Cyprus Mail: Press Review in English, 98-04-10

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From: The Cyprus Mail at <http://www.cynews.com/>

Friday, April 10, 1998

Students strike to oppose Ministry's decision

THE latest developments in the Cyprus problem as well as the dispute between secondary school students and the Education Ministry provided the main news in Thursday's Greek newspapers.

Phileleftheros says that the students had decided to hold an one-day strike yesterday to pressure the Education Ministry into changing its decisions regarding the subjects students seeking entry into the university will be tested on in June.

The paper says that the Ministry was to hold a meeting yesterday with students and the Parents' Association to discuss the latest row. Students have asked the Attorney-General to rule on the case soon so that their chances for university entry are not adversely affected.

On the Cyprus issue the paper says that the EU is now trying to lure Turkey into adopting a more positive stance by `enriching' its package of offers to Ankara.

Germany is reported to be very sceptical and concerned about any possible further concessions to Ankara.

Simerini reports that the latest strikes at secondary schools will hurt the standard of education if the row with the Ministry is not resolved soon.

The New Horizons party issued a statement on Wednesday blaming the latest dispute on the lack of organisation and planning in education issues by the government.

Regarding the EU accession talks the paper says that both Britain and the US are promoting a formula for the `autonomous' participation of Turkish Cypriots on the Cypriot negotiating team. They hope to achieve a breakthrough on this issue by the time US Special Presidential Envoy for Cyprus Richard Holbrooke returns to Cyprus in early May.

Alithia, in a front-page story, says that diplomatic sources from Athens are openly discussing the possibility of a four-party conference to solve the Cyprus problem in June.

The paper says that the conference will be convened either by Richard Holbrooke, US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, or President Bill Clinton himself.

Strange as it may seem the paper says that Holbrooke might ask the UN chief Kofi Annan to enter the discussions more forcefully at some stage.

Agon predicts that the Italian `embargo' on arms sales to Cyprus will be lifted following the Italian Deputy Foreign Minister Pierro Fassino's visit to Cyprus.

Fassino said that his country had never imposed an embargo on Cyprus and pointed out that what concerns Italy is that any arms sales might be misinterpreted as increasing the military build-up on the island.

Akel-backed Haravghi says that Holbrooke's main objective when he returns in May will be to arrange a face-to-face meeting between President Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash.

According to the paper Akel leader Demetris Christofias said that the Greek Cypriot side cannot afford to make any further concessions. He was also critical of all those foreigners who are suggesting that Cyprus offers some sort of recognition to Denktash's breakaway regime.

Machi reports that the meeting between Turkey's military chief General Ismail Hakki Karadayi and his Greek counterpart General Athanasios Tzoganis in Athens on Monday signals the start of a military dialogue between the two Nato allies and bitter rivals.

The paper says that the dialogue was launched after intense US diplomatic pressures.

The two men discussed during their meeting, among other things, the issue of the S-300 missiles that Cyprus is planning to deploy later this year.

© Copyright Cyprus Mail 1998

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