Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 96-08-16

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CONTENTS

[01] Cypriots in US react strongly to killings

[02] Satisfaction with UN report

[03] UN envoy's meetings aim to diffuse situation in Cyprus

[04] UN wants Clerides-Denktash meeting to diffuse tension

[05] Greek Premier to attend Cyprus National Council session

[06] Simitis' visit boosts Cyprus people's moral

1030:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Cypriots in US react strongly to killings

Rallies, protests and demonstrations are being organized here and in other cities in the United States.

Greek American Community leaders have made an emotional and strongly worded appeal to Madeleine Albright, the US ambassador to the United Nations.

In a conference call with the American diplomat, who recently visited Cyprus, they impressed on her that the time for the United States to take firm action against Turkey is long past.

Yesterday afternoon a protest rally was organised in front of the Permanent Mission of Turkey across from the United Nations.

Today, two members of the US Congress, Bob Menendez and Eliot Engel, will hold a press conference at the United Nations to draw attention to the buffer zone slayings and to screen a video of the events for the press.

Also today, Greek and Cypriot American community leaders will meet in Washington with National Security Advisor, Samuel Berger, and with John Kornblum, Assistant Secretary of State for European and Canadian Affairs.

Meanwhile, UN spokesperson Sylvana Foa said yesterday Gustave Feissel, the UN Resident Representative, "met separately with President (Glafcos) Clerides and (Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf) Denktash to talk about the tragic events and to underline the need to prevent any reoccurrence."

She said it was a "very candid" meeting and that both leaders appeared quite affected by what had happened.

Feissel, she noted, "stressed that it was the responsibility of local authorities on either side of the buffer zone to prevent people from breaching the cease-fire lines and getting into the buffer zone itself". Foa made the same point repeatedly yesterday.

In Nicosia, President Clerides was seeing this morning Feissel, a few hours before the funeral of the second Greek Cypriot youth who was shot dead by Turkish troops in the UN-controlled buffer zone.

Eleven other people, including two British UN peace-keepers were wounded from the Turkish bullets.

CNA JD/GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1240:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Satisfaction with UN report

On Wednesday, the Turkish troops killed in cold blood another Greek Cypriot demonstrator in the buffer zone. He is Solomos Spyrou Solomou, 26, whose funeral will take place this afternoon.

In a written statement, the Foreign Minister expressed the government's satisfaction with ''the objective description of the barbaric murder of Anastasios (Tasos) Isaac,'' in which agents of the Turkish Cypriot pseudo-regime were actively involved ''who obviously,'' Michaelides notes, ''acted on instructions''.

The UN report stated that a significant number of members of the Turkish extremist organisation, ''Grey Wolves'' participated in staged incidents against Greek Cypriot demonstrators last Sunday.

It also noted that the some 1,000 persons in buses had been allowed to pass through the three-kilometre wide military zone separating Greek Cypriot national guardsmen and Turkish occupation forces and assemble along the cease-fire line ''including persons carrying the flag of the 'Grey Wolves' who had come from Turkey''.

''A Greek Cypriot demonstrator, Anastasios Isaac, was beaten to death by a number of Turkish Cypriot demonstrators, including three Turkish Cypriot policemen,'' the UN report said.

The Foreign Minister noted in his statement that the government considers "unacceptable and dangerous the fact that Denktash brought to Cyprus terrorists from Turkey in order to participate in last Sunday's criminal acts.''

Michaelides also expressed the government's appreciation and sympathy for members of the UN peacekeeping force who were wounded while carrying out their duties.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied 37 per cent of the island's territory.

CNA MH/GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1315:CYPPRESS:03

[03] UN envoy's meetings aim to diffuse situation in Cyprus

Feissel met President Clerides for about one hour this morning. This is the second meeting in two days. The UN envoy was scheduled to meet at noon, for a second time, Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash, in the occupied areas.

''The purpose of this meeting is to see how to defuse the situation which is rather tense'', the UN official told the press after the meeting.

Asked if his is conveying any particular message to the two sides, Feissel said ''when we get their you'll find out.''

Replying to a question if he is carrying a suggestion from the UN Secretary-General for an immediate meeting between President Clerides and Rauf Denktash, Feissel repeated that ''we are discussing what we can do to diffuse the situation.''

''Everybody realises that this is what has to be done. So if you give us a little time we'll come up with something'', he added.

Asked if he is optimistic, Feissel noted that ''there is no choice.''

''I can well understand the feelings the people have, that is of course normal, but we have to go on,'' he said.

The UN Representative said he ''did not want to go much'' into how Denktash faces the situation.

''I would say from my meeting with him yesterday that he was taken aback by what happened and he did not try to justify what happened,'' Feissel said.

Commenting on allegations by the so-called ''foreign minister'' of the illegal entity in Cyprus' occupied territories, Atay Ahmet Rashid, that Greek Cypriots had shot the two UN soldiers wounded during Wednesday's demonstration, Feissel stressed ''this is obviously not true.''

Feissel's meetings with Clerides and Denktash take place after the cold-blooded killings by Turkish troops and Turkish extremists of two young Greek Cypriot demonstrators, Tasos Isaac on Sunday and his cousin Solomos Spyrou Solomou, on Wednesday, during peaceful anti-occupation demonstrations in the UN-controlled buffer zone.

A total of 52 people, including two British UN peacekeepers, were injured.

Turkish troops have been occupying 37 per cent of Cyprus territory since 1974, in violation of repeated UN resolutions calling for their withdrawal.

CNA MA/GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1430:CYPPRESS:04

[04] UN wants Clerides-Denktash meeting to diffuse tension

Speaking to the press, the Spokesman also said the National Council, which meets tomorrow in the presence of Greece's Premier Costas Simitis to review the current situation, will examine a proposal by Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash for a meeting with President Glafcos Clerides to ''diffuse the situation.''

Replying to press questions, Cassoulides did not rule out the possibility of a such a meeting taking place.

He said Denktash's proposal for an immediate meeting with President Clerides will be discussed tomorrow and a reply will be given.

Cassoulides said the National Council, the top advisory body to the President on the handling of the Cyprus problem, will evaluate the proposal and consider whether this is different from Denktash's longstanding demand for a meeting to discuss the Cyprus problem.

President Clerides believes that a meeting with Denktash, to discuss ways to move closer to an overall settlement, would only be productive if common ground is reached on the basic aspects of the Cyprus question.

For the past two days, Gustave Feissel, the UN Secretary-General's Resident Representative in Cyprus, has been holding meetings with President Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash, to find ways to diffuse the tension.

Feissel would not confirm if he is carrying a suggestion from the UN Secretary-General for such a meeting.

CNA MA/MM/GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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[05] Greek Premier to attend Cyprus National Council session

Sandis paid tribute to the two young Greek Cypriots who were murdered in cold blood by Turks in the past five days and stressed that with his visit, the Greek Prime Minister wants to demonstrate his unwavering support and backing of Cyprus.

The Greek ambassador told the press that the murders have shown the true face of the Denktash pseudo-regime and the Turkish occupation forces.

Simitis will be in Cyprus on Saturday to attend a meeting of the National Council, the island's top advisory body to the Cypriot President on the handling of the Cyprus problem.

Simitis convened early this morning a governmental committee to examine the situation surrounding the latest developments in Cyprus.

The Athens News Agency quoted the Greek Premier as stating that the murders committed by the occupation forces are ''an unprecedented provocation for the international community, international organisations and free citizens.''

Greek President, Costis Stephanopoulos, also expressed ''rage and indignation'' at the two killings, saying that the self-styled Turkish Cypriot regime in occupied Cyprus is ''one of armed dangerous violence.''

Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded and occupied the northern third of the island.

Tensions have been heightened over the past few days when two Greek Cypriot protesters demonstrating along the buffer zone separating the free and occupied areas were killed by Turkish extremists and the Turkish occupation forces.

CNA MH/GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1515:CYPPRESS:06

[06] Simitis' visit boosts Cyprus people's moral

Commenting on tomorrow's visit to Cyprus by the Greek Premier, Cassoulides said Simitis is coming during a time of ''crisis and tension'' to be present at a meeting of the National Council, and that this is an act of ''encouragement and faith in that we will meet the common dangers and crises with the wish of their happy conclusion.''

The Spokesman added the visit constitutes a ''substantive action which allows Cypriot Hellenism to look into the future with faith and hope.''

Simitis, accompanied by the Greek Foreign Minister, Theodoros Pangalos, and Government Spokesman, Dimitrios Reppas, is expected to arrive on the island tomorrow afternoon.

Commenting on the agenda of tomorrow's National Council meeting with Simitis present, Cassoulides said the agenda will be open and will include the examination of developments regarding recent events.

The Spokesman described Simitis' visit as a ''working visit'', adding his official visit will take place in October as planned.

His visit follows the cold-blooded murders by Turkish extremists and Turkish occupation troops of two Greek Cypriot youths during separate peaceful anti-occupation demonstrations in the UN-controlled buffer zone on Sunday and on Wednesday.

Greece together with Britain and Turkey were the guarantors of Cyprus' independence under the 1960 treaty of establishment of the Cyprus Republic.

Turkish troops have been occupying 37 per cent of this east Mediterranean island's territory since 1974, in violation of repeated UN resolutions calling for their withdrawal.

Greece has warned Turkey with war in case the Turkish troops advance towards the government-controlled southern part of this strategic island.

CNA MH/GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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