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Cyprus News Agency: News in English (PM), 98-10-26Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org.cy>CONTENTS
1450:CYPPRESS:01[01] Cyprus Stock ExchangeNicosia, Oct 26 (CNA) -- The Cyprus Stock Exchange (CSE) All Share Index closed at today's stock exchange meeting as follows:CSE General Index 87.05 (-0.22) Traded Value CYP 1,569,163 Sectural Indices Banks CYP 798,075 101.05 (-0.48) Approved Investment Companies CYP 49,439 60.00 (-0.58) Insurance Companies CYP 174,447 59.79 ( 1.77) Manufacturing Companies CYP 28,395 85.80 ( 0.06) Tourism Companies CYP 4,969 68.79 (-0.41) Trading Companies CYP 41,229 39.56 ( 1.64) Other Companies CYP 54,095 82.10 (-1.23)The third column presents the percentage variation of the indices as compared to the last meeting. CNA EC/1998ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY1500:CYPPRESS:02[02] Cyprus - Turkey - European CourtNicosia, Oct 26 (CNA) -- With only two days to go before Turkey has to comply with a European Court decision to pay compensation for human rights violations to a Greek Cypriot, the permanent representatives of member states of the Council of Europe are meeting tomorrow to discuss the issue at hand.No decision is expected to be taken at Tuesday's meeting in Strasbourg as Turkey still has time to meet the 28 October deadline, but it is likely that a second meeting may be set for a later day, possibly in November, to discuss the matter. Turkey, found guilty of depriving Titina Loizidou of her right to enjoy peacefully her property by denying her access to it, was ordered to pay 300.000 Cyprus pounds (one pound is about two US dollars) to Loizidou plus 20.000 in moral damages and 137.000 for legal costs. The decision in June this year marked the end of the judicial process which began in 1989. Loizidou's property lies in the northern part of Cyprus which Turkey occupied since its troops invaded the island in 1974. The Court ruled that Turkey is responsible for what is happening in the occupied part of Cyprus and not the self-styled Turkish Cypriot regime which the Court does not recognise. According to one of the two vice presidents of the new European Court of Human Rights, Christos Rozakis Turkey may have to face the prospect of sanctions or possible expulsion from the Council of Europe if it does not comply with the Court decision. The new Court comes into being on 1 November, bringing in a single, permanent court in the place of the two present bodies, the part-time Court and the Commission of Human Rights. The present court will cease to exist on 31 October but the Commission will continue to sit until October 1999 to finish the examination of cases declared admissible. CNA MM/GP/1998ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY1845:CYPPRESS:03[03] Cyprus - Middle East peace dealNicosia, Oct 26 (CNA) -- The Cyprus government welcomes the interim Middle East peace accord, expressing the hope that it will facilitate talks for security in the region.An official statement said the deal, signed in Washington on Friday between Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, "is expected to effectively contribute in efforts towards lasting peace and security in the Middle East". Expressing hopes for the implementation of the deal according to the agreed timetable, the Cyprus government points out that it is ready to contribute - as it has done in the past - in achieving the goals set out in the agreement. "We hope the agreement will affect positively Israel's talks with Syria and Lebanon", the Cyprus government notes, adding that this development would result in a successful peace process and peace in the region as a whole. CNA GG/EC/1998ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY1850:CYPPRESS:04[04] Inter-balkan congress - Environment and WomenNicosia, Oct 26 (CNA) -- An Inter-Balkan meeting that discussed the issue of "Environment and Women" ended here today amidst calls for the enhancement of women's participation in the formulation of environmental policy.A resolution adopted at the end of the sixth Congress of the Association of Inter-Balkan Women's Cooperation Societies (AIWCS) and the UNESCO Centre for Women and Peace in the Balkan Countries, underlines that "women should have a greater role and be more enhanced in the activities of the family, the region, the nation and the earth." It also "calls for enhanced women's participation in decision making and the enlargement of women's involvement in national and international environmental policy formulation." The resolution will be forwarded to international decision making bodies such as the UN, the Food and Agriculture Organisation and the European Parliament, as well as national ministries. Over 150 women from Greece, Cyprus, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, FYROM, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Romania and Albania, as well as representatives from international organisations attended the four-day congress. They discussed issues such as health and the environment, women, environment and development and the activities of Balkan women's non- governmental organisations for the protection of the environment. Each country's policy on the environment was also outlined. "Women of south-eastern Europe call on governments and international organisations to urge for peace in their environment and in the world," the resolution adopted says. It underlines the need "to find ways to resolve the landmine and environmental problems caused by war, threatening lives and destroying the environment in the south-east area of Europe." Cypriot women participating presented the problems Cyprus faces since the 1974 Turkish invasion and occupation of 37 per cent of its territory, stressing that it has disrupted the Republic's ecosystem. They also referred to the destruction of the island's cultural heritage in the occupied north, underlining that this is also part of the environment. The resolution adopted points to the need for Inter-Balkan and cross- border cooperation as well as concrete action for the protection of the environment. In her closing remarks, AIWCS president Katy Tzitzicosta noted that problems cannot be solved from one day to another. "The target of the conference was to make us more sensitive and make us use the power we have to influence," she said. Tziticosta underlined the need for increased awareness of environmental problems and said that countries which are at a transitional stage should not only be looking at economic development. CNA MA/EC/1998ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY1955:CYPPRESS:05[05] Cyprus - Illegal immigrantsNicosia, Oct 26 (CNA) -- The General Attorney's office and the Police will investigate accusations that the police used unwarranted brutality to quell a riot by illegal immigrants at a detention camp last week.The government today expressed regret over the incident in the coastal town of Larnaca on Friday and said the criminal inquiry ordered proves its sensitivity on human rights. Government Spokesman Christos Stylianides said two officials from the Attorney General's office have been appointed to investigate the case "proving that the government is sensitive to human rights issues and considers the case as very serious." Police said riots began when the illegal immigrants started a fire in their cells to protest the deportation to Nigeria of five of 48 of them detained at Larnaca Police station. Scenes from the riot and the special police squad's efforts to quell it were screened by local television stations. The illegal immigrants are part of a group of 113 people of different nationalities rescued after their small boat was drifting off the shores of Cyprus last June. Some are still living in a hotel in the southern coastal town of Limassol. A police announcement said it began investigating the incident before the criminal inquiry was ordered to establish whether excessive force was used. Police assured it will offer investigators all necessary help and will act according to their findings. Speaking before the House of Representatives Finance Committee, Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides and Attorney General Alecos Markides referred to the problems stemming from the increasing number of illegal immigrants that end up on the island. People from the Middle East who leave their countries seeking a better future in Europe end up on the shores of Cyprus as they usually use small ramshackle boats for their transportation. Justice and Public Order Minister Nicos Koshis said "the illegal immigrants issue is serious and must be tackled." He added it must be viewed as a humanitarian issue but at the same time the problems it poses for the government cannot be ignored. "We have information that more (immigrants) will be arriving," Koshis said, adding that "they are uncooperative with us, they do not reveal their country of origin and do not want to leave the country." CNA MA/EC/1998ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY1955:CYPPRESS:06[06] Michaelides - Mediterranean Agriculture ForumNicosia, Oct 26 (CNA) --Cyprus' Minister of Interior, Dinos Michaelides stressed the contribution and important role of the Agriculture and Rural development Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, which has organised the Third Mediterranean Agriculture Forum.Addressing the two day forum, Michaelides said that the general quality of the European citizens' life during the next few decades will greatly depend on the effectiveness of efforts to protect the water reserves from all kind of pollution, for the benefit of the environment and future generations. He also said that the conclusion drawn from the 11th European Conference of Ministers responsible for Regional Planning meeting (CEMAT) held in Cyprus last year, was that European states are under the obligation to form and implement an overall and long term strategy aiming at the protection and sound management of water resources. This strategy, he explained, must include policies aiming at the prevention of floods and drought. The forum's second working session was also addressed by Dr. Cosimo Lacirignola, Director of the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari and Professor Atef Hamdy, Director of Research, Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari. A round table discussion with representatives of Parliaments of Mediterranean countries followed. Takis Hadjidemetriou, Vice Chairman of the Sub-Committee on Food of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development, said the significance of water for Cyprus is beyond description. "Its scarcity is creating serious problems and has acted as a constraint for the further development not only of agriculture but more significantly of tourism which is water intensive activity," he said. He said the absolute maximum of water for planning purposes corresponds to 4600 million cubic metres (MCM) of water per year. More than 80 per cent of the rainfall returns to the atmosphere as loss through evaporation and evapotransiration. The remaining 20 per cent is about 900 MCM and is considered as the mean annual water crop of the island. Hadjidemetriou also said the total water consumption in Cyprus is currently about 245 MCM annually, of which 65 MCM for municipal and industrial purposes and 180 MCM for irrigation. Tomorrow, the forum will debate the agro-food situation in Cyprus, and the agriculture in relation to the prospective accession of Cyprus to the EU. There will also be a joint meeting with the House Standing Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources. CNA RM/EC/1998ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY2000:CYPPRESS:07[07] UNFICYP - New spokespersonsNicosia, Oct 26 (CNA) -- Sarah Russell, currently serving as UN public affairs officer in Afghanistan, will take over as new UN Cyprus Peace- keeping Force (UNFICYP) press spokesperson at the end of this year.UNFICYP chief of mission Dame Ann Hercus announced the appointment in a press release issued today. Russell replaces Waldemar Rokoszewski, who served with UNFICYP for 11 years, first as political officer and then as spokesperson. Dame Ann also announced the creation of a new post of deputy Spokesperson, which will be taken up by Major Paul Kolken, who will arrive from the Netherlands early November. Kolken will serve as acting spokesperson until Russell arrives in Cyprus. CNA MA/EC/1998ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY2020:CYPPRESS:08[08] Book - Experiences of a Turkish former captainNicosia, Oct 26 (CNA) -- A book based on the experiences of a Turkish former captain who took part in the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus was presented in Nicosia today."Dalga - Dalga" (Waves) is written by Greek journalist Sophia Iordanidou and includes the testimony of Turkish intellectual Yalcin Kucuk, who has been living in self-exile in France. "It is a book of great historic value as it is the first time we hear the view of the invader. A person who was a captain, held a high position in the Turkish government and has many experiences and interesting views," Iordanidou told a press conference. Kucuk, who visited Cyprus earlier this year, is an outspoken critic of Turkish policy, especially with regard to the Kurds, and has described Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash as a "facist" and a "butcher". Speaking at the press conference, Kucuk said he will return to Turkey on October 29 which marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the Turkish state, even though he believes he will be imprisoned. He said he believes that "living abroad is also like being in prison". The 60-year-old intellectual and author is an avid supporter of a peaceful settlement to the Kurdish problem and his books are considered by Turkish officials to be too "liberal". Iordanidou had interviewed Kucuk for a private Greek TV channel last February. In his interview the Turkish former commander referred to the atrocities committed by Turkish soldiers against Greek Cypriot civilians during the 1974 invasion, that led to the occupation of 37 per cent of Cyprus' territory. The Greek journalist visited and worked with Kucuk in Paris and based her book on their 50-hour discussions. Iordanidou said her book has information about what went on behind the scenes which is useful for both historians and analysts interested in the Cyprus question. CNA NG/MA/EC/1998ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCYCNA ENDSCyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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