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Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 96-09-08Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: "HR-Net News Distribution Manager" <dist@hri.org>CONTENTS
1300 CYPPRESS:01[01] Cyprus government has no information on alleged shootingNicosia, Sep 7 (CNA) -- The government of Cyprus announced that no incident involving fire exchange has been reported during the night, in response to allegations by the Turkish Cypriot side that Greek Cypriots shot and killed a Turkish soldier and wounded another on the demarcation line near Turkish occupied Famagusta.Government sources added that no shots were fired from National Guard posts which are situated some 700 metres away from the Turkish occupation post. British Bases spokesman Antony Worner, told CNA that there is ''an allegation of shooting and that is being investigated by the Sovereign Base Area Police and Royal Military Police in cooperation with Turkish military representatives''. He said the allegation is ''that Turkish soldiers were shot''. One Turkish soldier was killed and another one wounded in the incident which occurred in the early hours today but was not sure of the precise time. He said it occurred near the site of Vrissoules, near Agios Nicolaos which falls into the British Bases sovereign areas. According to government sources, the Turkish military are further manning the occupation posts along the demarcation line. National Guard soldiers in Greek Cypriot posts around 700 metres from where the incident allegedly took place, noted that nothing had occurred during the night. National Guard and Police officials have arrived at the scene and together with members of the United Nations Peacekeeping Forces on the island (UNFICYP) and the British Bases are carrying out investigations. However, the Cyprus authorities do not rule out the possibility that the incident is the work of Turkish agent provocateurs to escalate tension on the island. CNA EC/AP/1996ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY1315:CYPPRESS:02[02] Ministry denies Turkish allegationsNicosia, Sep 8 (CNA) -- Cyprus' Defence Ministry categorically denied any involvement of the National Guard in an alleged shooting incident, early today, on the demarcation line, near Famagusta, where a Turkish soldier manning a Turkish occupation post was killed and another was wounded.In a statement released a short while ago, the Ministry said ''following today's reports of the illegal 'Bayrak' radio about a shooting incident, the death of a soldier and the injury of a second one of the occupation army, the Ministry of Defence would like to officially and categorically state that following an investigation the National Guard has in no way been involved in the incident''. CNA/EC/GP/1996 ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY1320:CYPPRESS:03[03] UN: UK SBA looks into the incidentNicosia, Sep 8 (CNA) -- The United Nations announced that an alleged incident where a Turkish soldier was killed and another was injured near the Agios Nicolaos area is being investigated by the British Sovereign Base Area (SBA) authorities because the area is not in the UN buffer zone.In a press release issued today, the United Nations Peacekeeping Forces in Cyprus (UNFICYP) said that at ''0630 hours, UNFICYP was requested by Turkish forces headquarters to send the Commanding officer of its Sector 4 to the area of Agios Kendeas at the north of the SBA link road close to Agios Nicolaos.'' It further said that when the commander arrived at the location at 0745 hours, ''he was informed that one TCSF soldier had been killed and another seriously wounded by gunfire allegedly from two persons coming from the direction of the SBA link road''. However, UNFICYP noted that ''the area concerned its adjacent to the UK SBA and not the UN buffer zone.'' ''Therefore, the incident is being investigated by the SBA authorities in cooperation with the Turkish Forces in Cyprus''. UNFICYP added it is awaiting the outcome of this investigation before making any further comments. CNA EC/GP/1996ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY1340:CYPPRESS:04[04] Greece: Planned act of provocationNicosia, Sep 8 (CNA) -- Greece's National Defence Minister Gerasimos Arsenis described as a ''provocative act'' Turkish allegations that Greek Cypriots shot and killed a Turkish soldier and wounded a second, at dawn today, on the demarcation line, near Vrissoules.Arsenis said he was in constant touch with Cyprus and added that according to information he has received, the Greek Cypriot side has done nothing. He said ''since the soldiers, who man the Greek Cypriot post in the area, did not hear anything, then we should not rule out the possibility of a planned act of provocation''. CNA EC/GP/1996ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY1430:CYPPRESS:05[05] URGENT Shooting occurred inside Turkish-occupied areaNicosia, Sep 8 (CNA) -- Preliminary investigations by the British Bases point to the fact that whoever shot and killed a Turkish soldier and wounded another in the Agios Nicolaos area early today, were inside the Turkish-occupied area, when the shots were fired.Reliable sources told CNA, it will appear that whoever did the shooting, they were north (in the Turkish-occupied territory) of the ceasefire line, when they did it. CNA EC/GP/1996ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY1530:CYPPRESS:06[06] shots were fired in Turkish-occupied areaNicosia, Sep 8 (CNA) -- Shots which killed a Turkish soldier and wounded another in the early hours were fired from a place north of the Turkish forces ceasefire line, the British Sovereign Base Area (SBA) announced.At the same time, the SBA said , according to first opinions, the perpetrators crossed into the Turkish-occupied areas from the 100-metre strip of the SBA territory. However, an SBA spokesman said nobody suggests that the perpetrators are Greek Cypriots. According to the SBA announcement, the SBA Police and Royal Military Police have assisted in preliminary enquiries into the death of a Turkish soldier and the injury of another by shooting this morning near Agios Kendeas. ''First opinions are that the shots were fired from a place north of the Turkish forces ceasefire line and therefore outside British jurisdiction, but that the perpetrators crossed the 100 metre strip of SBA territory that separates the Republic of Cyprus from the Turkish-occupied areas'', said the statement. It further noted that the Turkish occupation forces ''are taking the lead in the investigation. However, the SBA authorities are assisting in the investigation because of the likelihood that the criminals moved through SBA territory''. In statements to CNA, Bases Spokesman Antony Worner said there is evidence to suggest that the perpetrators crossed into the SBA 100 metre strip territory. Asked if he was suggesting that the perpetrators were Greek Cypriots, Worner ''said we have not said that, we are not suggesting that. We are not pointing any fingers to anyone'', he added. He did not rule out the possibility the perpetrators were Turks. According to a Greek Cypriot eyewitness quoted by a local television station, he heard the shots and saw a car speeding into the Turkish-occupied areas. CNA EC/GP/1996ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY1640:CYPPRESS:07[07] Clerides: We shall take the appropriate measuresNicosia, Sep 8 (CNA) -- Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides said the government was investigating the incident where a Turkish soldier manning an occupation post was killed early today near the Agios Kendeas area.Clerides told reporters that following the investigation, the government would take the appropriate measures. He did not elaborate. Government Spokesman Yiannakis Cassoulides said National Guard officials had examined all weapons held by National Guard soldiers in the area and found no indications of them being used. He said the Police had no reports about shots from the free areas to the Turkish-occupied areas. The Spokesman recalled that the government had warned a couple of days ago of a possible action by Turkish agent provocateurs. Cassoulides pointed out that the incident was clearly an act of Turkish provocation. He noted the government was gathering information in order to prove that there had been no involvement by Greek Cypriots in the incident. A Greek Cypriot eyewitness said he heard the shots early this morning and saw a car speeding into the Turkish-occupied territory. Cassoulides is expected to brief the press later today. CNA EC/GP/1996ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY1955:CYPPRESS:08[08] Army Chief: No reason for concernNicosia, Sep 8 (CNA) -- The National Guard Chief has assured that there is no reason for concern after a morning shooting incident that left one Turkish soldier dead and another wounded.Government Spokesman Yiannakis Cassoulides told reporters that he had been informed by National Guard Commander, Lieutenant General Nicolaos Vorvolacos, that there are no further activities or moves which should create excess anxiety regarding the security of the citizens of the free areas of the Republic. Cassoulides said that according to Vorvolacos, the Turkish moves were a ''natural consequence'' following such an incident. At the same time, the government criticised statements made by Turkish Foreign Minister Tansu Ciller and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash, who described the killing as a ''cold blooded murder'' by the Greek Cypriot side and blamed the government for the killing. Such statements ''do not help in defusing tension'', Cassoulides noted. He added the government does not want tension in the region or in Cyprus and it is ready to contribute to defuse tension. ''We are a responsible government and we shall examine all possibilities. We will not come to any rough conclusion'', Cassoulides said. Furthermore, the Spokesman reiterated earlier statements that no shots were fired from National Guard soldiers against the Turkish soldiers. Cassoulides noted that a ''thorough investigation carried out by the National Guard proved that no shots were fired from a Greek Cypriot National Guard post to the occupied areas''. Cassoulides said the government was certain about this following an investigation into the weaponry held by soldiers in the area. He added no shooting incident was reported to the Cyprus Police, which is currently carrying out an inquiry into the incident. A similar conclusion was arrived at during a meeting at National Guard headquarters, headed by Defence Minister Costas Eliades. The meeting was told that the incident is believed to be the result of an act of Turkish occupation agent provocateurs. Cassoulides quoted an announcement by the British Bases that the shots were fired from a place north of the Turkish forces ceasefire line. According to the British Sovereign Base Area (SBA) investigation, Cassoulides said, the perpetrators crossed into the Turkish-occupied areas from the 100-metre strip of the SBA territory. However, Cassoulides quoted a Bases spokesman, who made it clear that this does not mean the perpetrators were Greek Cypriots and did not rule out the possibility that they could be Turks. Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37 per cent of its territory. CNA EC/GP/1996ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY2030:CYPPRESS:09[09] Bomb discovered near site of shooting made safeNicosia, Sep 8 (CNA) -- British army bomb experts made safe an explosive device discovered close to the area where a Turkish soldier was shot and killed earlier today and another wounded.A statement issued this evening by the British Forces in Cyprus, said ''investigations connected with this morning's shooting at Agios Kendeas were interrupted for some hours this afternoon, following the discovery of an explosive device a few yards south of the corridor road, very close to where the shooting took place''. It added a British army bomb disposal expert made the device safe. ''It had been recently made and contained about half a kilogram of plastic explosive'', it said. The SBA statement noted that ''the device may be connected with the shooting of two Turkish Cypriot Security Force soldiers this morning. SBA Police enquiries for evidence within the SBA continue'', it concluded. CNA EC/GP/1996ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCYCyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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