Cyprus News Agency: News in English (AM), 99-03-13

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

CONTENTS

[01] Kasoulides - New European tour

[02] CNA - AFP training seminar - Med news agencies

[03] Women environmentalists - Collection of signatures

1110:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Kasoulides - New European tour

He said that if the diplomatic initiative expected to take place after April's elections in Turkey for the resumption of peace talks bears fruit, the G8 will call on the Greek and Turkish Cypriot sides to participate in negotiations.

The talks would be held after an invitation from the UN Secretary- General and will be based on UN resolutions.

Kasoulides was speaking before his departure for Germany, the first leg of his second European tour this year aimed at briefing his counterparts and other officials on efforts to settle the Cyprus problem and to promote the Republic's bid to join the European Union (EU).

His week-long tour will also take him to Austria and Belgium. The Foreign Minister said he will not ask for an EU initiative for Cyprus as he considers European support to UN efforts for a settlement here as a fact.

"I would like to clarify that I will not ask for an initiative (for Cyprus) by the EU as I have read in the press," Kasoulides said.

He added that he considers "EU support to the UN Secretary-General's good offices mission as given and I expect the EU to give its support to efforts for a possible diplomatic effort aiming at the resumption of negotiations after elections in Turkey."

Replying to a question, the Foreign Minister said not only western countries will be involved in any new efforts but also the G8, in which Russia also participates, who "will call on the two sides to come to the talks."

He pointed out that any new initiative will be based on the practice followed in the past, that is "with an invitation from the Secretary- General and based on UN resolutions."

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37 per cent of its territory.

CNA MAN/MA/GP/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1230:CYPPRESS:02

[02] CNA - AFP training seminar - Med news agencies

The two-day seminar will take place Tuesday and Wednesday (March 16-17) at the "Cleopatra" hotel, in Nicosia.

Cyprus Interior Minister Dinos Michaelides will address the opening ceremony Tuesday morning.

The opening ceremony will be also addressed by CNA Board Chairman Anthos Lykavgis and AFP Middle East Manager Michel Garin.

The seminar, addressed to chief editors and technical directors, takes place within the framework of CNA's Presidency of the Alliance.

CNA and AFP had proposed this seminar during the Seventh General Assembly of AMAN, held in June 1998, in Limassol, Cyprus.

Paris-based AFP chief engineers headed by Luc Delavaux, Technical Operations Manager, will brief participants on latest developments in news agency technology, including Internet, photo service and editing, product technology, network, editorial and client equipment.

During the opening ceremony, CNA Board Chairman Anthos Lykavgis will honour Aarab Issiali, a Paris-based editor of the Maghreb Arabe Presse (MAP), whose report on the Mediterranean won the Best News Item competition for 1998 organised by AMAN.

The Moroccan journalist will stay in Cyprus for one week as a CNA guest, during which he will meet Cypriot officials and businessmen and visit various places on the island.

CNA GP/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1400:CYPPRESS:03

[03] Women environmentalists - Collection of signatures

The event began this weekend at the Ledra Palace checkpoint in the capital Nicosia, where a campaign trying to dissuade foreigners from visiting the Turkish occupied part of Cyprus has been carried out every weekend for more than two years now.

The ecologists are planning on continuing the collection of signatures for the rest of the month.

"We are sure of the sensitivity of civilised persons, especially women, in matters related to the respect and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms and this is why we are optimistic of your positive reaction to this appeal," the petition says.

Antonia Theodosiou, of the Movement, said that "on the occasion of International Women's Day (celebrated March 8) we decided to take this initiative of collecting signatures from women, giving emphasis on human rights issues."

She said it is part of their effort to inform other Green parties on the situation in Cyprus and added they will also try to meet European women politicians.

The petition calls on European women to contribute towards the mobilisation of people to end the occupation by Turkey of 37 per cent of Cyprus' territory since 1974.

The environmentalists ask European women to exercise their influence on the leadership of their country "for the termination of the change of the demographic structure of Cyprus through the transportation and settlement of Turkish settlers to the occupied areas of Cyprus."

It is estimated that over 80 thousand people from Turkey have been brought to the occupied areas in a bid to change the island's demographic character.

The petition points to the displacement of people in their own country and Ankara's policy of ethnic cleansing in Cyprus.

CNA NG/MA/MK/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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