Cyprus News Agency: News in English (AM), 97-02-07

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

CONTENTS

[01] Russian stabbed to death in Limassol

[02] Clerides leaves for New Delhi via Athens

[03] Weeping icon moves a nation

[04] Canada now part of IMC

[05] Greek Cypriot press calls Louroudjina incident a ''set-up''

[06] Cyprus Stock Exchange

0925:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Russian stabbed to death in Limassol

Sergei Malekkou, 29, succumbed to injuries sustained in a knife attack by another Russian man during a party held at the home of his friend, Sergei Akaranov.

Malekkou, accompanied by his wife Irina, went to Akaranov's home in the Yermasoyia area at around 8:00 pm (1800 GMT) local time where five other Russians were consuming large amounts of alcohol.

An argument ensued when one of the guests allegedly pulled out a knife and stabbed Malekkou in the chest.

Police arrived at the crime scene after calls from locals and arrested Sergei Askerov, 30, in connection with the case.

The other four Russians fled the scene in a rented car and are being sought by police for questioning.

The suspect is expected to be brought later today before the Limassol District Court for a remand order against him.

CNA RM/MH/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1145:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Clerides leaves for New Delhi via Athens

Speaking at Larnaca airport, before his departure, the Cypriot President said in India, he will exchange views with the President, the Prime Minister and other officials on international issues, including the Cyprus problem.

At the same time, the two countries will sign a number of agreements on maritime, culture and other issues. The Cypriot President will visit New Delhi and Bombay, before returning to the island on February 16.

Replying to questions, President Cleriders described as ''total fantasy'' reports that the reason why US President Bill Clinton did not mention the Cyprus problem in his speech ''The state of affairs of the nation'' to the Congress was because the Americans are upset with the parties on the island over the Cyprus developments.

He said the government had no information that the US President was going to refer to the Cyprus problem in his speech.

Asked when the US initiative on Cyprus will be launched, he said ''deliberations are being held to set up a team''. He did not go into details.

Invited to clarify what his position is on rotating presidency in a future Cyprus settlement, Clerides said the issue is ''over''.

When asked how a Turk can be elected President, he replied ''this can happen and there are constitutions which set out a system of weighted voting. But we did not go into any details or exchanged views on this'', he added.

Clerides said ''we should not give serious consideration'' to yesterday's alleged shooting incident in the Louroutzina area, adding that investigations will show that nothing had occurred.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37 per cent of its territory.

CNA TA/EC/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1300:CYPPRESS:03

[03] Weeping icon moves a nation

Nicosia, Feb 7 (CNA) -- Thousands of faithful worshipers continue to be moved to tears by a phenomenon here that defies scientific explanation.

A 15th century icon of the Virgin and the Christ-child has been shedding what seem to be thick, fragrant tears non-stop for almost a week now, at the alpine Kykko monastery.

''We see this as a miracle. From the way it happened, we consider it a miracle. Nothing less, nothing more,'' says Archimandrite Sergios Kykkotis, a monk at Kykko.

A slew of the faithful and the curious from Cyprus, Greece and the Levant, have left Kykko monastery with the same feeling after seeing the 'Virgin of the Elikion' icon for themselves.

''Most people go there out of curiosity but leave overwhelmed by the event. The curiosity leaves and the miracle takes over. They accept it as a miracle,'' Kykkotis told CNA.

Even scientists on the island are dumbfounded by the occurrence, unable to offer a logical explanation for it.

''We can't explain it, not within any logical framework. When you are dealing with metaphysical matters, science is pretty much helpless. This was the case with similar occurrences in the past,'' says George Philotheou, an archeologist with the Antiquities Department in Cyprus, who studies religious phenomena.

Many have rushed to judge this as an ominous sign for the island's future, as Orthodox Christian tradition has it that weeping icons usually forebode a malevolent future.

Even the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Cyprus, Archbishop Chrysostomos, had said as much, but softened his message soon after.

''The Archbishop modified his statements, saying that perhaps this could mean something good for Cyprus,'' Kykkotis says, ''because the Virgin is not a 'Cassandra' who foreshadows only bad things.''

Some here would wish to relate a calamity-foreboding weeping icon with the political climate here in Cyprus, given the recent Turkish threats to strike the island militarily if the Cyprus government goes ahead and deploys the much-ballyhooed Russian S-300 anti-aircraft missiles.

''We shouldn't confine this miracle only to Cyprus. There are so many evils within Cypriot society and the world in general. This is a message that concerns the whole world,'' Kykkotis says.

The tears are a thick, running liquid, somewhat like the sap of a pine tree. They do not evaporate, but rather remain as streaks running from the eyes of both the Virgin and the Christ-child.

''The tears have an indescribable smell which only those who concern themselves with religious matters can understand,'' Kykkotis says.

Other tear-shedding icons in the past have given off a similar smell, as well as the remains of saints like Saint Demetrios.

Kykkotis supports that scientific examination of the tears would not discover the chemical make-up of the tears.

''It's a very strange smell, what we in the church call the 'evodia''', he says.

Kykko monastery was built by the Byzantine Emperor Alexios Komnenos in the 11th century. The monastery has in its possession the icon of ''the Virgin Eleousa'', which is believed to have been painted by St. Luke and blessed by the Virgin Mary Herself.

The 'Virgin of the Elikion' icon was transferred to Kykko monastery in 1789, according to an inscription on the icon itself, after the monastery in which it was kept was destroyed.

CNA MH/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1305:CYPPRESS:04

[04] Canada now part of IMC

CANEXPORT President, Joseph J. Vella signed Wednesday an agreement with IMC President, Andreas Kaisis, to set up a large booth at the IMC, where a large group of Canadian industries will exhibit their products on the Cypriot market.

The agreement was made possible with strong financial backing from the Canadian government, an IMC press release said.

CANEXPORT specialises in the promotion of Canadian exports and publishes a great number of printed material in support of this.

CNA MH/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1420:CYPPRESS:05

[05] Greek Cypriot press calls Louroudjina incident a ''set-up''

All newspapers referred to the Cypriot government's strong denial that any such incident took place with the involvement of National Guardsmen or civilians.

The circulation-leading daily ''Phileleftheros'' says Turkish forces ''imagined'' an exchange of gunfire with National Guardsmen, calling it a ''staged'' affair.

The daily ''Agon'' has as its banner headline ''A staged incident'', adding the Turkish forces' attempt to fabricate a stand-off ''failed miserably''.

The same holds with the daily ''Alithia'', which has as its main headline, ''An incident with many holes'', adding that the Cyprus government accuses the Turkish occupation regime of dreaming-up a fake scenario.

''Machi'' declares in its main headline, 'The Louroudjina incident was set up'. It writes the whole thing was an attempt by the Turks to fabricate non-existent tensions on the island.

''Simerini'' echoes that, adding the Turkish occupation forces are manufacturing tensions in order to blame the Greek Cypriots.

Meanwhile, ''Haravgi'' notes National Guardsmen played absolutely no role in the shooting incident, saying that Turkish claims have no basis whatsoever.

English-language daily, ''Cyprus Mail'', writes the UN denied Turkish claims that blood was found on the scene of the so-called incident, and repeated government statements that no National Guardsmen were either injured or fired their weapons.

English-language weekly, ''Cyprus Weekly'', pronounces in its main headline, ''Pack of lies'', reiterating the Cypriot government's denial an ''incident'' ever took place.

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

Last summer, Turkish occupation forces and Turkish extremists brutally killed three unarmed Greek Cypriot men, in separate incidents.

CNA MH/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1445:CYPPRESS:06

[06] Cyprus Stock Exchange

CSE All Share Index                    76.71 (-1.08)

Sectural Indices

Banks                                  86.93 (-1.04)
Approved Investment Companies          67.76 (-0.94)
Insurance Companies                    55.51 (-0.56)
Industrial Companies                   75.01 (-0.95)
Tourist Industries                     64.79 (-1.07)
Commercial Companies                   54.24 (-2.02)
Other Companies                        58.16 (-1.96)

Trading Volume                         CYP 967937.540

CNA MM/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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