Cyprus News Agency: News in English (PM), 98-01-07

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

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

CONTENTS

[01] Cyprus Stock Exchange

[02] Cyprus condemns crimes against Kurds

[03] Cyprus questions Turkey's participation in military exercise

[04] German MP visits Cyprus

[05] 1998 state budgets debate starts

[06] Joint exercise a success, say US and Israeli military

1510:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Cyprus Stock Exchange

CSE All Share Index                    76.42 (+0.20)

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

Sectural Indices

Banks                                  87.16 (-0.03)
Approved Investment Companies          58.51 (-0.46)
Insurance Companies                    56.92 (+0.11)
Industrial Companies                   75.84 (+1.24)
Tourist Industries                     61.54 (+0.54)
Commercial Companies                   40.43 (+0.82)
Other Companies                        65.89 (+0.55)

Trading Volume                         CYP 399952.515

CNA MA/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1535:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Cyprus condemns crimes against Kurds

Commenting on the recent influx of hundreds of Kurds from Turkey into Europe, Christofides said Cyprus, along with the rest of Europe, condemns the crimes committed against the Kurdish people.

Asked about the possibility of Kurdish refugees coming to Cyprus, Christofides said such an issue had not been raised.

CNA EC/MCH/GP/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1540:CYPPRESS:03

[03] Cyprus questions Turkey's participation in military exercise

Christofides questioned Turkey's participation in the exercise, which has been described as "humanitarian", because of the country's bad human rights record.

The Government Spokesman pointed out that the aim of the exercise "is not compatible with the human rights violations in Turkey and the genocides this state has carried out."

"We are following developments. We have got assurances that the exercise has nothing to do with Cyprus", Christofides added.

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

The joint search-and-rescue exercise code-named "Reliant Mermaid" got underway today, despite condemnation from neighbouring Arab countries.

CNA EC/MA/GP/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1620:CYPPRESS:04

[04] German MP visits Cyprus

Hornhues, who is visiting Cyprus on the invitation of his counterpart, Tasos Papadopoulos, was received by President Glafcos Clerides and House of Representatives President, Spyros Kyprianou.

Hornhues said the President briefed him on efforts to solve the Cyprus problem, expected to begin after the February presidential elections, as well as issues relating to the EU.

Asked whether Germany has any proposals on Turkish Cypriot participation in the EU - Cyprus accession talks, scheduled to begin in spring, Hornhues said it would agree with any formulas accepted by the two communities in Cyprus.

Hornhues agreed with the view that Cyprus' accession to the EU and the solution of the Cyprus problem are two parallel processes, but pointed out that they are related.

The German MP also met with party leaders or representatives.

Commenting on Hornhue's statement, Government Spokesman, Manolis Christofides, repeated the government's readiness to discuss ways of finding a formula for Turkish Cypriot participation in the EU accession talks.

He said they would be welcome provided there is no recognition of the illegal entity unilaterally declared, in 1983, in the areas of the Republic occupied by Turkey since its 1974 invasion and occupation of the island.

CNA MCH/MA/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1825:CYPPRESS:05

[05] 1998 state budgets debate starts

The five parties in the 56-seat House will express their views on the state budgets during the three-day debate, which started today with speeches of the party leaders.

The budgets tabled by the government on December 11, 1997, provide for 1,08 billion Cyprus pounds (some 2,16 billion US dollars) revenues and 1,63 billion (3,26 billion US dollars) expenditure.

The Ordinary Budget envisages 1,26 b. pounds expenditure and 1,07 b. pounds revenues.

The Development Budget provides for 261 million pounds expenditure, 12, 5 per cent up, compared with that in 1996.

The expenditure for the Relief Fund is 91 million pounds, with its revenues reaching 7 million pounds.

CNA MCH/GP/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

2050:CYPPRESS:06

[06] Joint exercise a success, say US and Israeli military

Haifa, Jan 7 (CNA) -- Captain Joseph Sestak, on board USS John Rodgers destroyer, described today's search and rescue (SAR) exercise between Israel, Turkey and the US, as "a success" in that it offered the chance to different nations to train in a mission in the Mediterranean.

"I would say without question this exercise was a success," he told a press conference aboard the Rodgers, which welcomed some 60 journalists, mainly from the US, covering the one day exercise from the US vessels.

More journalists were on board another three vessels also participating in the exercise.

"Having stepped away from the exercise, I'm a bit more confident that we can work better with several other nations in the Eastern Mediterranean", Sestak said. "It has been a winner for everyone", he added.

Captain Sestak said "the exercise showed the ability of several nations to work under an assigned command, in this case Israeli command".

Israeli Defence Ministry representative on board the vessel, Lieutenant Colonel Yehuda Weinraub, described the operation "an important step in the coordination of three navies".

He expressed the hope that after this rescue operation "we'll be able to respond more quickly and more efficiently".

The SAR operation on board the American destroyer, which will be decommissioned in September, took place some 40 nautical miles off Haifa port.

The proposal for today's drill was put forward by Israel in May 1996.

First to sail out at sea was the Turkish frigate TCG Zafer, followed by USS Rogers, and the second Turkish frigate TCG Yavuz. Last to leave the port was the Israeli INS Lahav.

All four ships converged out at sea at their initial rendezvous location and proceeded to their respective search areas - the US ship in the north, the Israeli in the centre and the two Turkish frigates in the south.

The designated location for the exercise covered an area of about 150 nautical miles, from east to west, and about 75 north to south.

The most northern part of the designated area was just 35 nautical miles from Cyprus' southern coast and the most southern part about 65 nautical miles from Egypt's northern coast.

Journalists were assigned escorts from the vessels' crew to help them around the ship, where access to the press was available everywhere except in two or three restricted areas.

The rescue operation on the US destroyer lasted about three hours from the time the distress call was received to the actual recovery of the "man" overboard, a dummy called Oscar.

CNA MM/MA/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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