Gov't lauds calm holding of joint concert in Nicosia

The government yesterday expressed a hope that the aims of the
organizers of a joint concert by a Greek and a Turkish singer at
a stadium in Nicosia's buffer zone had been attained concerning
the need for rapprochement between Greek and Turkish Cypriots.

"The concert was held in a civilized and calm atmosphere,"
government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said.

However, he condemned incidents which took place away from the
stadium, noting that "in free states, all activities must be
able to develop freely."

Police used tear gas to break up groups of young Greek Cypriots
in the free part of the Cypriot capital. The youths threw
firebombs to protest the concert by Greek and Turkish singers
Sakis Rouvas and Burat Kut, respectively.

The concert, organized under the auspices of the United Nations,
was held at the Taxim Stadium in the buffer zone, which has
divided the island republic since the 1974 Turkish invasion and
subsequent occupation of one third of Cyprus.

Athens News Agency, 21/5/1997