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Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 97-04-09Cyprus 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 UpdateWednesday, 09/04/97CONTENTS
[01] Composition of new GovernmentFollowing yesterday's cabinet reshuffle, the composition of the new Council of Ministers is as follows:Minister of Foreign Affairs: Yiannakis Cassoulides Minister of Justice and Public Order: Nicos Koshis Minister of Communications and Works: Leontios Ierodiaconou Minister of Education and Culture: Georghios Hadjinicolaou Minister of Health: Christos Solomis Minister of Finance: Christodoulos Christodoulou Minister of Interior: Dinos Michaelides Minister of Defence: Costas Eliades Minister of Agriculture, Natural Resources and the Environment: Costas Petrides Minister of Labour: Andreas Moushiouttas Minister of Commerce and Industry: Kyriacos Christofi. Government Spokesman: Manolis Christofides [02] New Ministers sworn inFollowing yesterday's government reshuffle, announced by President Glafcos Clerides, the new Ministers gave the prescribed affirmation before the President at the Presidential Palace this morning.Former Government Spokesman Yiannakis Cassoulides who has been appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs thanked the President, on behalf of the new cabinet members, for the confidence entrusted to them. The President wished all new Ministers every success in their new posts and stressed that they are all well equipped to tackle any problem. Yesterday's reshuffle involved only Democratic Rally (DISY) cabinet members. Four DISY Ministers were replaced. Minister of Finance, Christodoulos Christodoulou (DISY), retained his position. Former Minister of Health, Manolis Christofides, became the new Government Spokesman replacing Dr Yiannakis Cassoulides who has been appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs. All Ministers from the coalition Democratic Party (DIKO) retained their posts. [03] Non-Aligned: Present status quo in Cyprus is unacceptableThe deliberations of the 12th Ministerial Conference of the Non-Aligned Movement ended in New Delhi on 7.4.97.In the final Communique "the Ministers reaffirmed all previous positions and declarations of the Non-Aligned Movement on the question of Cyprus and expressed deep concern over the fact that no progress has been achieved in the search for a just and viable solution. They reiterated their support for the sovereignty, unity, independence and territorial integrity of the Republic of Cyprus, and their solidarity with the people and the Government of Cyprus. They called once again for the withdrawal of all occupation forces and settlers, the return of the refugees to their homes in conditions of safety, and the accounting for those missing. Reiterating their position that the present status quo in Cyprus, created and maintained by the use of force, is unacceptable, they stressed the need for securing compliance with an implementation of all UN resolutions and to that end for the Security Council to take resolute action and measures, including the holding of an international conference and the demilitarisation o f Cyprus, as proposed by the President of Cyprus. Furthermore, expressing their concern at the continuing lack of political will on the part of the Turkish side, as confirmed by the report of the United Nations Secretary- General (document S 1994/629, dated 30 May 1994), they reaffirmed their support for the United Nations Secretary-General's efforts for a just and workable solution, as provided in paragraph 2 of Security Council resolution 939 (1994) and decided to request the contact group of Non- Aligned countries to actively follow and support such efforts". [04] Nicholas Burns: "US would be more impressed by actions""After almost 23 years, actions are much more important than willing to talk. There have been lots of opportunities for Denktash to get together with the Cypriot government and at this point we want to see action", the US State Department Spokesman Nicholas Burns stressed in reply to a Turkish Cypriot journalist who said that Denktash was ready to have direct negotiations with President Clerides.Mr Burns was briefing a group of Greek and Turkish Cypriot journalists who are currently in the American capital. He stressed that the US are now looking for the right way of being involved in the efforts to reach a Cyprus solution but they insist that nothing of a positive manner will happen until all parties involved are actually interested in progress. "Nothing is going to happen of a positive nature until we can get actually the parties in Cyprus, the Greek and Turkish governments interested in progress", Burns noted. He said "Secretary Albright thinks the Cyprus problem needs to be attended to, it ought to have a high diplomatic priority, she wants to be involved and we are now looking for the right way of being involved". Burns also said "we are waiting for the parties to put forward ideas", adding that "the island ought to be united". Replying to a Turkish Cypriot journalist, the State Department Spokesman made it once again very clear that the US are not going to recognise the Turkish Cypriot illegal regime. "The Cypriot government is the only government we recognise", he said. [05] German MP's meet Cypriot counterpartsMembers of the German parliament's Germany-Cyprus Friendship group currently on a Cyprus visit were briefed yesterday by their Cypriot counterparts on the latest developments in the Cyprus issue and the continuation of the Cyprus tragedy.The Chairman of the House Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Tassos Papadopoulos, told the group that a large part of the island continues to suffer from Turkish military occupation and stressed that "our contention is not with our compatriots the Turkish Cypriots. Many Turkish Cypriots are suffering from the Turkish occupation as well". The Committee Chairman added that Turkey's policy has always been to control and occupy a large part of Cyprus and to have an equal say in Cypriot affairs. German Socialist MP, Renate Rennebach, said her country, as well as the Germany-Cyprus Friendship Group, are keen on investigating the violation of the enclaved persons' human rights by the occupation regime. The four-member group will be received today by the President of the Republic as well as by the House President. The German MPs visited yesterday the green line in Nicosia in the area of Ayios Dometios. [06] Cyprus protests violations of its air spaceTwenty-eight Turkish military aircraft violated Cyprus' air space on 7.4.97.The Turkish aircraft entered the Nicosia Flight Information Region (FIR) and headed for the Israeli FIR, in contravention of international air traffic control regulations. They violated Cyprus' sovereign air space, flying over the Turkish - occupied northern Cape of Apostolos Andreas, in the Karpass Peninsula. The Cyprus government has repeatedly protested the violations of its sovereign air space. [07] World Shooting (UIT) Competition in CyprusCyprus is currently hosting the International Shooting Union's (UIT) World Cup in the skeet, trap and double trap.President Glafcos Clerides welcomed the athletes from over 45 countries at the opening ceremony at the Cyprus Olympic Shooting Range, just outside the capital Nicosia. About 350 international athletes will be participating in the events of this World Cup between 7-14 April 1997. UIT President, Horst Schreiber, congratulated Cyprus for hosting recently three very important events and called the island's shooting range as "one of the best in the world". 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 |
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