Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 96-12-03

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From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>

News Update

03/12/96

CONTENTS

• [01] OSCE can promote the plan to demilitarise Cyprus, Clerides tells Summit
• [02] Cypriot hoteliers to sue Polly Peck
• [03] US propose flight ban

[01] OSCE can promote the plan to demilitarise Cyprus, Clerides tells Summit

He said that the implementation of the plan would go a long way towards diffusing a constant threat not only to the security of Cyprus, but also to the stability in the region.

The proposal envisions the withdrawal of foreign troops and illegal colonists, the disbanding of the National Guard and the positioning of a multinational force on the island.

President Clerides denounced Turkey's continuing occupation of part of Cyprus, saying that Turkey has so far refused to comply with the OSCE Code of Conduct, even though all OSCE member states have endorsed it. The Code stipulates that no member state can station armed forces on the territory of another state, unless the receiving state agrees to this, after free negotiations and in accordance with international law,

"Still worse", he added, "Turkey has continued to increase and upgrade its military forces in the occupied part of Cyprus, to the extent that the United Nations Secretary-General felt obliged to state, repeatedly in his recent reports to the Security Council, that the northern part of the island is one of the most densely militarised areas of the world".

President Clerides reiterated the Cyprus government's firm commitment to the principles and declarations of the OSCE and stressed his belief that the OSCE Confidence and Security Building Measures must be extended in order to permit action against member States which blatantly violate principles and commitments of the Organisation.

[02] Cypriot hoteliers to sue Polly Peck

The hotels were taken over following the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, and were later developed and run by the Polly Peck group under the direction of Asil Nadir. Last year the administrators sold companies running the hotels to a company in the occupied part of Cyprus run by Asil Nadir, who remains a fugitive from British justice.

The administrators opposed the hoteliers' application for permission to bring the case, but Mr Justice Rattee ruled on 29 November in the High Court in London that the hoteliers had a seriously arguable case against the administrators, who have undertaken not to distribute the cash to Polly Peck creditors until after the outcome of the action.

[03] US propose flight ban

This proposal was conveyed by Carey Cavanaugh, Director of the Southern European Affairs Office at the US State Department, to President Clerides and the Turkish delegation at the OSCE summit in Lisbon. The Americans have asked for a reply to their proposal by today.

Government Spokesman Yiannakis Cassoulides, who is accompanying President Clerides in Lisbon, told CyBC last night that the Cyprus government relates the proposal to the efforts to find a solution to the Cyprus problem and will reply to Mr Cavanaugh in this context.

The Turkish delegation did not comment on the proposal.

Earlier in another statement Mr Cassoulides said that the position of the Greek Cypriot side is that we cannot accept a definite ban because the flights by Greek aircraft are entirely legal while those of Turkish aircraft are not.

Nevertheless, he added, our side would be willing to accept that Greek aircraft do not come to Cyprus at a time when negotiations are taking place and progress is being made.

From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/

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