[01] US BOING 747 EXPLODES OVER LONG ISLAND, 227 PASSENGERS KILLED

[02] EU'S COMMON STATEMENT IS NOT BINDING, SAYS TANSU CILLER

[03] US ENVOY ALBRIGHT IN CUPRYS, MET WITH PRESIDENT CLERIDES

NEWS IN DETAIL

[01] US BOING 747 EXPLODES OVER LONG ISLAND, 227 PASSENGERS KILLED

A United States airplane, Boing 747, TWA's New York- Paris flight 800, crashed at 4:20 a.m. local time, ten minutes after its take-off from Kennedy airport in New York.

The plane carried 227 passengers, 17 of whom were crew members. Already, US Coast Guard rescue forces have found 18 bodies in the Long Island's sea region.

According to reports, the airplane exploded over the near-by sea after being wrapped in flames in the sky. Its destination was Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport.

[02] EU'S COMMON STATEMENT IS NOT BINDING, SAYS TANSU CILLER

Turkey's Foreign Minister Tansu Ciller has expressed her satisfaction over the lift of Greece's veto regarding the European Union's funding program MEDA, and stated that she has secured from the Irish-held presidency the clalification that the acceptance of the common statement issued by the "15" regarding greco-turkish relations is not a binding one over the freeing of these funds for her country.

Following her meeting with Irish Foreign Minister Dick Spring, Ms. Ciller, who is on a formal visit to Ireland, stated that the turkish government will carefuly examine the commn statement issued by the EU Ministerial Council, which points out that good neighboring relations with Greece are a prerequisite for Turkey.

Ms. Ciller stated that this specific statement is not a prerequisite for the granting of the MEDA funds to Turkey and stated that, based on the common statement, the application of international law for the resolving of any possible differences depends upon a mutual willingness from Greece.

Moreover, she asked the EU to uphold its agreements with Turkey and emphasized that the lift of the veto will allow these agreements to be carried out. We consider this fact, she stated, as a great start to which we must adhere.

Mr. Spring, when asked if the common statement has a binding character, avoided to comment and simply stated that it is a political announcement whose content Ms. Ciller will convey to her government.

Meanwhile, the European Parliament is expected to approve today a resolution which states that the exterior borders of EU member-countries must be considered EU borders and that in cases of violation, community solidarity will be expressed.

[03] US ENVOY ALBRIGHT IN CUPRYS, MET WITH PRESIDENT CLERIDES

United States Ambassador to the United Nations Madleine Albright has met with Cypriot President Glafkos Clerides in Nicosia today, and will meet with Turk- Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash this afternoon.

Accompanied by the US special emissary for Cyprus Richard Beatty, the US ambassador and President Clerides examined the "effectiveness of the UN peacekeeping mission in Cyprus" and discussed potential opportunities for a comprehensive agreement.

According to Cypriot governent spokesperson Yiannakis Kasoulides, the two-hour meeting was interesting and constructive and, commenting on Ms. Albright's statement that the Cyprus problem is not an isolated issue, Mr. Kasoulides responded that the Cypriot issue is related to all the problems in the region, including the Middle East.

Referring to the Joint Defense Doctrine and Ms. Albright's statement that she undedrstands the need for its existence, Mr. Kasoullides reiterated that the Doctrine is promoted due to the existence of turkish occupational forces and can be interrupted only after an agreement for de-militarization is reached.

Following Nicosia, Ms. Albright will travel to Ankara tomorrow where she will meet with officials of the Turkish government and, aside from bilateral issues, she will discuss Cyprus and Iraq.

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