Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 03-04-23

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

CONTENTS

[01] US remains committed to find a Cyprus settlement

[02] Turkish Cypriots cross into free areas

[03] More than 250 T/C cross into free areas of Republic

[04] Cyprus Stock Exchange

[05] Weather and Temperatures for Cyprus

[06] Spokesman says measures in place to facilitate free movement

[07] More than 300 Turkish Cypriots crossed into free areas

[08] UN Chief of Mission welcomes crossings

[09] EU should send clear message to Turkey, says Rothe

[10] Maurer says 22 million euros for Cyprus as of next year

[11] Britain: easing of restrictions no substitute for solution

[01] US remains committed to find a Cyprus settlement

0850:CYPPRESS:01

US remains committed to find a Cyprus settlement

by Demetris Apokis

Washington, Apr 23 (CNA) -- Despite the setback in efforts to reach an agreement for a Cyprus settlement in The Hague, last month, the United States remains committed to finding a just and lasting settlement for Cyprus, US President George Bush has said.

In his bimonthly report to the Congress "on progress toward a negotiated solution of the Cyprus question" covering the period February 1, 2003, through March 31, 2003, Bush said that ''as in the past, US officials, including Secretary of State Colin Powell, Under Secretary of State Marc Grossman, Special Cyprus Coordinator Thomas G. Weston, and Ambassador to Cyprus Michael Klosson, joined me in providing intensive diplomatic support to the efforts of United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan to foster a settlement to the longstanding division of the island.''

''We hoped that the Secretary General's meetings with the two Cypriot leaders in The Hague on March 10-11, 2003, would lead to a breakthrough on the basis of the Secretary General's fair and balanced settlement plan,'' the US President noted.

[02] Turkish Cypriots cross into free areas

1050:CYPPRESS:02

Turkish Cypriots cross into free areas

Nicosia, Apr 23 (CNA) -- Some hundred Turkish Cypriots have crossed from the Turkish-occupied northern part of Cyprus to the government-controlled southern part this morning, Cyprus police told CNA.

At the same time some 50 Greek Cypriots expressed their wish to visit the occupied areas but so far the occupation regime did not allow them to enter. The regime asked them to show their Cyprus Republic passports.

A police spokesman told CNA the Cypriot authorities allow only Turkish Cypriots to cross into the free areas of the Republic.

A British Bases Police officer told CNA that a Greek Cypriot crossed into the occupied areas from the Pergamos checkpoint, near the British Base of Dhekelia, in southeastern Cyprus.

The Denktash regime had announced that it would left restrictions on the movement of people to and from the occupied areas.

The Cyprus government has described this act as illegal as the occupation regime is not recognised and has been branded ''legally invalid'' by the UN resolutions.

The government has repeatedly declared its policy for free movement throughout the Cyprus Republic of all its citizens, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots.

[03] More than 250 T/C cross into free areas of Republic

1330:CYPPRESS:03

More than 250 T/C cross into free areas of Republic

Nicosia, Apr 23 (CNA) -- More than 250 Turkish Cypriots have crossed into the government-controlled areas of the Republic by midday Wednesday and around 80 Greek Cypriots are visiting the Turkish occupied north for the first time since the 1974 Turkish invasion.

According to Police information, 259 Turkish Cypriots have crossed from the Turkish-occupied northern part of Cyprus to the government-controlled southern part this morning while 131 Greek Cypriots have expressed their wish to cross to the occupied areas.

Reports said that 80 Greek Cypriots have crossed to the occupied areas.

The move comes after the occupation regime announced on Monday it would lift restrictions on the movement of people to and from the occupied areas.

The Cyprus government has described this act as illegal since the occupation regime is not internationally recognised and has been branded ''legally invalid'' in UN resolutions.

The government has repeatedly declared its policy for free movement throughout the Cyprus Republic of all its citizens, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots.

Police Chief, Tasos Panagiotou, speaking after a special meeting at Police Headquarters, which included the Ministers of Interior and Justice, Andreas Christou and Doros Theodorou, said the state has the ability to effectively check the data provided by anyone who wishes to cross to the free areas.

He said that by tomorrow there will be such an infrastructure which will allow the prompt examination of all data enabling Police to immediately decide whether to allow someone to cross into the free areas.

Panagiotou described satisfactory the security measures taken in cooperation with the National Guard as well as other services noting they will be upgraded.

The Police Chief did not rule out problems caused by the entry of Turkish Cypriots from other points apart from the Ledra Palace, as well as acts of provocation, noting that government services and semi-government organisations have taken increased measures while increased security have been taken at various public sector projects.

Head of the European Commission Delegation to Cyprus, Adrian Van der Meer, and EU Chief Negotiator for Cyprus Accession, Leopold Maurer, visited the Ledra Palace checkpoint today.

Maurer expressed the hope that on 1st May 2004 a reunited Cyprus will enter the EU, adding that what is happening is unprecedented.

Van Der Meer described todays events as a positive action but noted that many more remains to be done for a solution to the Cyprus problem.

British Bases Deputy Spokesman, Tony Bromwell, told CNA that around 200 vehicles from the occupied north have crossed by midday today from Pergamos checkpoint, noting however that that is quite normal because a lot of Turkish Cypriots work at the British Bases."

[04] Cyprus Stock Exchange

1443:CYPPRESS:04

Cyprus Stock Exchange

Nicosia, Apr 23 (CNA) - The Cyprus Stock Exchange (CSE) All Share
Index closed at today's stock exchange meeting as follows:

CSE General Index                               87,80   ( 1,94)

Traded Value                  CYP    728.642

FTSE/CYSE 20                  CYP    345.876   343,74   ( 2,32)

Sectoral Indices

Banks                         CYP    290.103    99,82   ( 3,17)
Approved Investment
Companies                 CYP     28.676    74,55   ( 0,77)
Insurance Companies           CYP     13.105    17,26   (-2,04)
Manufacturing Companies       CYP     28.400    58,64   (-0,42)
Tourism Companies             CYP     10.887    92,91   ( 1,02)
Trading Companies             CYP     11.210    18,60   ( 2,20)
Building and Cement Companies CYP     24.406    74,00   ( 0,34)
Énformation Technology
Companies                 CYP      2.835     2,89   ( 0,70)
Financial Services Companies  CYP     18.727    15,76   ( 1,87)
Fish Culture Companies        CYP      1.330    12,75   ( 0,55)
Hotels                        CYP     14.198    43,70   ( 1,84)
Other Companies               CYP     86.017    81,57   ( 1,42)

* The third column presents the percentage variation of

[05] Weather and Temperatures for Cyprus

1555:CYPPRESS:05

Weather and Temperatures for Cyprus

Nicosia, Apr 23 (CNA) -- Today's weather and temperatures for Cyprus,
according to the Meteorological Service at Larnaca International
Airport are:

Temperatures (degrees Celcius)
---------------------------------------------------------------
Station               Maximum     Minimum       Weather
(At 1200 UTC)
---------------------------------------------------------------
Nicosia                22           10         CLOUDY
Larnaca                21           11         CLOUDY
Limassol               21           13         CLOUDY
Paphos                 21           12         CLOUDY

[06] Spokesman says measures in place to facilitate free movement

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Spokesman says measures in place to facilitate free movement

Nicosia, Apr 23 (CNA) - Government Spokesman Kypros Chrisostomides said today that ''the police force and all authorities have taken all necessary measures to facilitate the movement of Turkish Cypriots to the free areas'' of the Republic, adding that the Cypriot government is in favour of free movement.

Speaking after a cabinet meeting, Chrisostomides said that at the Ledra Palace checkpoint there was a queue of up to 200 Turkish Cypriots who wanted to come to the free areas who appeared not to have identity cards of the Republic and thus ''further examination was necessary'' before allowing them to cross over.

[07] More than 300 Turkish Cypriots crossed into free areas

1620:CYPPRESS:07

More than 300 Turkish Cypriots crossed into free areas

Nicosia, Apr 23 (CNA) -- Justice and Public Order Minister Doros Theodorou said here today that more than 300 Turkish Cypriots, living in Turkish occupied Cyprus, have crossed into the southern government controlled part of the island.

''He said entry into the free areas of the Republic was denied to only one Turkish Cypriot because his identity could not be established. Some 300-360 Turkish Cypriots crossed since early this morning and are in Nicosia,'' the minister said.

He said that about 118 Greek Cypriots tried to cross into the occupied north and some of them were not allowed to go through because they did not produce their passports.

Most of the Turkish Cypriots came through the Ledra Palace check point, in Nicosia and some 40 people came through the village of Pergamos, on the southeast part of the country, near the ceasefire line.

[08] UN Chief of Mission welcomes crossings

1650:CYPPRESS:08

UN Chief of Mission welcomes crossings

Nicosia, Apr 23 (CNA) -- UN Chief of Mission and Acting Special Representative of the Secretary General Zbigniew Wlosowicz has welcomed crossings by Turkish and Greek Cypriots from the northern Turkish occupied part of Cyprus into the southern government controlled part of the island and vice versa.

''We have come here to see how things are moving on and this is a very important day for Cyprus. For many years Cypriots were not able to move freely to the island. We hope that it will be followed by more good things and that it will contribute to a conciliation here in Cyprus,'' he told journalists, at the Ledra Palace check point, here.

He said the UN is trying to make sure the movement of people is as smooth as possible through the buffer zone.

''We are very happy to see what is happening today,'' he added.

[09] EU should send clear message to Turkey, says Rothe

1720:CYPPRESS:09

EU should send clear message to Turkey, says Rothe

Nicosia, Apr 23 (CNA) -- The European Council should tell Turkey in no uncertain terms that its European aspirations would be severely hampered, if the Cyprus question is not resolved, Mechtild Rothe, co-chairwoman of the EU-Cyprus Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) said here today.

Speaking at the end of a two-day Committee meeting, she said the role of the EU should be reinforced in the context of the UN peace effort to find a negotiated settlement and said the Committee between now and the full accession of Cyprus (May 2004) will be monitoring the implementation of the acquis communautaire and deal with problems that may arise.

Commenting on the crossings today of Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots to the two sides of the divide in Cyprus, Rothe and Committee co-chairman Nicos Kleanthous pointed out that the important thing is for the Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash to understand that free movement will come through a solution that would reunite the island.

[10] Maurer says 22 million euros for Cyprus as of next year

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Maurer says 22 million euros for Cyprus as of next year

Nicosia, Apr 23 (CNA) - Cyprus will receive twenty-two million euros for the years 2004 to 2006 to establish all the necessary structures to apply the acquis communautaire, the EU's chief negotiator with Cyprus Leopold Maurer said here today.

Speaking after a meeting with Cypriot chief negotiator Takis Hajidemetriou, Maurer said that a lot remains to be done until the final report of the European Commission in November on monitoring the implementation of the acquis communautaire.

[11] Britain: easing of restrictions no substitute for solution

2145:CYPPRESS:11

Britain: easing of restrictions no substitute for solution

by Kyriakos Tsioupras

London, Apr 23 (CNA) -- The British government has welcomed an easing of restrictions on free movement throughout Cyprus but stressed that this is no substitute for a comprehensive settlement.

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