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Cyprus News Agency: News in English (PM), 98-08-21Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org.cy>CONTENTS
1510:CYPPRESS:01[01] Government - US envoy - Turkish PressNicosia, Aug 21 (CNA) -- The government has dismissed reports in the Turkish press that the US has proposed the withdrawal of a Turkish demand for recognition of the illegal Turkish Cypriot regime in occupied Cyprus in return for a halt to accession negotiations between the European Union and Cyprus."The said articles appear to be untrue and this is also reflected in statements by the US envoy for Cyprus," Government Spokesman Christos Stylianides said. Stylianides said the government's assessment is also based on contacts it had with the US embassy here and specific reports in prestigious American newspapers which reflect Miller's views. Ankara is said to have turned down Miller's proposal for a no-fly zone over Cyprus in exchange for the cancellation by the Cyprus government of an order to deploy Russian surface-to-air missiles. Press reports added that Ankara also rejected a proposal to drop its demand for the recognition of the illegal regime in Turkish occupied Cyprus in return for a suspension of talks between the EU and Cyprus. Miller, who was in Ankara for talks with the Turkish government earlier this week, had said he was not going to make any proposals to the Turkish government. After his meetings he said he was leaving empty handed. Efforts to settle the Cyprus problem reached a deadlock in January when Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash announced he will not participate in talks unless his self-styled regime in the occupied areas is recongised and unless Cyprus withdraws its application to join the EU. EU accession talks with Cyprus opened in March. Stylianides underlined that "according to EU decisions Cyprus' accession course is a completely separate issue to the resumption of peace negotiations." "We are not prepared to give Denktash anything in exchange to see him return to the negotiating table," he added. Stylianides said the Turkish Cypriot leader has to comply with UN Security Council resolutions and the appeals of the international community to return to the negotiating table without preconditions or terms. CNA MCH/MA/MM/1998ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY1530 CYPPRESS:02[02] Spokesman - US attacks - ReactionNicosia, Aug 21 (CNA) -- The Cyprus government believes that terrorism should be dealt with on the basis of the principles of international law and the UN Charter."The government, right from the start, condemned the terrorist actions against the US embassies and innocent people in Kenya and in Tanzania. We always condemn unequivocally any form of terrorism," Government Spokesman Christos Stylianides said here today, when invited to comment on yesterday's US air raids against Sudan and Afghanistan. He said the Cyprus government "considers that the best way to deal with terrorism is on the basis of the principles of international law and the provisions of the UN Charter". Asked if the US have violated these principles the use of force, Stylianides replied "it is not up to the Cyprus government to be the judge of this. It is a matter for the international bodies." The Spokesman added that if there is a discussion before international fora on the issue, "then the Cyprus government will express its position." CNA MCH/EC/MM/1998ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY1545:CYPPRESS:03[03] US Embassy - Security MeasuresNicosia, Aug 21 (CNA) -- The US embassy in Nicosia has taken more stringent security measures following yesterday's US air strikes in Afghanistan and Sudan."The US embassy is taking appropriate security measures in light of recent events," an embassy spokesman told CNA here Friday. The spokesman said that "without going into details there have been enhancements taken and security precautions." "We are satisfied with the excellent co-operation we have received from local authorities", the Spokesman added. The air raids came a week after 263 people, including American citizens, were killed in two bomb attacks against the US embassies in Nairobi, Kenya and Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. CNA DP/EC/MM/1998ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY1900 CYPPRESS:04[04] Pilgrimage - Apostolos AndreasNicosia, Aug 21 (CNA) -- A new pilgrimage to the Turkish occupied monastery of Apostolos Andreas in the eastern tip of the island is scheduled to take place on September 13, an official announcement said here Friday.This is the first pilgrimage to the monastery this year and comes after UN assurances that pilgrims will not have to obtain a so called "visa" to enter the Turkish occupied northern part of the island, where an illegal entity was unilaterally declared in 1983. Pilgrims will not be forced to pay a "levy" of 15 sterling to the Turkish Cypriot regime either. According to the office of the Humanitarian Affairs Commissioner, the UN has informed the government that on September 13, the eve of an important religious holiday, around 1.000 people will be allowed to cross to the occupied areas. An unprecedented 10.500 people applied to visit the monastery in November, 1997. Only 1.044 were allowed to cross for the largest pilgrimage in the occupied areas since the 1974 Turkish invasion. A scheduled pilgrimage to the monastery on Easter Sunday (19 April) was cancelled when the Turkish occupation regime demanded that pilgrims pay 15 pounds sterling as "entry fee" on every person visiting the occupied part of Cyprus. Priority will be given to the elderly and sick people, relatives of the enclaved, natives of the region and Greek Cypriots living abroad. Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37 per cent of its territory. Turkish Cypriots regularly cross to the government controlled areas of the Republic for pilgrimages to the Hala Sultan Mosque, in the southern coastal town of Larnaca, or the northwestern Turkish held enclave of Kokkina. They are not forced to pay any levy and they are offered transportation and police escort during their visit. CNA EC/MM/1998ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY1945:CYPPRESS:05[05] Arrests - Forged DocumentsNicosia, Aug 21 (CNA) -- Three persons were arrested here Friday in connection with the acquisition of money under false pretences and the possession of forged documents and travellers' cheques, worth a total of seven thousand US dollars.Following reports that a foreigner had cashed forged travellers' cheques near the southern coastal town of Limassol, police arrested today Norbert Franz Fuhr, 31, from South Africa. Fuhr admitted cashing forged travellers' cheques at at least seven banks and obtaining seven thousand US dollars. He alleged that Abutaleb Ahmad Al Attas, 29, from Saudi Arabia and Fatima Youssef Hussein, 58, from Lebanon provided him with the forged passports and travellers' cheques. The two were later arrested by the police. A total of 4.048 Cyprus pounds and ten forged travellers' cheques valued at 10.000 US dollars were found in Hussein's possession (one Cyprus pound is about two US dollars). CNA EC/MM/1998ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY2025 CYPPRESS:06[06] Cyprus - SwitzerlandNicosia, Aug 21 (CNA) -- Swiss President and head of Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Flavio Cotti, has reassured that his country will offer every assistance to the government of Cyprus.The statement was made during the presentation of the credentials of Cyprus' Ambassador to Italy, Myrna Kleopa, who is based in Rome. Cotti referred to the excellent relations between Cyprus and Switzerland and expressed the hope these will be further enhanced. Kleopa informed Cotti on the latest developments regarding the Cyprus problem and the island's talks for accession to the European Union. Cotti expressed his country's readiness to offer every assistance to the government of Cyprus. Kleopa also held meetings with the President of the National Council, Ernst Leuenberger and the President of the Council of States, Franz Blankart where she informed them about the Cyprus problem and the island's EU accession course. She also met officials from the departments of Foreign Affairs and Economic Affairs. Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37 per cent of the island's territory. The government of Cyprus started accession talks with the EU in March this year. CNA EC/MM/1998ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCYCyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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