Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English, 00-02-15

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From: The Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation at <http://www.cybc.com.cy/>

CONTENTS

TUESDAY 15 FEBRUARY 2000

[01] HEADLINES

[02] CYPRUS

[03] CLERIDES

[04] DENKTASH

[05] DEMIREL

[06] ENLARGEMENT

[07] WORLD

[08] STOCK

[09] FUEL

[10] CHRYSANTHOS

[10] DRUGS

[12] CyBC

[13] WEATHER

[01] HEADLINES

--- President Glafcos Clerides has arranged visit abroad, to utilise the period until the third round of talks.

--- The Council of Ministers will discuss the increase of fuel prices tomorrow.

And

--- The European Union opened formal membership talks with six additional states today, taking to 12 the number of eastern European and Mediterranean countries negotiating entry terms. The additional states are Slovakia, Latvia, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Romania and Malta.

[02] CYPRUS

The chairman of the Council, Argentina's permanent representative Fernando Pedrela said that the UN chief's Special Adviser for Cyprus, Alvaro de Soto, would brief the Council on the second round of proximity talks, that took place in Geneva.

The decision to discuss the Cyprus problem at the Security Council was taken during a meeting behind closed doors at the beginning of the month.

[03] CLERIDES

On March 15, the President will visit Paris, to speak about the Cyprus problem before the French National Council Foreign Affairs Committee.

He will also meet with his French counterpart Jacques Chirac.

At the end of March, President Clerides will visit Israel.

Sources told the CyBC that in early April the President will meet with British Prime Minister Tony Blair in London, on his way back from the United States, where he will inaugurate four chambers with Cyprus antiquities at the metropolitan museum.

[04] DENKTASH

CyBC sources reported that Mr. Denktash has warned UN Secretary-General, Kofi Anna, not to submit any documents during the third round.

According to Mr. Denktash, the UN chief has no right to submit any documents, without prior consent from the two sides on its contents.

[05] DEMIREL

Mr. Papapetrou wondered why Turkey previously supported a federation solution for the island when its relations with Greece were much worse, but now that relations are improving it does not accept such a settlement.

[06] ENLARGEMENT

The 15-nation bloc's foreign ministers, meeting for a second day, held separate opening ceremonies with their counterparts from Slovakia, Latvia, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Romania and Malta.

The six countries will have to introduce tough economic reforms and adopt thousands of pages of EU laws and regulations before entry.

They join Cyprus, Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia, and Estonia, which started entry talks almost two years ago.

Turkey is also a candidate for EU membership, but has not yet been admitted to formal talks.

The opening of negotiations has been overshadowed at the two-day meeting by tensions over Austria's new coalition government, which includes the anti-immigrant Freedom Party of Joerg Haider.

Austria, which shares a border with four of the eastern European countries in talks, says it will not block the expansion but wants limits on the number of eastern European workers allowed into the EU.

[07] WORLD

- - - -

NATO Secretary-General Lord Robertson flies to Moscow today for his first talks since Russia froze ties last year. He may also meet Acting President Vladimir Putin tomorrow afternoon. Russian sources said such a meeting depended on how lower-level talks went.

- - - -

An explosion ripped through Beijing's Tiananmen Square, but there was no immediate word on the cause or whether there were any injuries or damage. The square has been sealed off and only police and their vehicles are allowed onto the vast plaza.

- - - -

Indonesia said it expected to name a military officer soon as an official suspect in its probe into the bloodshed that swept East Timor last year and which has already forced a top general from cabinet.

- - - -

US Ambassador to Japan, Thomas Foley, was quoted by Japanese media as saying that the United States would not oppose China's participation in the Group of Eight summit this July if Japan decides to invite Beijing.

- - - -

German media reported that the country's parliament will fine the opposition Christian Democrats about 36 million dollars for former Chancellor Helmut Kohl's financial transgressions.

- - - -

In northern Algeria, Moslem rebels disguised as government soldiers killed up to 16 civilians and seriously wounded 12 at a fake roadblock.

- - - -

The death toll from the worst flooding across southern Africa in nearly 50 years rose to at least 45 as more rain deluged the region.

- - - -

In the United States, tornadoes tore through southwestern Georgia, killing at least 19 people, injuring more than 100 and reducing one town to a "war zone" as the wind razed mobile homes, pine forests and pecan orchards.

[08] STOCK

Total dealings also dropped, reaching 22,2 million pounds, compared to 31 million yesterday.

[09] FUEL

The proposal was finalised today during a meeting of officers, chaired by Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, Nicos Rolandis.

Mr. Rolandis said that apart from the increase of fuel prices, necessary for harmonisation with the new international scene, there is also an alternative proposal for the reduction of consumer taxes on fuel, so that the burden does not fall solely on the consumers.

The Minister did not reveal the height of the proposed increase, but noted that it would be allocated as fairly as possible, taking into account the situation of low-income groups.

[10] CHRYSANTHOS

The Court heard that the former Bishop had collaborated with two other persons, Lawrence Edward Olsen and Sherlie Anne Rhodes, during the period from April 1997 until June 1997, to embezzle money from Gerald Chambers from New Zealand.

Under the pretext of an investment plan, the three allegedly persuaded Chambers to transfer 3,7 million US dollars to an account in Cyprus.

The former Bishop had then allegedly told bank staff to transfer the sum into his personal account in Brussels.

The defendant did not plead guilty.

A hearing of the case has been set for June 5, to give time for witnesses abroad to make arrangement to be present.

On his departure from the Court, the former Bishop, who was accompanied by his lawyer Efstathios Efstathiou, said that he is innocent and that the truth would emerge through the trial.

[11] DRUGS

The Court heard that the defendant managed to smuggle two kilos and 836 grammes of cannabis into Cyprus, with the help of two collaborators.

Hajimarkou had been the brains of the scheme, but had not appeared in person during the transportation and delivery of the drugs.

[12] CyBC

The polls were carried out between October and December 1999, by KEMA and CYMAR.

Forty-six to fifty-three percent of viewers asked said that the CyBC presented the most reliable news bulletins.

Antenna was second with 24 percent, followed by Sigma with 12 percent and Mega with 8 percent.

The polls took a sample of 800 to 900 persons, through the telephone method, from all over Cyprus.

[13] WEATHER

Winds will be southwesterly, moderate to strong, four to five beaufort, over moderate seas.

Tonight will be cloudy and rainy, with snow on the mountains.

Winds will be westerly to southwesterly, moderate to strong, four to five beaufort, and locally very strong, six beaufort, over moderate to rough seas.

Temperatures will drop to 5 degrees inland, to 8 along the coast, and to zero over the mountains.

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