Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 97-01-04

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

CONTENTS

[01] Cyprus to buy Russian surface-to-air missiles

[02] Russian proposals on Cyprus conveyed to UN

1345:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Cyprus to buy Russian surface-to-air missiles

A meeting between Cypriot government Ministers and representatives of the Russian state-controlled Rosvoorouzhenie company was held today at the Ministry of Defence in Nicosia.

The meeting was attended by the Cypriot Ministers of Defence and Finance, Costas Eliades and Christodoulos Christodoulou.

The meeting was also attended by the new Russian Ambassador to Cyprus Georgi Muratov.

Both Ministers declined to say whether the contract for the purchase of the Russian surface-to-air missile system was signed today.

However, Eliades expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the meeting.

Christodoulou described the cooperation between Cyprus and Russia as ''very good''.

Last year, Cyprus bought modern Russian tanks T80-U. In 1995, Cyprus bought Russian BMP-3 armoured vehicles.

With the purchase of the S-300 surface-to-air missile system, Cyprus aims to boost its air defences, countering Turkish threats.

Cyprus and Greece agreed in November 1993 to adopt a joint defence pact in order to face Turkish expansionist designs against the two countries.

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

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/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1420:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Russian proposals on Cyprus conveyed to UN

The new Russian ambassador, who presented his credentials to President Glafcos Clerides on January 2, had a meeting today with opposition leftwing AKEL party General Secretary Demetris Christofias.

The AKEL leader will act as President Clerides' special envoy to hand over a reply message to Russian Foreign Minister Yevgeny Primakov. The meeting will take place on January 9, in Moscow.

Muratov told the press after meeting Christofias that the Russian proposals on Cyprus were conveyed to UN Headquarters earlier this week.

Among others, Moscow proposed an urgent meeting of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and representatives of the European Union to draft a joint plan of action on the protracted Cyprus problem.

Russia also suggested the setting up of a special contact group on Cyprus, drawn from the UN Security Council, to assist the UN Secretary- General's good offices mission for Cyprus.

Muratov described as ''very important'' the existing cooperation in the political field between Moscow and Nicosia.

Christofias praised the principled stance of the Russian Federation on the Cyprus problem, saying that Russia has fully the struggle of the Cyprus people.

He welcomed Moscow's increased involvement in efforts to find a solution to the Cyprus problem.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37 per cent of its territory. CNA GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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