Cyprus News Agency: News in English (AM), 98-09-24

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

CONTENTS

[01] Clerides - Permanent Members of Security Council

[02] Clerides - American - Jewish Committee

[03] Spokesman - Cem

[04] Clerides - Holbrooke - Cem

[05] Cyprus - US Chamber of Commerce opens

[06] Dini - Greco-Turkish relations - Cyprus

[07] Cyprus Stock Exchange

0930:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Clerides - Permanent Members of Security Council

New York, Sep 24 (CNA) -- The Cyprus Government believes that a meeting between President Glafcos Clerides and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council will have a positive influence on efforts to settle the Cyprus problem.

President Clerides hosted a lunch for the "big 5" at the UN headquarters on Wednesday, which was also attended by under secretaries for Political Affairs and Peace-Keeping Operations, Kieran Prentergast and Bernard Miller respectively, as well as the UN chief's special Cyprus envoy, Diego Cordovez.

"We had a very constructive discussion on the latest developments in the Cyprus problem", Government Spokesman, Christos Stylianides, said after the lunch.

He added that "there was an exchange of views" which the government believes "offers more constructive prospects in the future regarding developments in the Cyprus issue".

According to sources, the President and other officials carried out an in-depth analysis of the present situation in the Cyprus question and President Clerides briefed them on the situation and his government's views.

All aspects of the Cyprus question were discussed, including arms, the reduction of tension, the present deadlock in the peace effort and ways it could be overcome, as well as the proposal put forward by Turkish Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktash, for a "confederation of two states" in Cyprus.

The Denktash proposal has already been rejected by the Cyprus government, the UN chief and the permanent members of the Security Council as it is not in line with UN resolutions on Cyprus.

The situation in the Cyprus peace effort is expected to be clarified on Friday, during the meeting President Clerides will have with UN Secretary- General, Kofi Annan.

In a meeting in South Africa last month, on the sidelines of the Non- Aligned Movement Summit, the UN chief told President Clerides that he would confer with his envoys and would put forward ideas for overcoming the present stalemate in the Cyprus peace effort.

The Cyprus government appears prepared to embark on a dialogue either on security issues, beginning with the reduction of arms and leading to the demilitarisation of the island, or on an overall settlement of the problem.

However, efforts seem to focus on security issues, especially on the part of the American envoys involved in a Cyprus settlement, who are in New York for meetings with all parties involved in the Cyprus question.

CNA MA/RG/EC/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1045:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Clerides - American - Jewish Committee

New York, Sep 24 (CNA) -- Relations between Cyprus and Israel were discussed yesterday at a meeting President Glafcos Clerides had with representatives of the American-Jewish Committee here in New York.

Present at the meeting were the President of Council of Overseas Hellenes, Andrew Athens, the President of MPs of Greek Origin, Demetris Dolly, and the President of the Cyprus Federation of America, Panicos Papanicolaou.

The Jewish-American leaders also met Foreign Minister, Ioannis Kasoulides.

The Greek and Jewish lobbies in the US have maintained close ties over the years, but today the Greeks appear unsatisfied with increased military cooperation between Israel and Turkey.

A prominent Greek-American told CNA they believe this cooperation has a negative impact on Greece and Cyprus and have outwardly told their Jewish friends about their concerns.

However, he stressed that friendly relations between the two communities are still strong and cooperation continues.

CNA MA/RG/EC/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1050:CYPPRESS:03

[03] Spokesman - Cem

New York, Sep 24 (CNA) -- Government Spokesman, Christos Stylianides, underlined that a Turkish proposal for a "confederation of two states" in Cyprus is not in line with UN resolutions and international law.

Invited to comment on claims by Turkish Foreign Minister, Ismail Cem, that the proposal allegedly promotes the unity of Cyprus and that UN resolutions should not be seen rigidly, Stylianides said Cem is giving his own "arbitrary explanations".

"It seems as if Mr. Cem has his own way of interpreting things or does not know how to read very well known words used in international law which are common sense", the Spokesman said.

He stressed that the confederation proposal put forward by Denktash "is contrary to UN resolutions, which is why all permanent members of the Security Council rejected it".

Stylianides said that if the Turkish Foreign Minister believes the proposal is in line with UN resolutions, he is completely "irrational", because they (the resolutions) stipulate for Cyprus' independence, unity and territorial integrity.

"Denktash's proposal refers to two protectorates (of Greece and Turkey) and leads to the division of Cyprus", he added, expressing satisfaction because "the international community realises this".

Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37 per cent of the island's territory.

CNA MA/RG/EC/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1055:CYPPRESS:04

[04] Clerides - Holbrooke - Cem

Holbrooke, who is accompanied in his meetings by State Department Coordinator for Cyprus, Thomas Miller, will meet the Turkish official over a working breakfast and will then see the President.

According to sources, the American officials are promoting a procedure for some form of talks between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot sides on security and demilitarisation issues.

However, the Cyprus Government has refrained from confirming this information, and will not reveal what is being discussed at the meetings.

Later today, the President will speak at the National Committee on American Foreign Policy on the "Cyprus Question: Prospects for a solution" and will attend a reception by the Bank of Cyprus.

CNA MA/RG/EC/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1240:CYPPRESS:05

[05] Cyprus - US Chamber of Commerce opens

In an address he delivered to the inaugural meeting, President Clerides said that the new organisation "will bring about a dynamic breakthrough in Cypriot-American economic relations".

He added that he was "very hopeful that the business people of our countries will utilise fully the positive developments and opportunities that are opened before them today".

He also said that "this organisation, having as its major aim the identification and presentation to its members of profitable opportunities for investment and cooperation, will act as an effective catalyst for Cypriot business people interested in extending their activities to the USA while, at the same time, it will make Cyprus widely known and accessible to American business people".

President Clerides stressed that "the Government of Cyprus has already pledged its support to ventures which promote the internationalisation of economic activities of Cypriot entrepreneurs, in view of the ongoing globalisation of trade, the increasing competition and the sweeping technological advancements which now characterise the business world".

He furthermore pointed out that "the ability of the American business community to take advantage of the benefits which Cyprus offers as a base for foreign enterprises, wishing to access the markets of the Middle East, Central and Eastern Europe, will be facilitated".

The inaugural meeting was followed by a seminar entitled "Cyprus: Business Opportunities and Prospects", the main speaker of which was Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, Nicos Rolandis.

The Minister referred to the aims and objectives of the new Chamber, and pointed to the traditional ties between Cyprus and the US, which are today especially noticeable in the trade sector.

The Chairman of the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Vassilis Rologis, addressing the seminar, pointed to the multiple advantages of Cyprus, which establishes the island as an international trade centre.

The Director of International Commerce at the US Ministry of Commerce, Thomas Mottley, said that the trade relations between Cyprus and the US "have never been closer", adding that "for the last three years, the US has been Cyprus' leading supplier of total imports".

He also pointed out that "a large portion of this trade gets re- exported to the region, which underscores Cyprus' regional importance as a centre for transit trade".

CNA MA/RG/EC/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1430:CYPPRESS:06

[06] Dini - Greco-Turkish relations - Cyprus

New York, Sep 24 (CNA) -- Greco-Turkish relations have a bearing on Cyprus, Italian Foreign Minister, Lamberto Dini, has said, pointing out that the whole and not only half of Cyprus should join the European Union (EU).

Replying to questions at a press conference on the sidelines of the 53rd UN General Assembly, Dini said that "the unsatisfactory relations between NATO members, Greece and Turkey are of continuous concern, especially to EU members".

Efforts for a reconciliation formula between Greece and Turkey "are continually made by different countries and the EU," he said and pointed out that "this of course has a bearing on Cyprus."

Expressing the view that Cyprus is "more ready to become a member of the EU" than other applicants, Dini stressed, however that "of course we cannot only have half of Cyprus become a member. Cyprus as a whole, the whole island must become a member," he added.

The Italian Minister expressed the hope that a federal state in Cyprus will be created by the formula devised by the UN and special bodies dealing with Cyprus.

He added, "it is a formula that we like and we would like it to prevail but we are not there yet. We got very close to that some time ago but then the matter receded."

Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37 per cent of the island's territory.

Accession negotiations with the EU began last March, seven eight years after the island applied for EU membership.

CNA MA/MCH/EC/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1435:CYPPRESS:07

[07] Cyprus Stock Exchange

   CSE General Index                          86.64 (-0.22)

   Traded Value            CYP   813,036

   Sectural Indices

   Banks                   CYP   460,147    102.18  (-0.16)
   Approved Investment
   Companies               CYP    43,873      59.04 (-0.25)
   Insurance Companies     CYP    31,540      57.95 (-0.60)
   Manufacturing Companies CYP    42,097      81.27 (-0.28)
   Tourism Companies       CYP    84,842      69.70 (-0.80)
   Trading Companies       CYP    25,980      39.91 ( 0.03)
   Other Companies         CYP    83,923      76.54 ( 0.21)

CNA MCH/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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