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Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 97-11-13Cyprus Press and Information Office: News Updates in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>News UpdateThursday, 13/11/97CONTENTS[01] Aftermath of Holbrooke visitState Department Spokesman James Rubin said Richard Holbrooke, president Clinton's special emissary for Cyprus feels good about the discussions he had in the region during his trip on November 10-12."He considered them a starting point and they were very frank and very useful", Rubin said on Wednesday (12.11.97). He told reporters during his daily briefing that Ambassador Holbrooke has indicated that the discussions "were very candid and intense and were held in a very positive atmosphere with both leaders willing to approach the issues openly and directly. There were no substantive results, nor did we expect any. The purpose of this meetings was to keep the process going, keep both sides talking and create opportunities for progress". Meanwhile, Cyprus Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides said on Wednesday, 12.11.97, that Richard Holbrooke did not leave Cyprus empty-handed, in the sense that he has achieved his goal which was to listen to President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash and discuss all issues concerning the Cyprus problem, without proceeding to negotiations at this stage. The Foreign Minister said Mr Holbrooke's experience from listening to the two leaders would facilitate his mission in the future. The Government expressed satisfaction with the start of a process it described as "decisive" towards a Cyprus settlement, based on combined UN and US efforts. Government Spokesman, Manolis Christofides, told his press briefing on 12.11.97, "the dynamism of the US initiative, is implemented in practice". "We welcome the fact that the American initiative has been launched and the ground is being prepared for a decisive involvement after the elections" of February 1998, he said. He also expressed satisfaction with the US initiative, noting it would help UN efforts towards a settlement and described as "politically unwise" any attempts to diminish Holbrooke's efforts. [02] Joint Greek-Turkish business seminar in BrusselsA non-governmental seminar with the title "In economic co-operation lies mutual benefit" started in Brussels on Thursday (13.11.97) with the participation of Greek and Turkish Cypriot business leaders, as well as some businessmen from Greece and Turkey. It is organised by Columbia University, New York and the Peace Research Institute of Oslo (PRIO) on the initiative of US Presidential Emissary for Cyprus, Richard Holbrooke, who will be a key-note speaker and will brief participants on his recent meetings in Nicosia and Ankara.Britain's Special Representative for Cyprus, Sir David Hannay, and US State Department Cyprus Special Coordinator Thomas Miller will also take part along with two personalities from the US and three from Norway. Apart from businessmen the seminar will be attended by Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister Jan Egeland who has recently been hand-picked by Holbrooke to a team of Cyprus peace mediators. The seminar, which aims to promote communication and joint business activities between Greek and Turkish Cypriots, will start Friday night with a dinner. [03] Ambassadors present their credentialsTwo new ambassadors presented their credentials to the President of the Republic on Wednesday, 12.11.97.They were the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Netherlands Mr Christiaan Mark Joha Kroner and the High Commissioner of India Ms Shyamala B. Cowsik. [04] Consumer price index for October, 1997The Department of Statistics and Research has announced that the Consumer Price Index for October 1997 increased by 1,39 units or 1,15 per cent to 122,25 units compared to 120,86 in the previous month.The average rate of increase of the Index for the last twelve months compared to the preceding twelve months was 3,31%. From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/Cyprus Press and Information Office: News Updates in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |