Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 02-12-23

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

CONTENTS

[01] Clerides' reply to Annan not expected today

[02] Weather forecast for Cyprus

[03] Clerides determined to continue peace talks

[04] Weather and Temperatures for Cyprus

[05] Cyprus Stock Exchange

[06] Denktash statements in favour of partition, says Christofias

[07] Accession not to be influenced if no Cyprus solution found, says EU

[08] Kasoulides criticises Denktash demands

[01] Clerides' reply to Annan not expected today

1220:CYPPRESS:01

Clerides' reply to Annan not expected today

Nicosia, Dec 23 (CNA) -- Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides is not expected to reply today in writing to a letter by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on his good offices mission with regard to Cyprus, CNA has learned.

Clerides conferred this morning with his close aides, Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides, Attorney General Alecos Markides, Government Spokesman Michalis Papapetrou and Undersecretary to the President Pantelis Kouros.

[02] Weather forecast for Cyprus

1240:CYPPRESS:02

Weather forecast for Cyprus

Nicosia, Dec 23 (CNA) - The Meteorological Office at Larnaca International Airport has issued the following weather forecast for Cyprus:

Tuesday and Wednesday: 24/12/2002 to 25/12/2002

Cloudy with local showers or isolated thunderstorm and snow over Troodos peaks but mainly fine with local cloud and risk of isolated showers on Wednesday. Winds will be modetate southerly to southwesterly and the state of sea slight but locally moderate.

Maximum temperature: Around 13C inland and around 15C over coastal areas. Minimum temperature: 5C inland and around 7C over coastal areas.

Outlook for Thursday and Friday 26/12/2002 to 27/12/2002

Local showers or thunderstorms and snow over mountains tops. No significant change in temperature is expected.

[03] Clerides determined to continue peace talks

1510:CYPPRESS:03

Clerides determined to continue peace talks

by Kyriakos Tsioupras

London, Dec 23 (CNA) -- Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides is determined that peace talks on Cyprus must continue with a view to pursue a just and viable settlement by February 28, Government Spokesman Michalis Papapetrou has said.

Speaking to London Greek Radio (LGR), Papapetrou said that after yesterday's statements by Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash President Clerides is not very optimistic.

[04] Weather and Temperatures for Cyprus

1515:CYPPRESS:04

Weather and Temperatures for Cyprus

Nicosia, Dec 23 (CNA) -- Today's weather and temperatures for Cyprus,
according to the Meteorological Service at Larnaca International
Airport are:

Temperatures (degrees Celcius)
---------------------------------------------------------------
Station               Maximum     Minimum       Weather
(At 1200 UTC)
---------------------------------------------------------------
Nicosia                  15           3          FAIR
Larnaca                  17           4          FAIR
Limassol                 18           5          FINE
Paphos                   16           6          FINE

[05] Cyprus Stock Exchange

1600:CYPPRESS:05
Cyprus Stock Exchange
Nicosia, Dec 23 (CNA) - The Cyprus Stock Exchange (CSE) All Share
Index closed at today's stock exchange meeting as follows:

CSE General Index                               97,87   (-1,77)

Traded Value                  CYP  1.348.556

FTSE/CYSE 20                  CYP    434.713   385,57   (-1,37)

Sectoral Indices

Banks                         CYP    329.353   111,80   (-1,58)
Approved Investment
Companies                 CYP     45.145    83,84   (-1,75)
Insurance Companies           CYP      4.153    22,53   (-2,17)
Manufacturing Companies       CYP      6.602    65,00   (-2,17)
Tourism Companies             CYP     19.952   106,82   (-3,57)
Trading Companies             CYP      9.489    19,62   (-1,31)
Building and Cement Companies CYP      8.636    76,73   (-1,77)
�nformation Technology
Companies                 CYP      2.249     3,44   (-0,58)
Financial Services Companies  CYP    245.336    19,69   (-3,90)
Fish Culture Companies        CYP     42.000    14,97   ( 2,32)
Hotels                        CYP    197.901    48,41   (-1,90)
Other Companies               CYP    190.756    89,48   (-1,24)

* The third column presents the percentage variation of

[06] Denktash statements in favour of partition, says Christofias

Conveying a message for a reunited Cyprus, peace and cooperation between the three peoples of Turkey, Greece and Cyprus within the framework of a united Cyprus, Christofias said, messages of protraction of the division of Cyprus are completely unacceptable.

Christofias was commenting on statements made by Denktash in an interview with a Turkish newspaper, where he demanded a change to the maps under the UN Secretary-Generals solution plan, permanent co-presidency, and a strict bizonal state, without the return of refugees, in order to agree to a solution to the Cyprus problem by 28th February.

[07] Accession not to be influenced if no Cyprus solution found, says EU

Nicosia, Dec 23 (CNA) Enlargement Commissioner, Gunter Verheugen clearly stressed that if a solution to the Cyprus problem is found by February 28, then developments will be included in the Accession Treaty that will be signed in April.

If not, we will remain with whatever we have decided, he told the Greek newspaper Kathimerini on Sunday.

He also said Turkish Cypriots have the most to gain from accession to the European Union, and added that although Turkey has made substantial reforms, under no circumstances will the EU start accession negotiations with the country if it does not fulfill the Copenhagen criteria.

Asked if a failure to secure an agreement on Cyprus in the year to come, will affect the islands accession course, Verheugen replied that the strategy was clear since 1999 in Helsinki following the Commissions decision, we opened the prospect for Cyprus accession to the EU, even without a political settlement of the problem.

He said it was clear from then what would have happened. If we had a solution, then we would have acceded a united Cyprus, if not we would accede Cyprus the way it was.

He said the only risk to this was a possible negative attitude on the part of the Greek Cypriot side, adding however that this has not happened. On the contrary, he said, the Greek Cypriot side cooperated completely constructively, with flexibility and ample ingenuity, he told Kathimerini.

[08] Kasoulides criticises Denktash demands

Speaking before his departure to Athens where he will be decorated by Athens Municipality, Kasoulides also hoped that Serdar Denktash, who was on Sunday elected president of the Democratic Party in the Turkish occupied north, will express the policy of the new generation and will not embrace the policy which his father, Rauf Denktash is following.

Asked about the Turkish Cypriots reaction in the north against the Denktash policy, Kasoulides said it increases our obligations towards the Turkish Cypriot community."

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