Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 96-09-30

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

CONTENTS

[01] Schwarz winner of Cyprus Rally

[02] Cyprus Stock Exchange

[03] Independence anniversary message by Cyprus President

[04] Cyprus President returns from US trip

0930:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Schwarz winner of Cyprus Rally

Schwarz, from Germany, won every single special stage, a feat achieved only once before by Italian Alejandro Fiorio in 1994, and managed to break all but one of the stage records as he raced round this East Mediterranean island in his Toyota Celica GT-Four.

The German ace had a 20.50 minute lead over Sergei Aliasov, from Russia, who finished second overall in an Opel Astra GSi.

Aliasov is first in the formula 2 category, a result which moves him to third place in the prestigious European Formula Cup competition.

Top Cypriot driver, Christakis Thoma, in a Mitsubishi Galant VR4, finished third, followed by his compatriot Andreas Tsouloftas, in a similar car.

Only 31 cars out of 78, which set off on this gruelling 947-kilometre long Rally on Friday, arrived back at the finish on Sunday night.

This year's Rally was marred by the first fatal accident in the history of the Rothmans Cyprus Rally, when a spectator was killed by a rally car which went off the road in a special stage.

CNA MM/GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1840:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Cyprus Stock Exchange

CSE All Share Index                    82.43 (-0.05)

Sectural Indices

Banks                                  89.23 (-0.30)
Approved Investment Companies          75.42 (+0.24)
Insurance Companies                    60.97 (+0.76)
Industrial Companies                   80.91 (-0.53)
Tourist Industries                     76.14 (+2.28)
Commercial Companies                   67.37 (-0.56)
Other Companies                        81.08 (+0.73)

Trading Volume                         CYP 724835.232

CNA GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1900:CYPPRESS:03

[03] Independence anniversary message by Cyprus President

In a message on the occasion of tomorrow's 36th anniversary of the Independence Day of the Republic of Cyprus, President Clerides expressed the hope that the planned new initiative to solve the Cyprus problem would be the most important undertaken in recent years.

''We all wish it to end in a just, viable and workable solution,'' he said and added ''a solution that will reunite our divided island and allow Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots live together harmoniously in conditions of security and peace.''

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

Turkey has blocked all UN, US and British initiatives to achieve a Cyprus settlement.

President Clerides warned that the prolongation of the Cyprus issue ''is fraught with the serious dangers of making partition permanent and also triggering a military flare-up on the island, which may escalate into a conflict between Greece and Turkey.''

Greece and Turkey together with the former colonial power, Britain, were the guarantors of Cyprus' independence under the 1960 treaties.

President Clerides said a fruitless passage of time was not to the benefit of either the one or the other community.

''For it makes the finding of a solution much more difficult and at the same time has a catalytic effect on the Turkish Cypriot community, whose number is dwindling as a result of emigration, and is becoming a minority in the occupied area as a result of the implantation of Turkish settlers,'' he said.

The Cypriot President underlined that the message of this year's anniversary, following the tragic events and the tension of the last few months, ''is that a solution should be found as soon as possible, as this will be in the interest of both communities. At the same time, a solution will contribute to the stability and strengthening of peace in the region.''

He referred to the Turkish intransigence over the past 22 years to cooperate in finding a compromise solution. The UN Secretary-General, in a report, stated that the lack of progress was due to the fact that the Turkish side did not have the necessary political will to find a solution.

''In contrast our side has repeatedly proved that it truly wants a solution and imaginatively and courageously seeks such a solution either in proximity talks or in direct talks,'' President Clerides noted.

He pledged to take the same stand during the new initiative, which must be properly prepared in order to be successful.

He said the international community and the five permanent members of the Security Council were working in this direction.

''A just, viable and workable solution, in the framework of a bi-communal and bizonal federation, should be based on a single state with a single sovereignty, international personality and a single citizenship, the independence and territorial integrity of which will be safeguarded and which will be composed of two politically equal communities (as this equality is specified in the relevant Security Council resolutions,'' Clerides said in his message.

He said the guarantees should satisfy the feeling of security of the two communities. Cyprus should be demilitarised and a multi-national force should be stationed on the island, he added.

Moreover, it is imperative that human rights and fundamental freedoms be safeguarded, including the right of refugees to return to their ancestral homes.

''But until the way opens up for a solution, the Cyprus Republic must protect its statehood and its population from the present and clear danger posed by the Attila (Turkish) occupation troops, which are armed to the teeth. For this reason, we will continue to strengthen our defences and complete the implementation of the joint defence doctrine,'' Clerides said.

He said ''our goal is to reach a solution or at least set in motion the effort for a solution before the start of Cyprus-EU accession negotiations.

''Therefore, all those sincerely wishing to see the Cyprus issue solved on the basis of a bizonal and bicommunal federation, should exercise all their influence to this end when the new initiative starts.''

The Cypriot President concluded his message, conveying to all the people of Cyprus - Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, Maronites, Armenians and Latins - a message of optimism about the future of the Cyprus Republic.

''Our struggle is waged for the benefit of everybody equally. For our aim is to ensure the harmonious co-existence of all in conditions of real peace, prosperity and progress,'' he added.

CNA GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

2000:CYPPRESS:04

[04] Cyprus President returns from US trip

During his stay in New York, the Cypriot President had meetings with UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali, Presidents, Foreign Ministers and senior officials from various countries, who attended the General Assembly session.

In statements at Larnaca international airport, President Clerides said all his interlocutors recognised that efforts should be made until the end of this year to prepare the ground for substantive negotiations on the Cyprus problem next year.

He repeated his readiness to have face-to-face talks with Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash, provided that common ground would be achieved prior to such negotiations to allow a successful outcome.

Asked to assess whether Turkey had changed its attitude by insisting to a package deal that will include the Cyprus problem and the Aegean differences, President Clerides remarked that this proposal does not constitute a change in the Turkish policy.

''Always the Turkish policy aimed to put the Cyprus problem and the Greco-Turkish differences in the same negotiating basket,'' he said.

What changed, he noted, is that Turkey's Foreign Minister Tansu Ciller said publicly what the Turks were doing through the diplomatic channels.

Clerides expressed the view that the Americans and the others, who are interested in a solution to the Cyprus problem, do not share the Turkish idea.

Replying to questions, President Clerides said the UN Secretary-General will coordinate various initiatives on the Cyprus problem.

''All accept that the various initiatives on the Cyprus problem will be under the auspices and coordination of the United Nations,'' he said and explained that all accept that this process will not substitute the good offices mission of the UN Chief but it will help the Secretary-General.

Replying to a question, President Clerides said he will reply to a 32-page letter sent to him by Denktash.

Concerning tomorrow's arrival in Cyprus of Greece's Prime Minister Costas Simitis for a two-day official visit, Clerides said ''it will be useful to exchange views (with the Greek Premier) on the handling of our national problem. This does not mean that we shall change our course.''

He noted that this is the first time since the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus that a Greek Premier visits Cyprus on its Independence Day.

President Clerides replied negatively to a question whether foreign powers had exerted pressure on the Cyprus government to stop its defence programme.

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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