Cyprus News Agency: News in English (AM), 97-10-16

Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

CONTENTS

[01] Greek Defence Minister leaves

[02] Britain favours resumption of talks

[03] Turkish planes buzzes Greek Minister's aircraft

[04] Cyprus Stock Exchange

1145:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Greek Defence Minister leaves

His visit to the island coincided with the National Guard annual military exercise code-named "Nikiforos '97", which ended yesterday with a parade in Larnaca.

The Greek Minister told a press conference yesterday that Greece and Cyprus wanted peace and stability in the region.

He confirmed that the cooperation between the two countries would continue "against any external threat".

Tsohantzopoulos said if the United States or any other country was interested in reducing tension, "then they must turn to the sole source of that tension, which is none other than Turkey" and persuade this country "to stop being a destabilising factor in the region and terminate its occupation of Cyprus".

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

During his stay on this East Mediterranean island, the Greek Minister watched the last phase of the National Guard manoeuvres, in which live ammunition were used, with the participation of the Greek air force and navy.

During the five-day exercise scores of Turkish fighters attempted to prevent Greek fighters from taking part in the National Guard manoeuvres, including the buzzing of Tsohatzopoulos' C-130 military transport plane carrying him to Cyprus on Monday. CNA/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1245:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Britain favours resumption of talks

He said he expects next month's European Union Council summit in Luxembourg to give some guidelines about Turkish Cypriot participation in accession talks Cyprus is due to begin in spring next year, under British EU presidency.

Speaking after a meeting with President Glafcos Clerides, Madden said "we favour meetings not just for the sake of people meeting people, but to discuss real issues and make progress on the real issues."

He noted that no meetings are likely to take place in the immediate future as the Cypriot President leaves next week to attend the Commonwealth Summit in Edinburgh and UN top envoy in Cyprus Gustave Feissel is not on the island.

"I hope at the right point further meetings will be possible to make progress on important issues," he said.

He said the preparation of legal texts on the important aspects of the Cyprus problem by the Greek and Turkish Cypriot sides would facilitate progress towards a negotiated settlement by "concentrating not so much on the general principles but also on their application."

Asked how Turkish Cypriot participation in accession negotiations can be secured, Madden said more discussion on this matter would be needed to outline the way forward.

"We expect the Luxembourg EU Council to give some indication of its views on the matter, after that the UK will have the presidency and we will be in an important position and place when further discussions take place and hope answers to some of these questions can be found," he explained.

Replying to questions, Madden said Britain's envoy for Cyprus Sir David Hannay would visit the island "when he can play a useful and productive role."

CNA MM/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1430:CYPPRESS:03

[03] Turkish planes buzzes Greek Minister's aircraft

According to a report by Athens News Agency (ANA), Tsohatzopoulos said on arrival in Crete, Turkey adopts "cold-war tactics" and called on the Turkish government to understand that such type of behaviour is contrary to its European aspirations.

Four Turkish F-16 fighters buzzed this morning the minister's C-130 Hercules military transport plane, carrying him and his entourage back to Greece after a four-day visit to Cyprus to watch the annual joint military manoeuvres.

Greek fighters intercepted the Turkish war planes, which came very close to the Hercules, according to ANA.

On Monday, Turkish planes buzzed Tsohatsopoulos' plane on his way to Cyprus.

Over the past few days Cyprus' and Greece's air space and Nicosia and Athens Flight Information Regions (FIR) were repeatedly violated by scores of Turkish military aircraft.

Tsohatzopoulos said statements by the Turkish chief of staff, General Ismail Hakki Karadayi, that Turkey's military might is vastly superior to that of Greece "confirm that there is no threat against Turkey on the part of either Greece or Cyprus."

Turkey maintains that the deployment of Russian surface-to-air missiles in Cyprus, expected in summer 1998, poses a serious threat to Turkey's security and said it would take appropriate measures against this development.

Turkish troops have been occupying 37 per cent of Cyprus territory since 1974.

CNA MM/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1505:CYPPRESS:04

[04] Cyprus Stock Exchange

CSE All Share Index                    76.94 (+0.08)

Highest: 82.46 (2/1/97)
Lowest : 73.90 (30/1/97)

Sectural Indices

Banks                                  88.03 (+0.18)
Approved Investment Companies          63.05 (-0.72)
Insurance Companies                    58.33 (+0.34)
Industrial Companies                   73.09 (+0.03)
Tourist Industries                     64.66 (-0.37)
Commercial Companies                   45.20 (-0.48)
Other Companies                        58.24 (-0.26)

Trading Volume                         CYP 391579.032

CNA MCH/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article