Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 96-12-07

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From: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org,cy>

CONTENTS

[01] Cyprus Foreign Minister to visit Israel

[02] Cypriot Minister congratulates Albright

[03] House President asks Rifkind's visit to be postponed

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[01] Cyprus Foreign Minister to visit Israel

The Cypriot Minister will meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and hold official talks with Levy.

An official press release issued here today says Michaelides' talks in Israel will focus on the Cyprus problem, the situation in the Middle East, bilateral matters of mutual interest and regional cooperation.

The Cypriot Minister will be accompanied by his Ministry's Permanent Secretary Alecos Shambos, Director of Political Affairs Division Christodoulos Pasiardis, and Director of the Minister's Office Andreas Mavroyiannis.

CNA GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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[02] Cypriot Minister congratulates Albright

In a congratulatory message, the Cypriot Minister says ''there is no doubt that the re-election of President (Bill) Clinton, is not only an expression of the respect and confidence of the American people in his performance as President in the last four years, but it lays the foundation for the leading role the United States can play in moulding the world of tomorrow.''

Michaelides adds in his message to Albright ''this prospect makes your task not only challenging but also historic.

''You have the competence, the experience, as well as the charisma to be the key person in this great mission of President Clinton,'' the Cypriot Minister concludes.

CNA GP/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1425:CYPPRESS:03

[03] House President asks Rifkind's visit to be postponed

Kyprianou, who is the leader of the centre-right Democratic Party (DIKO), which has five Ministers in the 11-member Council of Ministers, had raised this issue during a meeting here today with President Glafcos Clerides, the state radio (CyBC) reported.

The former Cyprus President revealed that the National Council (the island's top advisory body to the President on the handling of the Cyprus problem) will deal with this issue during its next session on Wednesday (December 11).

Kyprianou as well as other party leaders have make public statements against a meeting between Rifkind and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash, who heads the Turkish occupation regime in the island's northern part. The meeting is scheduled to take place in the occupied territory.

The British Secretary will visit Cyprus on December 16-17 to hold talks on the Cyprus problem with Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides, Foreign Minister Alecos Michaelides and Denktash.

According to CyBC, Kyprianou believed that Rifkind would come to Cyprus especially to meet Denktash and ''not for any other reason'', an intention that he described as ''unacceptable''.

The Cypriot politician indicated that the British Secretary could meet Clerides and Michaelides on the sidelines of the European Union summit in Dublin next week while Britain's representative for Cyprus Sir David Hannay could see Denktash.

Invited to comment on Rifkind's position that a solution to the Cyprus problem must be found before the start of membership talks with the European Union, Kyprianou stressed that this position ''does not only constitute pressure, but a blackmail.''

Rifkind set out his position during a meeting with his Turkish counterpart Tansu Ciller, earlier this week in London.

Kyprianou explained that he had no anti-British feelings ''but we confront moves by Britain that might harm a great deal the Cyprus cause.''

Britain together with Greece 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 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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