Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 98-09-22

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

News Update

Tuesday, 22/09/98

CONTENTS

• [01] Holbrooke: US supports federation in Cyprus
• [02] Kasoulides: "Cyprus' EU accession course is progressing smoothly"
• [03] Cyprus protests to the UN against religious intolerance in the occupied areas
• [04] Excavations at Idalion, Lower City, completed

[01] Holbrooke: US supports federation in Cyprus

Mr. Holbrooke, who was speaking to the press, after a meeting with Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides stated that the "US supports a bizonal, bicommunal federation in Cyprus. There has been no change in the American position. The American position in accordance with the UN Security Council Resolutions remains unchanged."

Mr. Holbrooke described his meeting with President Clerides as "very useful" and pointed out that he will remain as the Presidential Special Emissary on Cyprus adding that he will continue, whatever his future role "to play an active and interesting role on Cyprus".

Referring to yesterday's meeting, Government Spokesman Christos Stylianides said that "it was a very useful meeting during which the latest developments on the Cyprus issue were discussed and reviewed with regard to the American position". Mr. Stylianides pointed out that Mr. Holbrooke's statements, made after the meeting, were clear-cut and self-explanatory to the point that they defy any further comment.

[02] Kasoulides: "Cyprus' EU accession course is progressing smoothly"

Mr. Kasoulides described their meeting as "very interesting" and said "they reviewed political developments on the Cyprus problem, in view of the fact that the Commission will prepare a report for the Council following Luxembourg's decisions."

Mr. Kasoulides added that his discussion with Mr. Van den Broek made obvious the fact that "Cyprus' accession course is progressing unhindered and that there are no obstacles or problems expected". The Foreign Minister underlined that Cyprus' accession course is not conditional on developments in the Cyprus problem, although he acknowledged that one issue affects the other.

Mr. Kasoulides added that the Commissioner gave particular emphasis on "how we tackle issues as they develop, to the benefit of the Cyprus question and to Cyprus' accession course."

[03] Cyprus protests to the UN against religious intolerance in the occupied areas

Denouncing the vandalism and desecration at the churches of St. Theodoros and St. Kourmoutas in Lapithos, Mr. Zackheos indicates that such violations reflect the massive, ongoing campaign on the part of Turkey to alter the demographic character of occupied Cyprus and that they constitute efforts to Turkify the occupied areas in violation of international law.

Moreover, in another letter dated September 15, Mr. Zackheos protested to the UN Secretary General against new violations of Cyprus' national airspace and Nicosia FIR (Flight Information Region) by a Turkish military aircraft earlier this month.

Mr. Zackheos conveyed to Mr. Annan the "strong protest" of the government of Cyprus against this "new, provocative act by Turkey" which is "in contravention of the provisions of the Security Council resolutions on Cyprus".

[04] Excavations at Idalion, Lower City, completed

The excavations works continued this year at Adonis Temenos on the East Acropolis, an outdoor sanctuary or "sacred grove", where the consort of the Great Goddess was worshipped. The excavations also brought to light the highest platform of the altar itself, revealing its latest phase to be Hellenistic (4th - 1st countries BC). The excavations at the gateway of the sanctuary revealed the Hellenistic layers of the entrance structures. Beside and below those levels, structures dating to the classical and archaic period came to light.

In the Lower City a rectangular room lying next to an olive-oil production centre was excavated. The room revealed a plaster and pise ramp, a wall used as a room-divider and a circular feature most likely to have been used as a pithos stand.Three phases of use were revealed, starting around 400 BC and continuing through the Hellenistic period.

To the East of the olive oil production centre, a large pit of 4 metres in diameter was found in 1992. The excavations at the pit revealed masses of painted pottery, fragments of terracotta figurines and a broken offering.

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

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