Cyprus News Agency: News in English (PM), 98-08-18

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

CONTENTS

[01] Cyprus - Turkey - overflights

[02] Spokesman - Turkish Troops

[03] Cyprus Stock Exchange

1540:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Cyprus - Turkey - overflights

Turkey's Minister of State for Cyprus, Sukru Sina Gurel, rejected the American call for a ban of overflights in return for a halt to the deployment of Russian missiles in Cyprus later this year and said Ankara will continue to take all necessary measures on Cyprus.

"This is a statement which the international community should take into serious consideration in order to understand exactly who is responsible for the tension in the Eastern Mediterranean and who opposes peace," Cyprus Government Spokesman, Christos Stylianides, said here today.

He added, however, that "we should wait until US State Department Coordinator, Thomas Miller, concludes his efforts in Ankara and reaches his own conclusions with regard to those responsible for the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean."

Stylianides said the government is willing to discuss "postponing or even cancelling the deployment of the missiles if important steps are made towards the demilitarisation of Cyprus or if intercommunal talks resume with prospects for progress".

CNA EC/MCH/MM/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1650:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Spokesman - Turkish Troops

Asked to comment on a statement by Defence Minister, Yiannakis Omirou that Turkish occupation troops are being strengthened with new weapons, Stylianides said that "Turkey has been boosting its occupation forces since last summer."

"As we all know, these troops are positioned in an offensive formation, " he added.

Stylianides said the Foreign and Defence Ministries are cooperating in recording facts and information "so as to be more convincing in the representations we make".

He added that "representations are made whenever it is considered appropriate and necessary, even to foreign embassies, in order to keep them informed."

"It must be made clear that we are trying to boost our defence capabilities because there is a specific reason, apart from other existing reasons," the Spokesman said.

According to the UN Secretary General's report on the UN operation in Cyprus "it is estimated that there are over 30.000 Turkish forces and some 4.500 Turkish Cypriot troops on the island."

The report adds that "the Turkish forces continued to modernise their equipment by replacing M48A5T2 tanks".

CNA EC/MCH/MM/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1430:CYPPRESS:03

[03] Cyprus Stock Exchange

   CSE General Index                          86.57 ( 0.80)

   Traded Value            CYP 1,123,111

   Sectural Indices

   Banks                   CYP    748,664    103.06 ( 0.87)
   Approved Investment
   Companies               CYP    50,662      58.77 ( 0.81)
   Insurance Companies     CYP    42,740      59.74 ( 2.07)
   Manufacturing Companies CYP    37,190      76.20 (-0.05)
   Tourism Companies       CYP    34,106      70.16 ( 0.14)
   Trading Companies       CYP    22,540      41.40 ( 1.17)
   Other Companies         CYP    21,568      72.28 ( 0.33)

CNA MM/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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