Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 96-08-14 (4th UPDATE)

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CONTENTS

[01] UN envoy expresses shock over buffer zone killing

[02] Cyprus urges Security Council members to act - tension localised

[03] British diplomat comments on buffer zone killings

2315:CYPPRESS:17

[01] UN envoy expresses shock over buffer zone killing

In a statement to CNA tonight, Feissel described the killing of another Greek Cypriot today by Turkish soldiers as a ''terrible tragedy. We feel that the shooting was totally unwarranted and inexcusable'', he said.

Eleven civilians, including two British UN peacekeepers, were wounded during a peaceful anti-occupation demonstration in the UN-controlled buffer zone in Dherynia, on the eastern coast of the island.

The incidents followed the burial earlier today of another Greek Cypriot savagely beaten to death on Sunday in another demonstration which called for the freedom of movement in this divided island.

Feissel told CNA although the Greek Cypriots had broken into the buffer zone, the UN was in control of the situation and was in the process of getting people out of the buffer zone when ''out of the blue the Turkish soldiers started firing''.

He said UNFICYP was trying to take back Solomos Spyrou Solomos when ''for no reason whatsoever'' the shooting began.

The UN envoy supported that demonstrations should take place but these should be done within bounds.

''Everybody has the right to demonstrate. Demonstrations should take place within bounds'', he said, adding that ''one side must react in proportion to what is going on the other side. What happened today and on Sunday is totally disproportionate to what was going on,'' he added, referring to the shooting by the Turkish side.

He expressed the view that ''there is a feeling of shock'' and that what has happened is not Cyprus. For the first time in so many years, he said, there was one person killed and now another in demonstrations. ''I do not believe that the people we saw on TV are the people that we have known on this island.''

Feissel said he understands that the people are angry but noted that ''we must all come back to our senses and stop such actions''.

Asked what the UN intends to do at this stage, Feissel said the international organisation has been trying all along for a settlement but ''will not stop now. Efforts should be redoubled,'' he added.

The UN envoy said he was in continued touch today with President Glafcos Clerides and Foreign Minister Alecos Michaelides and would be meeting them.

He added he was also in continuous touch with the other (Turkish Cypriot) side, ''underlying that we all have to be very careful and these kind of actions should stop'' because they are not in the interests of the T/C community.

CNA EC/GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

2340:CYPPRESS:18

[02] Cyprus urges Security Council members to act - tension localised

He also urged Council members to evaluate the facts in order to ensure that a true depiction of the incidents is portrayed and warned them against ignoring the fact that Turkish terrorist groups came to Cyprus with intent to cause trouble.

The Minister dismissed as unfounded rumours that the country is in a war-like situation and explained today's tension, which has almost faded, was localised.

Speaking after meeting the ambassadors of the ''big five'' in Cyprus, the Minister said ''I stressed to the big five that the Council and each member separately must take the necessary steps to deal with the position the Turkish Cypriot side and the Turkish occupation troops have adopted in the past few days.''

''Council members must also take account of the fact that Turkish terrorists arrived in Cyprus with the express purpose of causing trouble,'' he said.

The government, he underlined, shall not let this go unnoticed because it would send the wrong message to the Turkish Cypriot side.

Michaelides pointed out at this evening's meeting that ''any attempt based on a policy of keeping an equal distance spells out trouble because it implies that entering the UN-controlled buffer zone and shooting to kill in the buffer zone is the same thing.''

The Minister said today's shooting by Turkish troops in the buffer zone started when a signal was given by firing a flare.

This, he pointed out, proves that the Turks resumed their attacks which aim to kill, as they did on Sunday when they beat to death a Greek Cypriot demonstrator in the buffer zone.

He said the recent incidents underline the need to ''increase efforts by all those who want to see a solution of the Cyprus problem, including the UN, US and the European Union, to do it as quickly as possible.''

Cyprus' ambassador to the UN will brief later today the UN Security Council while President Glafcos Clerides intends to send a letter to the UN Secretary-General early next week, the content or purpose of which he did not disclose.

On Saturday the President has called a meeting of the National Council, the top advisory body on the handling of the Cyprus question, to discuss the situation.

Greek Premier Costas Simitis will arrive in Cyprus on Saturday morning to be fully briefed about developments and will attend Saturday's Council meeting.

The Foreign Minister said throughout the day he was in close contact with UN top envoy in Cyprus Gustave Feissel and local police cooperated fully with the UN peace-keeping force.

CNA MM/GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

2350:CYPPRESS:19

[03] British diplomat comments on buffer zone killings

British High Commissioner to Cyprus David Madden told the press this evening after a meeting with Cyprus Foreign Minister Alecos Michaelides that his government ''is not putting all incidents on an equal footing'' and stressed the need ''to establish the facts and take up the correct action on the basis of those facts.''

The High Commissioner was referring to the killing of two Greek Cypriot demonstrators by Turkish occupation troops and the unauthorised entry into the buffer zone by Greek Cypriots protesting the continuing occupation of their country.

''Nobody is trying to equate actions which are not similar in nature,'' Madden said and added that Britain ''will take up this vigorously in the right places and at the right time.''

A protest will be made, he said, and will be followed up.

''I expect it will be discussed later today in New York at the UN Security Council,'' he added.

Calling for restraint, he said all attempts must be made to ensure the situation does not worsen.

He condemned today's killing of a Greek Cypriot demonstrator by Turkish troops and, referring to the wounding of two British UN peace-keepers by the Turks, he said it was an ''intolerable'' act.

CNA MM/GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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