Cyprus News Agency: News in English (AM), 97-02-28

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

CONTENTS

[01] EU External Relations Commissioner rounds up visit

[02] Bill for Radio-Television Authority

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[01] EU External Relations Commissioner rounds up visit

He had also meetings with House President Spyros Kyprianou and party leaders and Foreign Minister Alecos Michaelides.

Last night, Michaelides hosted a dinner in honour of the European Commissioner and other EU officials, including EU Dutch presidency special representative for Cyprus, Irish diplomat Kester Heaslip.

Speaking at the dinner, Van den Broek made it clear there will be no precondition for a Cyprus solution to start the accession talks and noted "the EU will honour its commitment to open accession negotiations with Cyprus six months after the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC)."

The EU official referred to the full day he spent yesterday in the island's Turkish-occupied northern part and said he met "not only with political leaders but also with representatives of civil society from the Turkish Cypriot Community."

Van den Broek said he came to Cyprus to convey two main messages; the EU will honour its commitment for the accession talks, which "means that 1998 will be the year when negotiations begin in earnest" and that 1997 "is the year when direct negotiations on the Cyprus problem under UN auspices should receive the highest priority."

He pointed out "no third country has a veto, on the accession of a new member to the Union", adding "imagine what a boost a political settlement would give to accession negotiations."

A negotiated settlement, he added, "means, of course, that both sides must give way on certain issues to obtain on others. That is the only way to secure a just and lasting agreement," he said.

On his part, Minister Michaelides commented on his experience from the recent postponement of the structured EU - Cyprus dialogue in Brussels, following a refusal from Greece to accept a phrase in the EU Foreign Ministers' communique that all Cypriots should be involved in the accession talks. Britain, Germany and France were insisting to include this phrase. They gave no explanation.

Michaelides described this experience as "sad" and repeated this caused "our concern" especially because it would send "wrong messages" to the Turkish side.

The Minister said these concerns have been justified and quoted three points from a statement by a spokesman of the Turkish Foreign Ministry, who described what happened in Brussels "positive" and that Turkey will not make any concessions on basic aspects and that Cyprus cannot join the EU unless a political solution is reached.

The Cypriot Minister called on everybody to study very carefully these Turkish statements. He said such an attitude can only cause damage to the efforts for a Cyprus solution at this critical point.

Michaelides pointed out "time is of maximum importance" for every effort towards a solution as "we don't know how many Turkish Cypriots will be left in Cyprus to discuss with them how the two communities can coexist on the island" after four years, when accession talks are expected to be completed.

Cyprus divided since the 1974 Turkish invasion applied for full EU membership in 1990. It signed an association agreement with the European Community in 1972 and a customs union agreement in 1987.

CNA AP/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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[02] Bill for Radio-Television Authority

The Authority will be governed by a seven-member Board to be appointed by the Republic's Council of Ministers.

The Authority will have the power to grant, revoke or amend licences for the operation of television and radio stations.

One of the provisions says that licences will not be issued for persons, who hold 20 per cent of shares in a publishing company, television station, newspaper or magazine.

The licences will be valid for ten years for television and five for radio stations.

Private broadcasting was introduced in Cyprus in 1990, when the House of Representatives approved the relevant legislation, ending the state- funded CyBC's monopoly.

Since then scores of all-island and local radio stations were established. Besides Cypriot viewers watch six local television channels transmitting all over Cyprus as well as a number of local tv stations.

CNA EC/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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