Cyprus Mail: Press Review in English, 98-04-18

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

Saturday, April 18, 1998

Russia seeks Security Council discussion

THE Cyprus problem as well as a variety of other domestic issues continued to dominate the front pages of Greek papers on Friday.

Phileleftheros reports that after careful evaluation the government has come to the conclusion that the climate in the Security Council is not so favourable to its positions on the Cyprus problem.

But the paper says that Russia will go ahead with plans to bring the Cyprus issue before the members of the UN Security Council.

The meeting is expected to take place before US Presidential Envoy for Cyprus Richard Holbrooke's arrival in Cyprus in early May.

In a related issue the paper says that Austrian Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs, Wolfgang Schussel, on a visit to Cyprus, has asked the Cypriot government not to deploy the Russian-made S-300 missiles as this would heighten tension on the island.

The paper also reports that during a meeting of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Attorney-general Alecos Markides said that House of Representatives members do not enjoy immunity when on British Bases grounds. The Committee was debating the recent arrest of Diko House of Representatives member Marios Matsakis by Bases police.

Simerini reports that Britain is holding talks with Turkey in an attempt to convince it to change its stance regarding relations with the European Union.

The paper says that Britain is offering to upgrade EU relations with Turkey in return for a more positive stance in the bid to solve the Cyprus problem. According to the paper both the Greek and Cypriot governments are aware of the British moves.

In another story the paper says that Russian diplomacy appears annoyed by the fact that the Cypriot government overestimates the American initiative in the Cyprus issue without placing equal importance on Russian efforts for a breakthrough.

Alithia reports that Attorney-general Alecos Markides has charged that some high-profile officials openly dispute the sovereignty of the British Bases on the island.

Markides said that this is causing problems as various individuals are `encouraged' to disobey laws on the Bases thus ending up in court. Furthermore some of them also defy Bases courts something which only gets them into more trouble.

On another issue the paper says that police are closely shadowing Japanese doomsday cult member Toshiyasu Ouchi. He is wanted in Japan for the suspected murder of a fellow cult member and the Tokyo subway sarin gas attack in 1995 which killed 12 people. He is currently living in Limassol.

Agon highlights comments by new National Guard commander Demetris Demou after a meeting he had with President Clerides on Thursday.

The new commander said that he does not foresee any possibility of a conflict in Cyprus. He added that what is needed now is peace and restraint.

Akel-backed Haravghi reports that Russia will try hard during a discussion of the Cyprus problem in the Security Council to convince its members that the body has to take a more active interest in the issue.

The paper says that Russia will seek a statement by the Council re- affirming the status of the Cyprus peace talks as being inter-communal and not on a state-to-state basis as requested by Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash.

Machi reports that on Wednesday Israeli fighter planes violated the Nicosia Flight Information region (FIR).

The paper quotes unnamed diplomatic and military sources are saying that the Israeli fighters are putting Cypriot radar units to the test, in an attempt to establish up to what distance they can track fighters.

© Copyright Cyprus Mail 1998

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