Cyprus News Agency: News in English (AM), 98-12-17

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From: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org.cy>

CONTENTS

[01] Police - Arrests - Murder

[02] RAF Akrotiri - Gulf crisis

[03] Palestinian minister - US attack on Iraq

[04] Cyprus Stock Exchange

0930:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Police - Arrests - Murder

Police officer Christos Symianou, Sotiris Athinis and his sister Zoe Alexandrou are under police detention being questioned about the murder, which took place in broad daylight.

Hambis Aeroporos, who was acquitted earlier this year of the attempted murder of a club owner Antonis Fanieros, is the second person in the Aeropopos family to have been murdered.

In July his brother, Andros Aeroporos, also acquitted of the attempt against Fanieros' life, was murdered outside a night club.

Yesterday's murder took place after a car chase when Hambis caused a road accident with a hired car, stolen at the end of November, which was following him for some time.

Hambis was gunned down when he got out of his car but the passenger in his car managed to escape.

Police found three automatic riffles, a mobile phone and other items at the scene of the crime which they are examining.

CNA MM/GP/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1100:CYPPRESS:02

[02] RAF Akrotiri - Gulf crisis

Brown also said the US has not, so far, requested Britain's permission to use the base.

"RAF Akrotiri can be used to help support operations of that nature, at the moment we have no increase in air traffic that is directly related to the Gulf, but we are prepared to help out as directed by the Ministry of Defence," Brown told CNA today.

He did acknowledge that when the equipment originally went out to the Gulf, "some of it came via Akrotiri, some time ago."

Replying to questions, he said that in any type of operation RAF can facilitate logistic support, such as refueling of aircraft.

Normal air traffic at RAF Akrotiri, west of the southern coastal town of Limassol, consists of weekly flights to and from UK carrying personnel and other flights as required.

Asked if there are any contingency plans, because of current situation in the Gulf, he said the bases as a military force "always have contingency plans for all sorts of scenarios."

Brown said the Americans have a detachment in Akrotiri, which is the support flight for their Beirut embassy.

"In terms of other nations using Akrotiri, if they request use of it, we will look into it. On this occasion the US have not asked us for it," he added.

Britain has retained two sovereign military bases on this East Mediterranean island, a former British colony, under the 1960 Treaty of Establishment of the Republic of Cyprus.

CNA MM/GP/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1345:CYPPRESS:03

[03] Palestinian minister - US attack on Iraq

After a meeting here today with Cyprus Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Costas Themistocleous, Palestinian Agriculture Minister Hikmat Zaid, said "this is a bad action".

He stressed that US President Bill Clinton should not use double standards, when dealing with the area, especially because while he was visiting the Palestinian areas he had promised to help the Palestinians achieve their self-determination and Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahou did not respond to that.

"This is an aggressive and unjustified action against the Iraqi people and it should stop the soonest", he said.

CNA DG/GP/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1430:CYPPRESS:04

[04] Cyprus Stock Exchange

      CSE General Index                          90.47 (-0.02)

      Traded Value            CYP 2,402,261

      Sectural Indices

      Banks                   CYP 1,266,759     106.12 ( 0.42)
      Approved Investment
      Companies               CYP    64,090      58.67 (-1.44)
      Insurance Companies     CYP   323,099      67.17 (-0.39)
      Manufacturing Companies CYP   224,688      85.54 (-0.93)
      Tourism Companies       CYP    29,610      66.34 (-1.01)
      Trading Companies       CYP   142,454      41.51 (-0.88)
      Other Companies         CYP    94,926      82.26 (-0.07)

CNA MA/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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