Cyprus:No More Excuses to Declare Akamas a National Park

["greenbase" <greenbas@gb.greenpeace.org>]

CYPRIOT GOVERNMENT HAS NO MORE EXCUSES NOT TO DECLARE AKAMAS A
NATIONAL PARK British Military exercises in Akamas are
"postponed"

Nicosia, Cyprus, 23 March 1998 - The Greenpeace Mediterranean
Office said it supports the efforts of the Cyprus government for
achieving a "postponement" of the British military exercises
planned to begin today in the Akamas peninsula.

Last Friday, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Kasoulides
announced the "postponement" of the British military training in
the Akamas area after negotiations with the British army. The
President of the Parliamentary Committee for the Environment Mr.
Eliades, said the Cyprus government insisted that the exercises
should be postponed until April, where the government will find
an alternative location for the British to exercise.

In six months time, where British military exercises will again
take place, the Cyprus government will hopefully resolve the
matter once and for all with both parties agreeing on a
permanent alternative training site.

"The decision - packed in a diplomatic language to save face -
hopefully means that the British military training will never
take place again in the Akamas. We hope that this is not just
another promise from the Cyprus government that will not be
fulfilled. We believe that this might be the beginning of the
end of shooting and bombing in the Akamas where rare turtles
nest," said Irene Constaninou, Greenpeace Mediterranean
campaigner in Cyprus.

"The Cyprus government has no more excuses not to declare the
Akamas a National Park. Greenpeace welcomes statements by the
new Minister of Agriculture, Natural Resources and the
Environment, Mr. Costas Themistokleous, saying that the
protection of the Akamas is a top priority issue and that he
supports the proposed plan to declare Akamas a National Park. We
hope that this means no more illegal hotel constructions or
other illegal activities that destroy the natural environment,"
Constantinou added.

Greenpeace pressured the British military on March 11 when
Executive Director of Greenpeace UK, Lord Peter Melchett, wrote
to British Minister of State for the Armed Forces, Dr John Reid.
Melchett pointed out the threats to the precious environment and
calling on the British Minister to stop the military exercises.
(1)

The Loggerhead turtles and the Green turtles nest in the beaches
of Akamas, an area where the flora and fauna is truly
impressive. The endangered Green  turtles depend on the beaches
of Akamas for their survival in the Mediterranean. (2)

Greenpeace supports a 1996 report of the World Bank on Akamas
that asked for the protection of the peninsula. This report was
accepted last year by the Parliamentary Committee for the
Environment, but it still has to go through the Parliament and
then by the Council of Ministers for final acceptance.

NOTES:

1. Melchett wrote to Dr Reid: "The UK acts as President of the
European Union during this period.  You represent a Government
committed to putting the environment at the heart of all of its
policy and serve with a Foreign Secretary who puts human and
environmental rights at the forefront of foreign policy.
Greenpeace calls upon you to take immediate steps to prevent
this potential environmental abuse".

2.  The IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of
Nature) lists Loggerhead Turtles as vulnerable and the Green
Turtles as endangered species.  The annual number of Green
Turtles nesting females in the entire Mediterranean could be as
low as 225-275.  Apart from Cyprus, they nest in a very few
other states in the basin.

Greenpeace on the Internet at http://www.greenpeace.org