Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 99-06-17

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From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>

Thursday, 17 June 1999

CONTENTS

• [01] Cyprus and Syria sign cultural co-operation agreement
• [02] Amnesty International report refers to Cyprus
• [03] Central Bank issues Eurobonds

[01] Cyprus and Syria sign cultural co-operation agreement

This is the fifth such agreement between the two countries and covers exchanges between Cyprus and Syria in the fields of science, education, culture, art, youth, sports, press and information.

[02] Amnesty International report refers to Cyprus

In its annual report, Amnesty says that the amended article could still lead to imprisonment of up to five years for consensual sexual relations between male adults in private. In addition, it says, the new provisions are discriminatory in that the age of consent for sexual activity between men is 18 while that between heterosexuals is 16.

The report says that there were allegations of ill-treatment by law enforcement officers as regards the case of 113 asylum-seekers from Africa who were rescued from a fishing trawler drifting off the coast of Cyprus last summer.

Amnesty adds that it has urged the Cyprus authorities to ensure that all asylum-seekers would be given access to a full and satisfactory asylum procedure and that they would not be returned to countries where they might face human rights violations but had not received an answer by the end of the year.

[03] Central Bank issues Eurobonds

The seven-year Eurobonds bring an annual coupon of 5 per cent while the yield at the time of issue was 5,126 per cent.

The issue, the third through the Euro Medium Term Note Programme of the Republic which amounts to one billion US dollars, was very successful, according to a statement by the Central Bank of Cyprus.

The large demand displayed by foreign investors has covered the sum of the issue of the bonds.

The joint lead managers of the issue were Merrill Lynch International and Warburg Dillon Read.

From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/

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