cyprus (BoC) group, announced here today.This operation makes the Bank of Cyprus the first Cypriot bank to be administered by a foreign bank at an offshore centre. The Unit will start operating on 1 July on an offshore basis and it will be under the administration of the Royal Bank of Canada, he told a press conference. ''The administrative Bank shall carry out the daily transactions of our sister company in Guernsey from the offices of the Royal Bank of Canada,'' Triantafyllides explained. But he pointed out that ''all decisions relating to the strategy and policy of this new bank, the manner of its operation and the offered products shall be the exclusive responsibility of the Bank of Cyprus Administration.'' ''The BoC aims to expand the service centres it operates for the benefit of its customers,'' he said. Triantafyllides considers the deal ''a great success bearing in mind that the authorities in Guernsey set out very strict criteria before they grant permission to banking institutions to operate there.'' Today some 72 banking units operate from the Channel Islands with estimated deposits in the region of 42 billion pounds sterling. The Chairman called for the liberalisation of loans in foreign currency (ECU, US dollar, pound sterling, Deutch Mark, Swiss Franc and Japanese Yen) to enable more Cypriot businessmen to borrow funds in a wide spectrum of economic activity. At present such loans are granted to the export and tourist industries. CNA MM/GP/1996ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY1810:CYPPRESS:05[05] Liberal International adopts first ever Cyprus resolutionNicosia, Jun 13 (CNA) -- Liberal International (LI) considers the status quo in Cyprus ''unacceptable'' and has called on all parties involved in the Cyprus question to work towards a lasting settlement.In the first ever resolution on Cyprus, adopted by the Liberal International at its biannual meeting in Noordwijk, the Netherlands, LI notes that ''no progress has been achieved in the search of a just and viable solution of the Cyprus problem for more than two decades of division in Cyprus.'' ''This status quo on Cyprus is unacceptable,'' the resolution says and urges all parties involved to ''demonstrate good will and work actively towards a lasting and peaceful solution.'' LI also expresses ''strong support'' for the efforts of the UN Secretary-General to ''resolve the Cyprus problem in a just and viable manner at the earliest possible time.'' Furthermore the LI working commission has asked the Executive Committee to have a more detailed debate on this issue. Cyprus' Liberal party, which is a full member of LI, was represented at the meeting by Costas Zachariades, International Relations Officer. CNA MM/GP/1996ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY1910:CYPPRESS:06[06] Cyprus calls for curb on global unemploymentNicosia, Jun 13 (CNA) -- International cooperation is necessary if nations are to tackle rising unemployment, Cyprus Minister of Labour and Social Insurance Andreas Moushouttas has said.Addressing the 83rd Session of the International Labour conference, in Geneva, Moushouttas said ''countries are becoming more interdepedent, something which necessitates further strengthening of international cooperation to ensure a stable, open and expanding world economy.'' Priority should be given on a national level to full employment, which would counteract poverty and discrimination and promote tolerance and equity, he said. ''Cyprus will join forces with all those who wish to see the ILO's (International Labour Organisation) role strengthened in carrying out its historic mandate,'' Moushouttas added. Safeguarding and promoting democracy and human rights, an awesome task, would lay the foundation of freedom, social justice and peace in the world, he concluded. CNA MM/GP/1996ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY1915:CYPPRESS:07[07] Italian duo to perform in CyprusNicosia, Jun 13 (CNA) -- The renowned ''Italian Instrumental Duo'' will hold two concerts on the island next week.A press release issued by the Embassy of Italy in Nicosia said Maestros Cristina Antoniotti (Harp) and Luca Burini (piano) will hold a concert at the PASIDY Amphitheatre in Nicosia, on June 17. The concert is organised by the Cultural Service of the Ministry of Education and Culture of Cyprus and the Italian Embassy. The duo will perform a second concert, organised in cooperation with the Larnaca Municipality the following day, at the Larnaca Municipal Theatre. Among the two artists' repertoire are pieces by Italian conductor Alessandro Rolla and the Austrian composer Maximilian Leidersdof. CNA EC/GP/1996ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY2040:CYPPRESS:08[08] Coalition parties name MP to replace House President in absenceNicosia, Jun 13 (CNA) -- The House of Representatives designated today MP Nicos Anastasiades, of the ruling rightwing Democratic Rally (DISY) party, as the deputy who will replace the House President in his absence.The decision was taken by majority vote after a lively debate at the second session of the newly-elected House of Representatives, which emerged following May's parliamentary elections. DISY and its coalition partner, centre-right Democratic Party (DIKO) voted in favour of the move with 27 votes while opposition leftwing AKEL party together with socialist EDEK and Free Democrats Movement voted against it with 21 votes. The proposal to name an MP to replace the House President in his absence, put forward by DIKO parliamentary spokesman Tassos Papadopoulos, also suggests that the eldest MP shall replace the deputy chosen to replace the House President if he is unable to carry out this duty. Opposition MPs objected to the proposal because they argued that the Constitution provides for the eldest MP to replace the House President in his absence. The House decided unanimously, with one abstention, to refer the matter to the Supreme Court to clear the issue. A ruling by Attorney General Alecos Markides on whether the House decision complies with the articles of the Constitution of the Republic of Cyprus said naming an MP to replace the House President is not unconstitutional. ''I tend to think that the reply to the above question must be a positive one,'' it added. But it pointed out that the Constitution does not provide for either a post or the institution or the office of a Deputy House President. CNA MM/GP/1996ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY2045:CYPPRESS:09[09] Regime prevents T/C attend Queen's birthday receptionNicosia, Jun 13 (CNA) -- The Turkish Cypriot regime in the occupied part of the island continued its tactic in preventing contacts between members of the two communities.This time it prohibited Turkish Cypriots to attend a reception for Queen Elizabeth in the free areas. The Denktash regime prevented around 100 Turkish Cypriot guests to attend the reception last night given by the British High Commission on the occasion of Queen Elizabeth's birthday. According to the Turkish Cypriot press, the British High Commission applied for permission to the so-called Turkish Cypriot ''authorities'' to allow the 100 Turkish Cypriot guests to cross into the free areas for the reception. However, only one hour before the reception, the regime announced that it was ''not appropriate for guests to cross into the free areas''. Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37 per cent of the island's territory. The Denktash regime in the occupied areas is recognised only by Ankara. It has repeatedly prevented Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots to meet for scientific, cultural or trade union purposes. CNA EC/GP/1996ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCYCyprus News Agency Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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