Cyprus News Agency: News in English (AM), 99-03-27

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

CONTENTS

[01] Protest - US embassy - Yugoslavia

[02] Cyprus - Bulgarian parliamentarians

[03] Former German FM - Visit

[04] Cyprus - Russia - Trade - Tourism

[05] EU negotiators - Meeting

[06] Yugoslavs - Cypriots - NATO air raids

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[01] Protest - US embassy - Yugoslavia

Yugoslavs and Greek Cypriots are on their way to the capital Nicosia in convoy, and are expected to arrive outside the US embassy here at around noon.

Ambassador of Yugoslavia to Cyprus, Ivan Mrkic, will be present at the protest rally outside the American embassy and is expected to deliver a petition to a representative of the US Embassy.

The Police have taken extra security measures outside the US embassy.

CNA FZ/MM/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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[02] Cyprus - Bulgarian parliamentarians

The delegation, headed by the President of the Assembly Jordan Sokolov, will be received by the President of the Republic Glafcos Clerides and the President of the House of Representatives Spyros Kyprianou.

During the visit, which takes place at the invitation of the President of the House, the delegation will meet with Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism Nicos Rolandis and the Chief Negotiator for Cyprus' European Union accession George Vassiliou.

The Bulgarian parliamentarians will also meet with the President of the Democratic Rally party Nicos Anastassiades and the House Standing Committee on Foreign and European Affairs.

The delegation, which will also visit the cease-fire line, leaves the island on Tuesday.

CNA GG/MM/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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[03] Former German FM - Visit

Genscher, who arrives Monday night, will pay a courtesy call on President Glafcos Clerides on Tuesday morning and have meetings with Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides and Cyprus' chief negotiator with the European Union George Vassiliou.

On Tuesday evening, he will give a lecture on "The role of new Europe in a changing world."

He will also tour the ceasefire line in the capital Nicosia. Genscher will spend several days on the island before leaving.

The former diplomat served as deputy chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany and Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1974 until his resignation in 1992.

His career has been linked to various political developments including German reunification, the north-south conflict and the Helsinki Conference process.

He is the recipient of numerous awards including Grand Federal Cross of Merit with Star and Sash, Cross of Merit of the Republic of Brazil, the Onassis prize and honorable doctorates from US and Russian universities.

CNA MM/GG/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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[04] Cyprus - Russia - Trade - Tourism

Speaking to the press after his recent visit to Moscow, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism Nicos Rolandis said around 2,4 million tourists are expected to visit the island this year, seven per cent more than those in 1998.

During his two-day visit to Moscow, Rolandis had attended the large Sixth International Tourist Fair "MITT" with participations from 87 countries, including Cyprus.

He had also met with Russian Ministers and high ranking officials from the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Commerce, the Russian Academy of Sciences and tour operators who work with Cyprus.

Assessing his visit, Rolandis said the two countries have decided to strengthen their trade relations, currently reaching 400 million US dollars yearly, particularly in the fields of industry and high technology.

Referring to tourism, Rolandis said Russia is Cyprus' third largest market after the UK and Germany, adding, however, that due to the current economic crisis in the Russian Federation, the number of tourists from that country this year will fall by around 10 to 20 per cent.

The fall in the number of Russian tourists to other destinations will be more significant, he noted.

Despite the fall, the total number of tourists expected to visit the island in 1999 will increase by seven per cent and reach 2,4 million provided the crisis in Yugoslavia ends soon, Rolandis pointed out.

CNA GG/MM/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1520:CYPPRESS:05

[05] EU negotiators - Meeting

The decision is outlined in a joint communique issued at the close of a two-day meeting by the chief negotiators of the six countries (Slovenia, Poland, Estonia, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Cyprus), who met in the coastal resort of Limassol.

They agreed to meet in the Estonian capital Tallinn at a later date. "They exchanged views on the progress of the screening and negotiation process and on some of the issues their respective countries will have to deal with on their way to accession," the communique said.

In this respect, Cyprus' chief negotiator George Vassiliou said Cyprus wishes to see its political problem solved but explained that this depended on the political will of Turkey, whose troops continue to occupy the island's northern part in spite of repeated calls by the international community to withdraw.

Asked if the Cyprus question poses a problem in the Republic's bid for EU membership, Poland's representative, J. Kulakowski, said "the fact that we are here, the fact that we are cooperating with our Cyprus friends the way into the EU is a significant one. This fact has its own significance."

On his part, the Slovenian envoy said "we of course consider the Cyprus question as a serious one and we are looking carefully how developments go."

So far, he added, "we think that during the negotiation process we are cooperating very well, we solved many problems and questions that involve all countries of the group and we hope that the problem of Cyprus is solved on the way to full accession to the EU."

In their communique, the negotiators praised the "dynamism of the German presidency and the determination of all 15 member states to progress on the way to European integration."

They expressed appreciation for the message of reassurance to the candidate countries and the statement that accession negotiations will continue each "in accordance with its own rhythm and as rapidly as possible".

CNA SC/MM/GG/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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[06] Yugoslavs - Cypriots - NATO air raids

Some 400 demonstrators, who were throwing eggs, tomatoes, red paint and bottles against the embassy building, also criticised NATO for its double standards policy, noting that peace and justice cannot be consolidated in this way.

Police had taken extra security measures to avert any incidents and sealed off the area.

Protestors burnt a US flag and held banners saying "Hitler, Tony and Bill, have you licence to kill?" and "Clinton be honest, tell your people the truth and let them decide what is right" and "Spain, Italy stop what you are doing and come and play football."

"NATO air raids against Yugoslavia are unjust and unnecessary. If they are so sensitive to human rights, why do they not pressure Turkey to accept UN resolutions," Christos Aristedou, president of the Friendship Association Cyprus - Yugoslavia, told CNA.

He also pointed out that Kosovo is the cradle of civilisation in Serbia, where many monasteries flourished.

In a petition, which US embassy officials did not receive and which demonstrators pinned on the barbed wire around the building, Yugoslavs and Cypriots, members of the joint Friendship Association "condemned most strongly the criminal acts committed by NATO against the sovereign and peace-loving state of Federal Republic of Yugoslavia."

The petition reminds NATO allies that Yugoslavia, Greece and Cyprus fought with the allies in the second world war and fell victims for the lofty ideals of liberty, justice and international law.

Addressing US President Bill Clinton, the petition calls on him "to take decisive measures and exercise his pressure for the application of the UN resolutions for Cyprus."

"In the case of Kosovo, you pretend that you support their demand for autonomy while in the case of the people of Kurdistan you try to suppress their struggle by supporting the military regime in Ankara," it points out.

The petition stresses that the people of Yugoslavia have the right to decide for themselves their own future and "nobody can force them to accept foreign military troops on their territory."

CNA FZ/MM/GG/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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