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Thursday, 18 April 2024
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Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English, 03-06-04Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation at <http://www.cybc.com.cy/>CONTENTS
[01] HEADLINES-- The measures announced by the European Commission in support of Turkish Cypriots are already provided in the conclusions of the Copenhagen summit and are included in the accession treaty, said Foreign Minister Georger Iacovou.-- UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said the UN has not given up on Cyprus. -- The Cyprus Republic has denounced the new provocative action of Turks at the Strovilia area and in cooperation with the British High Commission is examining measures to bring the area, which is in a demilitarised area, to its former status. -- U.S. President George W. Bush headed into a landmark summit in Jordan with the Israeli and Palestinian prime ministers today. And, -- British Prime Minister Tony Blair risks losing the support of voters, if no weapons of mass destruction are found in Iraq, according to a poll published today. [02] IACOVOU MEASURESThe measures announced by the European Commission are already provided in the conclusions of the Copenhagen summit and are included in the accession treaty, said Foreign Minister Georger Iacovou.He said the measures were already discussed between Cyprus and the EU. He assured that both the EU and the Republic of Cyprus demand that any export of products should take place from the legal ports of the Republic. [03] HADZIDEMETRIOU MEASURESCyprus' Chief Negotiator in the accession negotiations, Takis Hadzidemetriou, said the measures announced by the EU for Turkish Cypriots are an extension of the measures announced earlier by the government.He said they are also part of the government's policy. Speaking to CyBC, Mr. Hadzidemetriou said the message is that Brussels is playing a decisive role in the political and economic developments of both the free and occupied areas. This, he added, bothers Ankara and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash because it loosens the relations of Turkey with the illegal regime and strengthens the relations with the EU. At the same time, he said, the measures open up new prospects for a solution to the Cyprus problem and the accession course. [04] ANNAN CNAUN Secretary General Kofi Annan said the UN has not given up on Cyprus, adding that he is really prepared to work with the parties but he wants to see genuine political will to make progress to resolve the conflict in Cyprus.Mr. Annan told the Cyprus News Agency in New York that he believes both the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots as well as the motherlands are looking into prospects for pressing ahead with the process. However, he added, he will wait to see the signal that both sides are ready. [05] IACOVOU STROVILIAThe Cyprus Republic has denounced the new provocative action of Turks at the Strovilia area and in cooperation with the British High Commission is examining measures to bring the area, which is in a demilitarised area, to its former status.Foreign Minister George Iacovou told CyBC today that the Turks have widened the road and cut the power supply to the nearby residents and are forcing them to apply to the so called "authorities" of the illegal regime to restore the power supply. The residents of the area, however, refuse to obey the turkish blackmail. The issue was examined during a meeting yesterday between Mr. Iacovou and High COmmissioner, Lyn Parker. The government has asked Mr. Parker to intervene since the only access to the area is through the British Bases. Mr. Iacovou said Mr. Parker supports the government's positions, that the occupation regime has no right to carry out projects in the area, without UNFICYP's permission. [06] GREEN LINEChairman of the House Refugees committee, Aristofanis Georgiou, expressed the view that the Green Line areas can become a centre for Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots to work together.He said that already relevant plans are being promoted by the EU towards this direction. Nicosia Mayor Michalakis Zambelas said the European Union and the US have expressed interest to finance projects on the Green Line. He also said three information centres to enlighten Turkish Cypriots on EU issues will be created. A total of 27 million pounds will be available to revitalise the Green Line area. [07] MIDEASTU.S. President George W. Bush headed into a landmark summit in Jordan with the Israeli and Palestinian prime ministers today after getting welcome backing from Arab leaders for a "road map" to peace.Mr. Bush's goal is to put the internationally backed plan -- the most ambitious Middle East peace effort in more than two years -- into motion with initial confidence-building steps that carry heavy political risks for Ariel Sharon and Mahmoud Abbas. An aide to Mr. Sharon said statements at the end of the three-way talks were likely to include a pledge to remove rogue Jewish settlement outposts in the West Bank, whose uprooting is mandated by the plan and could spark right-wing anger in Israel. Aides to Mr. Abbas said the new Palestinian prime minister would make a pledge to halt violence by militants in a 32-month-old uprising for independence. Soon after arriving in the Red Sea port of Aqaba from a summit yesterday with five Arab leaders in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, Mr.Bush held talks with Jordan's King Abdullah. He will then hold separate sessions with Mr Sharon, who flew in by helicopter, and Mr. Abbas before a three-way meeting at a royal palace among palm trees on the Gulf of Aqaba. [08] BLAIR WEAPONS- British Prime Minister Tony Blair risks losing the support of voters, including many of those who put him into power, if no weapons of mass destruction are found in Iraq, according to a poll published today.Mr. Blair has come under increasing pressure in the last few days about his motives for attacking Iraq amid accusations he had mislead parliament and the public over Saddam Hussein's suspected banned weapons. A YouGov survey for Sky News found that Britons were fairly evenly divided on whether Mr. Blair had told the truth with 46 percent of those questioned saying they trusted him while 43 percent believing he had distorted information. Significantly 60 percent said the weapons issue would influence which party they would vote for at a general election, with 18 percent saying they might change their vote as a direct result if no weapons were found. The poll found that trust in Mr. Blair even amongst supporters of his ruling Labour Party would decline if no weapons of mass destruction were found. It said 48 percent of voters who backed Labour to its 2001 landslide victory would no longer trust Mr. Blair on other political matters. Mr. Blair has angrily denied such allegations but Britain's parliamentary foreign affairs committee said it would launch an inquiry into the reasons for war. [09] CRASH SPAINAt least five people were killed and 20 were missing after a passenger train crashed head-on with a goods train in southeast Spain late last night.Wisps of smoke were still rising from charred carriages as dawn broke today in Chinchilla, as rescue workers combed the wreckage for the missing. State railway company RENFE said the accident looked to have been caused by human error, when the Talgo train was given the go-ahead to leave the station at Chinchilla and moved onto the single-line track, into the path of the oncoming goods train. The accident is the fourth involving a Talgo, the workhorses of Spain's long-distance railway system, so far this year. In January a train was derailed on the same line from Madrid to Cartagena, also near Albacete, killing two people. [10] WEATHERIt will be mainly clear in the afternoon with some passing cloud. Winds will be south-easterly to south-westerly moderate, three to four beaufort and the sea slight. Temperatures will reach 31 C inland, 29 C on the south coast, 27 C on the west and 21 over the mountains.Tonight, there will be cloud in the upper atmosphere while thin mist and low cloud will form in the early hors. Winds will be north-westerly light, two to three beaufort and the sea calm to slight. Temperatures will fall to 17 C inland, on the west and north coast, 19 over the south and east and 12 C over the mountains. The fire hazard is very high in all forest areas. Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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