Cyprus Mail: Press Review in English, 98-10-20

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

Tuesday, October 20, 1998

Bishop is 'victim of foreign agents'

THE CYPRUS problem returned to the front pages yesterday in the absence of any other interesting story.

Simerini was the only exception, alleging in its lead story that the Bishop of Limassol Chrysanthos had been the victim of a plot by the secret services of Israel, the US and Britain. The services got the Bishop involved in investment scams in order to control the political, religious and public life of Cyprus.

The paper said that Nina Petros, the woman who had set up the Bishop, had worked as a CIA agent and co-operated with the British Intelligence Service and the Mossad.

The Bishop seemed to support this story. He recently said that the secret services wanted to destroy the prestige of the Church in order to impose their plans on Cyprus. He also accused the former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger of wanting to destroy the Greek nation.

Phileleftheros reported that the United Nations, with the help of Britain and the US, had formulated a plan for the widening of the demilitarised zone in Cyprus. The UN was reluctant to submit the plan, despite the Clerides government's support, because of the Turkish side's stance.

The plan envisages the moving back from the current positions of the heavy weaponry (tanks and artillery) of both sides. According to diplomatic sources, it remained to be seen whether the plan would be submitted, without the UN seeking the consent of Turkey.

Haravghi reported that UN deputy representative Dame Ann Hercus was refusing to say anything about the round of talks she had begun with the two sides. She even refused to say how optimistic or pessimistic she was, the paper said.

Despite repeated questions from journalists, Dame Ann did not give anything away, although she showed that she was taking her job very seriously, the paper said.

Alithia carried excerpts of an interview given by US envoy Richard Holbrooke to an Athens Sunday paper. Holbrooke said that he saw no possibility of progress in the Cyprus problem.

This was the reason he had stopped his mediation effort. He blamed the deadlock on the Turkish side's stubborn refusal to modify its stance.

To Tharros accused Eka, the Akel-sponsored farmers' association, of legalising the pseudo-state because it will hold a joint seminar with the Turkish Cypriot farmers' association at the Ledra Palace Hotel, that will be also be attended by a Turkish organisation which will have entered Cyprus through the illegal Tymbou airport.

The seminar will be held on the sidelines of a three-day conference in Nicosia, organised by the International Federation of Agricultural Producers.

© Copyright Cyprus Mail 1998

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