Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 98-08-19

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

News Update

Wednesday, 19/08/98

CONTENTS

• [01] Turkey is responsible for increasing tension in Cyprus
• [02] Bodies to be exhumed

[01] Turkey is responsible for increasing tension in Cyprus

Turkey's Minister of State responsible for Cyprus affairs, Sukru Sina Gurel, rejected the American call for a ban of overflights in return for a halt to the deployment of Russian missiles in Cyprus later this year and said Ankara will continue to take all necessary measures on Cyprus.

"This is a statement which the international community should take into serious consideration in order to understand exactly who is responsible for the tension in the Eastern Mediterranean and who opposes peace," Mr Stylianides said.

He added that the government is willing to discuss postponing or even cancelling the deployment of the missiles if important steps are made towards the demilitarisation of Cyprus or if intercommunal talks resume with prospects for progress.

Moreover, he called on the international community to reprimand Turkey for bolstering its forces in the occupied part of the island.

"Strengthening of the occupation forces has been going on since the summer of 1997. Representations have been made and there will be others," Government Spokesman Christos Stylianides told his press briefing.

He was commenting on Defence Minister Yiannakis Omirou's claim on Monday that 50 extra tanks and heavy artillery pieces had arrived in the north last week and had been deployed in attack formations.

"It must be made clear that we are trying to boost our defence capabilities because there is a specific reason, apart from other existing reasons," the Spokesman said.

[02] Bodies to be exhumed

Government Spokesman Christos Stylianides said yesterday that irrespective of developments in the Turkish occupied part of Cyprus, the exhumations of persons buried in the government controlled areas of the Republic will proceed in October.

He said that although both Greek and Turkish Cypriot sides had agreed to exchange information on missing persons, the process had been stalled and the government would go it alone with the help of international experts.

More than 1,600 persons, including women and children, are listed as missing since the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus.

So far one only person (an American citizen of Cypriot descent) has been identified as dead through DNA testing, when his remains were located in the Turkish occupied part of the island.

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

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