Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 96-08-20

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From: "HR-Net News Distribution Manager" <dist@hri.org>

CONTENTS

[01] Greek opposition leader to visit Cyprus

[02] National Council to chart policy

[03] US Presidential Emissary to visit Cyprus

[04] Britain reiterates adherence to peace talks

[05] Cyprus Stock Exchange

[06] EU expects Turkey to act as a European partner

[07] German MP severely criticises Ankara

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[01] Greek opposition leader to visit Cyprus

Before coming to Cyprus, Evert will travel to Brussels for a meeting with European Commission President Jacques Santer, later today, the Athens News Agency reported from Athens.

During his stay on the island, the Greek politician will be received by Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides.

Tomorrow, he will visit the families of the two Greek Cypriot youths, who were murdered by Turkish occupation troops and Turkish extremists, in separate peaceful anti-occupation demonstration in the UN-controlled buffer zone, last week, at Dherynia.

Tasos Isaac, 24, was savagely beaten to death by Turkish extremists and so-called policemen of the Turkish occupation regime, on Sunday, August 11.

Solomos Solomou, 26, was shot dead by Turkish troops, when he tried to lower the Turkish flag, on Wednesday, August 14.

Both were buried at Paralimni, in southeastern Cyprus, where their families live.

Evert's visit follows a nine-hour visit last Saturday by Greece's Prime Minister Costas Simitis, who also visited the families of the two young Greek Cypriots.

During his stay in Cyprus, the Greek Premier attended an extraordinary meeting of the National Council, the island's top advisory body to the President on the handling of the Cyprus problem.

The two countries agreed to coordinate international campaign to condemn the new Turkish atrocities on the island and intensify efforts for a solution to the Cyprus problem.

Simitis repeated Greece's ''Casus Belli'' (cause for war) threat in case that Turkish troops advance towards the government-controlled southern part of this east Mediterranean island, divided since the Turkish invasion in 1974.

CNA GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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[02] National Council to chart policy

President Clerides briefed his cabinet this morning on the latest developments.

The National Council, the island's top advisory body to the President on the handling of the Cyprus problem, meets for a second time in three days, following the new Turkish atrocities on this east Mediterranean island.

Turkish troops and Turkish extremists savagely beaten to death Tasos Isaac, 24, and Solomos Solomou, 26, during separate peaceful anti-occupation demonstrations in the UN-controlled buffer zone, on Sunday, August 11, and on Wednesday, August 14.

More than 60 people, including two British UN peacekeepers were injured by the Turks in both protest rallies, which took place in the UN buffer zone, in Dherynia area, the eastern end of the 180-kilometre-long no man's land across this east Mediterranean strategic island.

This evening's session follows an extraordinary National Council meeting last Saturday which was attended by Greece's Prime Minister Costas Simitis, who paid a nine-hour visit following the Turkish brutality.

A statement issued after Saturday's meeting said Cyprus and Greece unanimously decided to intensify cooperation in the international arena to protest Turkish aggression, seek a peaceful solution to the Cyprus problem, facilitate Cyprus' accession to the European Union and boost bilateral defence cooperation.

The Greek Premier reaffirmed that any new advance by Turkish troops towards the government-controlled southern part of the island is Casus Belli (cause for war).

Today's National Council session will mainly deal with a proposal by UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali for a meeting between President Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash and the issuing of a joint statement aimed to defuse tension on the island.

Already President Clerides and all five political party leaders participating in the National Council have turned down the proposal for a Clerides-Denktash meeting.

The Council is expected to take a decision on the issuing of the UN-proposed joint statement.

Denktash has replied positively to the proposal for a meeting and a joint statement.

UN Resident Representative Gustave Feissel told CNA yesterday that ''such a statement will be helpful to reduce tension and would help in saying that such a situation is not normal.''

According to the Turkish Cypriot Press, Denktash revealed that he was visited a few days ago by Feissel, who suggested a meeting between Denktash and President Clerides, at Feissel's residence in the UN buffer zone in Nicosia, at the end of which to sign a joint statement.

The UN official told CNA yesterday that the joint statement did not relate to the US-proposed military dialogue between the two sides in Cyprus.

The National Council will discuss this evening news ideas presented last Friday to President Clerides and Denktash by US ambassador to Cyprus Kenneth Brill for the start of the military dialogue.

The start of a military dialogue between the commanders of the island's National Guard and the Turkish occupation troops, in the presence of the commander of the UN-peacekeeping force (UNFICYP), was agreed last month during a visit to Cyprus by US ambassador to the UN Madeleine Albright.

The dialogue had not yet started because Denktash, a few days after Albright's announcement, demanded participation of the commander of the so-called Turkish Cypriot security forces. President Clerides rejected Denktash's demand immediately.

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

CNA GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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[03] US Presidential Emissary to visit Cyprus

Speaking after a meeting of the Council of Ministers, under President Glafcos Clerides, Cassoulides said the government has not been informed of a specific date of Beattie's visit.

Meanwhile, according to AFP Beattie's visit to the Mediterranean aims at pressing Greek and Turkish Cypriots to resume talks on the Cyprus problem.

The agency quotes US State Department Spokesman Glyn Davies as saying that the US ''are looking for opportunities to get back into the long-term process of encouraging a direct dialogue between the sides in Cyprus.''

President Clerides has repeatedly stressed that there can be no direct talks between him and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash unless common ground on the basic principles of the Cyprus problem is reached.

High-level meetings in the past failed to find a solution because of Denktash' delaying tactics.

Fully-backed by Turkey, Denktash has blocked all UN efforts since the 1974 invasion and occupation of Cyprus' northern third, for a Cyprus settlement.

Despite repeated UN resolutions demanding the withdrawal of foreign troops from the island the Turkish occupation troops still occupy 37 per cent of the island's territory while thousands of Turkish settlers have been brought in by the illegal regime as part of Ankara's designs to change Cyprus' demography.

Tension on the island flared last week after the brutal murder of two Greek Cypriots, by Turkish soldiers and extremists during peaceful anti-occupation demonstrations.

CNA MCH/GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1500:CYPPRESS:04

[04] Britain reiterates adherence to peace talks

British High Commissioner to Cyprus David Madden told the press after an hour-long meeting with President Glafcos Clerides here today that common ground on the main aspects of the Cyprus question should be found before talks take place at the appropriate time, which would offer the best prospects for a successful dialogue.

Madden's comments came in the wake of last week's brutal killings of two Greek Cypriot demonstrators by Turkish troops and Turkish extremists in the UN buffer zone.

''The events in August showed us what can happened if sight is lost of the essential purpose, which is discussion and conclusion of an agreement,'' Madden said, referring to the two murders.

The purpose of today's meeting, he said, was to ''discuss in more general terms how we can best continue the process of defusing the situation after the very ugly violence of recent days and of getting back to a process of discussion over the intention of bringing about a settlement of the Cyprus problem.''

Madden, who saw Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash yesterday, said Britain and others (US, UN) are working for the same goal, ''finding ways of getting back to the essential task to produce a peaceful solution of the problem.''

Asked how Britain proposes to defuse the tension, the High Commissioner said the process of defusing tensions needs to continue and demonstrate the interest of the international community in the peace effort.

Replying to questions, Madden said last week's events on the island, probably the worst since the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus, ''cannot be forgotten'' but they should be used to help find ''the proper way forward.''

He also said Britain stands by its position that common ground must be found on the main aspects of the Cyprus questions before a dialogue begins, which should take place at the right time and be properly prepared.

Madden said he had not news about prospects for holding talks between the military commanders of the National Guard and the Turkish occupation forces, as proposed by the US.

''We supported the idea of a military dialogue because that is very much in line with Security Council resolutions and military deconfrontation,'' he said.

The British diplomat said it was important ''not to lose sight of such important elements and proceed with things that already have the blessing of the Security Council.''

''These are good suggestions,'' he added.

CNA MM/GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1630:CYPPRESS:04

[05] Cyprus Stock Exchange

CSE All Share Index                    87.50 (+0.15)

Sectural Indices

Banks                                  93.02 (+0.05)
Approved Investment Companies          80.25 (-0.85)
Insurance Companies                    67.44 (+0.99)
Industrial Companies                   88.31 (-0.48)
Tourist Industries                     80.77 (+0.19)
Commercial Companies                   73.86 (+1.74)
Other Companies                        88.71 (+0.31)

Trading Volume                         CYP 555837.653

CNA GP/MM/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

2045:CYPPRESS:07

[06] EU expects Turkey to act as a European partner

EU Commission president Jacques Santer, speaking in Brussels after a meeting with Greek opposition leader Miltiades Evert, said these events will be taken into account in the preparation of a report to the European Parliament on the situation in Turkey.

Santer noted EU member states try to behave as ''true partners and we expect others (an apparent reference to Turkey) to behave accordingly.''

Such actions, Santer said, do not constitute ''proper behaviour by EU partners.''

Turkish troops, occupying Cyprus' northern areas since 1974, and Turkish Cypriots brutally killed two Greek Cypriot demonstrators during last week's anti-occupation rallies when they broke into the UN patrolled buffer zone.

The Irish EU presidency, in a statement last Friday, ''condemns the brutal killings'' of the two Greek Cypriots and called for ''restraint and calm.''

It also ''deplored the recent violence in Cyprus and the disproportionate use of force by the security forces in the north of Cyprus in response to unauthorised entry into the buffer zone.''

The EU, Santer added, will continue to back UN efforts to find a political solution of the division of Cyprus and respect of its resolutions.

He also reiterated an EU undertaking to start accession talks with Cyprus six months after the end of the Intergovernmental Conference.

In his remarks, Evert, who is due in Cyprus later tonight, welcomed Santer's comments and said last week's events cannot in any way affect Cyprus' attempts to join the EU.

CNA MM/MA/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

2120:CYPPRESS:08

[07] German MP severely criticises Ankara

Friedbert Pflueger, representative of the Christian Democratic and Socialist Union at the German Parliament on disarmament issues, has said in a statement that ''Europe must make it absolutely clear to Ankara and the Turkish Cypriots that it will not accept shooting against unarmed citizens.''

The statement was made in the wake of last week's brutal killings of two unarmed Greek Cypriots by Turkish occupation troops and Turkish Cypriots during anti-occupation demonstrations in the UN patrolled buffer zone.

Pflueger described the incidents in Cyprus as ''a remnant of a by-gone era as far as Europe is concerned'' and stressed that there is no justification for the barbaric reaction on the part of the Turkish Cypriot security forces which resulted in the loss of life and many injuries.

The MP called on the EU to work with the UN and use the forthcoming accession talks with Cyprus as a lever in efforts to settle the Cyprus problem.

The people of Germany, he said in his statement issued in Bonn on Monday, understand better than anybody else what it means to live in a divided country.

Recent events in Cyprus, Pflueger added, remind Europe of a long forgotten and explosive problem, pending for the past 22 years.

CNA MM/MA/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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