Cyprus News Agency: News in English (AM), 97-09-17

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

CONTENTS

[01] Cyprus expresses full support to Montreal Protocol

[02] Bank of Cyprus opens office in Moscow

[03] New offshore banking units in Cyprus

[04] Motorola wins slew of European contracts

[05] Clerides-Denktash to meet next week, UN expects

1150:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Cyprus expresses full support to Montreal Protocol

This was stressed by Minister of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment, Costas Petrides, when he addressed the 9th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol, which ends today in Montreal.

The Cypriot Minister said the global joint effort to tackle serious environmental problems has proven that "if a proper spirit and political will and determination prevail, targets can be achieved without compromising social and economic welfare."

He said Cyprus "strongly supports and encourages the private and public measures taken towardths e achievement of full elimination of the emissions of ozone-depleting substances."

Petrides referred to the results Cyprus has obtained from this policy since 1992, with "a drastic reduction of the substances used" which in consequence reclassified Cyprus as an Article 5 country, while "further reductions are envisaged."

Petrides referred to the preparation of a country programme for a full phase-out of the use of the controlled substances, with the assistance of UNDP.

He added UNDP has also funded the preparation of various projects for a successful achievement of targets set by Cyprus.

"We are now considering ways for the implementation of the recommended plans," Petrides said.

CNA AP/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1150:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Bank of Cyprus opens office in Moscow

This is the first time the Bank of Cyprus expands services beyond areas where there are large communities of Greeks and Greek Cypriots.

According to a Bank's statement, the new development is part of its plan to turn Cyprus into an international hub in services.

Given the size of the island's offshore sector, and the extraordinary offshore activity in Moscow, the new representative office there, was essential, the statement says.

The new office will provide Russian companies intending to begin offshore activities in Cyprus, as well as Cypriot businesspeople with interests in Russia, with the necessary information.

It will also help Cypriot lawyers and auditors in their effort to "attract" Russian businesses to the island.

CNA GG/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1200:CYPPRESS:03

[03] New offshore banking units in Cyprus

The first is Arab Bank PLC of Jordan, which has been operating in Cyprus as an onshore bank for more than a decade.

The Bank intends to establish offshore desks at all its main branches in order to offer a higher quality of services.

The second is the Bulgarian First Investment Bank, whose one of the main shareholders, is the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, according to a Central Bank statement.

The Bulgarian Bank is among the most promising in Eastern Europe, a Central Bank of Cyprus press release said.

CNA GG/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1220:CYPPRESS:04

[04] Motorola wins slew of European contracts

In fact, initial forecasts of mobile telephone subscriber demand have been continually revised to reflect the exponential subscriber growth trend.

In a press conference prior to today's opening in Nicosia of the 38th Plenary Meeting of the Global System for Mobile Communications - Memorandum of Understanding (GSM MoU), Motorola Inc.'s Cellular Infrastructure Group (CIG) announced the awarding of a 70 million US dollars contract to expand Cellnet's UK network.

The contract now pushes Motorola CIG's equipment business with Cellnet to over 1 billion US dollars.

Meanwhile, German GSM network operator T-Mobil awarded an expansion contract worth more than 19 million US dollars to Motorola CIG for coverage and capacity enhancement of the D1 network in Germany.

"T-Mobil has an impressive record of network growth, and is conscious of the need to put capacity and coverage in place in advance of subscriber demand," Paul Strzelecki, Vice President and General Manager of Motorola CIG's European Cellular Infrastructure Division, said.

"The work being undertaken by Motorola will enable T-Mobil to continue to provide a top quality network for its customers," he noted.

Motorola CIG has also been awarded a 38.5 million US dollars contract by Mobilkom Austria AG for the Phase 3 expansion of Austria's GSM digital cellular network.

The award gives Motorola CIG responsibility for approximately 70 per cent of Mobilkom's GSM network infrastructure, increasing subscriber capacity up to 900,000 by the end of the Phase 3 period, scheduled for the fourth quarter of 1998.

"We are proud that the relationship we have built with Mobilkom has led to the choice of Motorola to expand the Austrian GSM network," Senior Vice President and Assistant General Manager of Motorola CIG, Pertti Johansson, said.

"Motorola's dominant mix of proven advanced technology will continue to deliver focused solutions to suit the Austrian market," he added.

Motorola CIG designs, develops, manufactures, markets and services cellular systems and infrastructure equipment for wireless communications networks worldwide.

Motorola CIG has more than 10,000 employees and is part of the company's Cellular Networks and Space Sector (CNSS) which also includes the Space and Systems Technology Group and the Network Management Group.

CNA GG/MH/AP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1300:CYPPRESS:05

[05] Clerides-Denktash to meet next week, UN expects

Speaking after a meeting, earlier today, with President Clerides, UN Resident Representative, Gustave Feissel, even though not in a position to give the exact date of the first meeting on security issues, since he is meeting Denktash tomorrow, said he expected it to be soon.

"We had a very good meeting here and I look forward to my next meeting and to an early meeting between the two leaders on the security matters", he said.

He added he expected the first meeting to take place "by next week and if possible early next week".

Feissel said no advisors of either President Clerides or Rauf Denktash will participate in discussions on security issues.

When asked whether meetings will be on a regular basis, he replied "we will start with the first meeting which will hopefully lead to a second meeting".

Answering to questions, Feissel pointed out that "there are some useful things to be done as a first step which will help to set the scene and to create the right climate and send the right message.

"We have to move forward in a realistic manner", he added, stressing that "you can not get from zero to one hundred in one step, that is for sure".

Asked whether talks on humanitarian issues, that started during the summer between Clerides and Denktash, will continue parallel to those on security, Feissel referred to the July 31 agreement noting the importance of its implementation.

The agreement, he said, "calls for some important things from each by the end of September, which means over the next two weeks, and I have been assure by President Clerides that this is his intention and he is working on his side of the deal. I am confident", he added, that the same thing is true on the other side".

The UN official said it is "extremely important not only for humanitarian issues but for the whole process, including what we are going to start on security, that when the two leaders agree to something it is as good as gold".

President Clerides and Denktash agreed as a first step towards resolving the problem of missing persons "to exchange information at their disposal on the location of graves of Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot missing persons".

On the question of the long-due appointment of a UN representative in the tripartite committee dealing with missing persons, Feissel said that "as far as what was agreed to on July 31 a third member is not needed".

He added "if we implement faithfully what was agreed, the idea of appointing a third member will be greatly facilitated and with no doubt happen very quickly".

A total of 1619 Greek Cypriots and Greeks, including civilians, were listed as missing persons after the 1974 Turkish invasion and occupation of the island's northern third.

CNA MCH/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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