Cyprus News Agency: News in English (PM), 97-11-20

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

CONTENTS

[01] Government dismisses Turkish claims

[02] Cyprus Stock Exchange

[03] Cordovez meets G/C and T/C party leaders

[04] Cordovez to return after elections

1630:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Government dismisses Turkish claims

"We have not been informed that Richard Holbrooke has this position," Government Spokesman Manolis Christofides told the media here Thursday.

In an article today Turkish daily "Yeni Yuzil" had said that Turkey will station military aircraft in the areas of Cyprus it occupies since it invaded the island in 1974, if Holbrooke would not keep his promise, the paper claimed, to prevent the deployment of the S-300 anti-aircraft missile system.

The government signed a contract last January for the purchase of the S- 300s, scheduled to be delivered mid-1998.

He added that Holbrooke, who was appointed US President's Emissary for Cyprus earlier this year, needed no others to put forward his positions.

"He puts forward his own views, positions and plans," Christofides added.

CNA RG/MA/AP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1800:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Cyprus Stock Exchange

CSE All Share Index                    75.28 (-0.24)

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

Sectural Indices

Banks                                  86.84 (-0.30)
Approved Investment Companies          58.96 (-0.02)
Insurance Companies                    54.95 (-0.58)
Industrial Companies                   72.64 (-0.16)
Tourist Industries                     62.38 (-0.13)
Commercial Companies                   39.33 (-0.35)
Other Companies                        59.28 (+0.70)

Trading Volume                         CYP 392267.355

CNA AP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1950 CYPPRESS:03

[03] Cordovez meets G/C and T/C party leaders

The leaders were speaking after a lunch Diego Cordovez, UN Secretary- General's Special Advisor for the Cyprus problem, hosted for Greek and Turkish Cypriot party leaders.

Democratic Rally (DISY) leader, Nicos Anastasiades, described the meeting as "friendly", noting it would be naive that one should believe that any progress could come out of such meetings.

He said it was useful for leaders from both communities to exchange views and make their views more understood.

Invited to comment on the fact that Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash had shown Cordovez mass graves of Turkish Cypriots, allegedly killed by Greek Cypriots, Anastasiades said it was an effort by the Turkish Cypriot community to deviate Cordovez.

He said the UN official did not give the impression that he was affected.

AKEL General Secretary, Demetris Christofias, said he ascertained the big gap dividing the two sides.

From Cordovez's statements, "once again, we ascertain the big gap which divides the two sides on the substance of the Cyprus problem," he said.

Commenting on Cordovez's visit of the mass graves in the Turkish occupied north, Christofias said Denktash is trying to increase the hatred between the two communities.

Socialist EDEK leader, Vasos Lyssarides, said this shows that Denktash is not looking for ways to bridge the differences to reach a settlement but on the contrary, "he is looking for excuses not to find a solution because this serves Turkey's interests."

United Democrats' president, George Vassiliou, expressed the view that the UN are now determined to continue the process for a comprehensive settlement.

He said Cordovez is here to "help, he is ready to make use of the procedure in a number of ways. The message from this meeting, is that the UN are determined to continue the process in every way" after the 1998 presidential elections.

On this point, the Liberal Democrats' General Secretary, Fivos Mavrovouniotis, said the UN interest in finding a settlement is very serious.

He said Cordovez is trying to "bridge the gap between the two communities" and for this reason the UN will continue the process through a continued dialogue.

Speaking on behalf of the Turkish Cypriot party leaders, the leader of the Communal Liberation Party, Mustafa Akinci, said the meeting was a "good opportunity for Cordovez to see both parts and make his plans for the future."

He said the period after the presidential elections in the Greek Cypriot side, as he described the free areas of the Republic, "will be very crucial."

"There will need to be positive contributions from every side," he said, meaning the UN, the US, the two communities on the island, Ankara, Athens and the European Union (EU).

He supported that when the negotiations begin, "there should be give and take and we should come to a compromise."

CNA EC/AP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

2000:CYPPRESS:04

[04] Cordovez to return after elections

This was announced Thursday evening by Foreign Minister, Ioannis Kasoulides, after a meeting between President Glafcos Clerides and the UN envoy.

Cordovez, who chaired two rounds of Cyprus peace talks this summer, is in on his first fact-finding mission to the island since his appointment earlier this year.

It was the UN envoy's second meeting with President Clerides since his arrival Monday.

"Cordovez will visit Cyprus immediately after the presidential elections to organise the negotiation procedure," Kasoulides said.

Both the Greek and Turkish Cypriot sides have given their consent to the visit, he added.

Replying to questions, the Foreign Minister said Cordovez did not put forward an official request to the two sides to hand in legal documents for a Cyprus settlement.

Kasoulides added that Cordovez had said that if any side wished to hand in documents, they would be welcome.

Direct negotiations between President Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash, were held this summer, in the US (in July) and in Switzerland (in August).

They did not bring about any results because of the Turkish side's refusal to negotiate, unless the European Union (EU) withholds its decision to hold accession talks with the government of Cyprus in spring 1998.

Government Spokesman Manolis Christofides and the President's two advisors in the peace talks, Attorney General Alecos Markides and Under- Secretary to the President, Pantelis Kouros were also present at the meeting.

Cordovez was accompanied by UN resident representative Gustave Feissel and two UN advisors.

The UN envoy met both President Clerides and Denktash on Wednesday and earlier today he had a working lunch with party leaders from both communities.

Tomorrow he is scheduled to meet with the ambassadors of the five permanent members of the Security Council and will hold a press conference prior to his departure for Athens.

After Greece, Cordovez will fly to Ankara for meetings with Turkish officials.

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

Two high level agreements between the two sides, in 1977 and 1979, provided for a federal, bizonal solution, but no progress has been made since, mainly due to Turkish intransigence.

CNA MA/AP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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