Cyprus Mail: News Articles in English, 97-10-01

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From: The Cyprus Mail at <http://www.cynews.com/>

Wednesday, October 1, 1997

CONTENTS

[01] Greek and Turkish Cypriots should `embrace each other' -- Archbishop

[02] A comedy of errors

[03] Christodoulou: my budget is no election bribe

[04] Airport constable `master-minded' drug plot, court told

[05] Two held for trafficking Venezuelan cocaine to Lebanon

[06] Auditor slams lack of motor policy

[07] S-300s have no place in Cyprus - White House

[08] Clerides independence message marks `positive' developments

[09] Archaeologist returns to France to battle custody case

[10] Schizophrenia drug offers new hope

[11] Sheep, fodder and pesticides

[12] Xylophagou rejects bases' melon compromise

[13] Squaddie pleads guilty to assault

[14] Strike threat looms over airports

[15] Government ready to provide information on missing

[16] Anorthosis bow out of Europe

[01] Greek and Turkish Cypriots should `embrace each other' -- Archbishop

Speaking at a press conference at the New York headquarters of the United Nations, the Archbishop said that this had been the way of life on the island in the past and that in his opinion, both sides realised that today "they must embrace each other" once again.

At the same time, however, he said that he had doubts as to whether a bi- zonal, bi-communal federation would be able to provide a viable basis for a solution to the Cyprus problem, maintaining that restoration of human rights would entail the return of refugees to their homes. He added that this would include Turkish Cypriots as well.

The Primate was speaking at the end of his three-week tour of the US. Earlier in his trip, he told the UN Secretary-general that most Turkish Cypriots were in fact ethnically Greek, citing as evidence the fact that many of their villages carried the names of Christian saints.

[02] A comedy of errors

THE VETERINARY department is spending money storing animal sperm that no- one seems to want, but is now destroying it.

A bus company was paid £5,030 by the Ministry of Defence for bus routes that it never carried out (the money was later reclaimed).

The tarmac at Larnaca airport's aeroplane parking area had to be resurfaced because it proved impossible to establish the depth of a newly laid surface.

Cyprus' High Commissioner in Canberra rented a new house without first securing the approval of the ministries of foreign affairs and finance as procedures stipulate. He said the move did not entail any extra cost for the state. Faced with a fait accompli, the ministries gave their approval.

In Cairo, an embassy employee forgot the safe open. Egyptian police are now investigating the theft of £4,622.

There was 10 per cent less building material used on the Kambos-Stavros tis Psokas road than initially delivered.

Retired policemen still live in police housing - despite efforts to get them to move out.

And because no closing day was given for compensation claims from the February 1995 earthquake, requests are still coming in.

These are just some of the irregularities in the public sector pinpointed by Auditor-general Spyros Christou in his annual report for 1996.

The 254-page report - handed to President Clerides on Monday and distributed to the press, covers government ministries and other departments as well as municipalities and semi-government organisation.

It catalogues shortcomings in procedures, delays in collecting back taxes and other dues, bad planning in development projects, weaknesses in the tenders procedures and much more.

Spyrou is the first to point out that many of his observations have been made before - one sum of money has been outstanding since 1983.

But he also notes his recommendations have been heeded in several instances and corrective action was being taken.

Here are some highlights from his report:

TAXES

The current system under which employers withhold, and later pay the income tax of their employees, was not working well, he said. Many employers did not submit the necessary information in time, while others never passed on their employees' money to the authorities.

As for the church, Spyrou notes it was still not paying property tax, capital gains tax (for which it owes £6.7 million alone) and other taxes.

THE JUDICIARY

SOCIAL SECURITY FUND

COMMUNICATIONS MINISTRY

The report notes delays improving the Paphos archaeological park. Other projects - such as stretches of the Nicosia-Limassol highway - need constant repairs.

Civil aviation has still to collect some £600,000 due from foreign charter companies for violating regulations. And Cyprus Airways owes half a million pounds for using Larnaca airport.

[03] Christodoulou: my budget is no election bribe

FINANCE Minister Christodoulos Christodoulou yesterday defended the 1998 budget against charges that it was drafted with vote-winning in mind.

"The increase in the development budget is only 12 per cent and similar increases, even up to 20 per cent, have in the past been made in both pre- election and non pre-election periods," Christodoulou said.

Opposition parties have criticised expenditure increases in the budget, saying they are an attempt by the government to bribe the electorate before the February presidentials.

"I am certain that the opposition is wrong when it says the budget is a pre- election budget," the minister said.

"The correct interpretation (of the budget) is that our economy, after the events of 1996 (tourism crisis created by buffer-zone violence), is in a state of recovery and needs help to continue this recovery with an increase in investments, especially with development works. This is the correct interpretation," he said. The 1998 budget, which Christodoulou officially tabled at the House yesterday morning, provides for £261 million of expenditure on development works - an £11 million increase on the 1997 budget which brings the total development budget deficit (carried over) to £454 million.

Most of the cash is to be spent on further work on the Limassol to Paphos highway. The new motorway will suck up £20 million, while the new Dhekelia to Famagusta road is allocated £7.5 million. Another major road-building project is the Larnaca by-pass leading to the airport, which gets £2.5 million.

The Larnaca airport new air traffic control centre gets £1 million.

New central government buildings are allocated £3 million, while a million pounds is destined for improving the Curium archaeological site.

The relief fund budget for 1998 is £91 million, up £8.75 million on 1997. The relief fund deficit for 1998 is £85 million, bringing the total development fund deficit (carried forward) to £336 million.

The main budget provides for an expenditure of £1.5 billion, while state income for the year is expected to be around £1 billion.

House President Spyros Kyprianou said every effort would be made to ensure the budget was approved by the end of the year.

The budget has already been approved by the cabinet and must now pass the House committee and plenum stages.

[04] Airport constable `master-minded' drug plot, court told

A SPECIAL constable serving at Larnaca airport master-minded the smuggling of a huge quantity of marijuana into the country, Larnaca District Court heard yesterday.

Andreas Flourentzou was remanded in custody for eight days in connection with what police have described as the biggest ever seizure of marijuana destined for the local market.

Investigating officer Andreas Vrionis told the court Flourentzou had planned the operation with Nicos Nicolaou, who was arrested at Larnaca airport on the night of September 24 after police said seven-and-a-half kilos of marijuana were found in his hand-luggage.

The court heard that 24-year-old Flourentzou, who was suspended from his duties following his arrest on Saturday, asked his supervisor to change his work rota so that he could be at the customs control desk when Nicolaou arrived on the 9pm flight from Amsterdam.

Vrionis said Nicolaou, 20, from Yeri village outside Nicosia, had named Flourentzou as an accomplice in a statement he made to police after his arrest. Nicolaou and another three youths police say were named in this confession - Andreas Charalambous, a 23-year-old private employee from Latsia outside Nicosia, unemployed 20-year-old Akis Afxentiou from Yeri near Nicosia, and Michalis Psaris, 20, unemployed, from the Nicosia suburb of Aglandjia - are already in custody.

Vrionis told the court Flourentzou had told Nicolaou he would warn him to dump the bag with the illegal drugs if he spotted drug squad officers in the arrivals lounge.

The court heard that Flourentzou was himself suspected of smuggling drugs into the country in the past and of working with a contact in Amsterdam to arrange smuggling by others.

In his statement to police, Nicolaou apparently said he had been given the drugs by a man in Holland. Police are seeking to arrest this man, whom they believe to be the Dutch link for a major drug-smuggling ring.

After his arrest, Flourentzou denied any links with Nicolaou or any of the other suspects, Vrionis said. But he apparently changed his tune after police informed him they had evidence that he had had telephone contact with the other suspects.

Flourentzou was originally arrested on Saturday night but had to be released 24 hours later as police could not secure a remand due to a stay- away protest by district judges on Sunday. The judges were striking over the proposed appointment on a non-member of the judiciary to the Supreme Court. He was re-arrested on Monday.

A Drug Squad officer said the 7,439 grams of marijuana confiscated from Nicolaou was "the biggest ever haul of marijuana which was to be sold within Cyprus."

A total of over eight kilos of hashish were discovered in Nicolaou's hand- luggage. Police searched the 20-year-old's luggage after receiving a tip- off that he was smuggling a large quantity of narcotics from Holland.

[05] Two held for trafficking Venezuelan cocaine to Lebanon

Yiam Abou Chaaya, from Lebanon, and Manual Ayrout, from Syria, were arrested on September 24 after police said they tried to take £200,000 worth of foreign currency out of the Island without declaring it. Police said they found 500,000 German Marks, 150,000 Swiss Franks and 11,000 Dutch Guilders in the two men's suitcases as they tried to board a flight to Zurich at Larnaca airport.

After the two men were remanded, police received a communiqué from Interpol informing them that Chaaya and Ayrout, who both hold Venezuelan passports, were suspected big-time cocaine smugglers. Interpol said they believed the two men had moved large quantities of the hard drug through Cyprus between September 10 and 24.

Chaaya is wanted for drug smuggling offenses in Lebanon and had therefore begun operating out of Cyprus, Interpol told police.

Chaaya and Ayrout were brought up before Larnaca District Court yesterday.

They were convicted for illegal export of foreign currency and fined £1,000 each and were also remanded for three days on suspicion of trafficking cocaine.

[06] Auditor slams lack of motor policy

MOTOR vehicles in Cyprus are not being inspected properly - at the expense both of the environment and road safety, Auditor-general Spyros Christou has warned.

In a special section in his annual report for 1996, Christou said that motor vehicle inspection in Cyprus was practically non-existent compared to the situation in the European Union.

And he warned "harmful elements in emissions" from diesel-powered vehicles were much higher than those permitted by the European Union.

"Even though the issue had been under study for several years, there is uncontrolled pollution of the environment and noise pollution, while road safety is adversely affected. At the same time, the Motor Vehicle Inspection Centres set up more than 10 years ago remain underused," he said.

Spyrou noted the department of road transport had stopped inspecting private motor vehicles in 1982, and public vehicles in May 1996.

Although considerable sums of money were spent on building and equipping special centres, these were never properly manned to carry out their aim.

Police road safety campaigns have shown that some 80 per cent of cars over eight years old - that is more than 150,000 vehicles - had mechanical and other problems (poor steering, worn tyres, faulty lights and emissions).

There is no clear government policy on inspection. And no decision has been taken on studies carried out by foreign experts and department officials several years ago, including the possibility of bringing in the private sector.

There are gaps in the law as to how often vehicles should be inspected and the specifications of imported cars.

Spyrou notes that there is double damage to the environment - from the lack of control in emissions but also from the poor quality of the fuel used, especially diesel.

In diesel, sulphur levels were above one per cent, even though the European Union speaks of a ceiling of 0.05 per cent. Other "harmful substances in fumes (carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides) dramatically exceed the permitted levels of the EU", he said.

Spyrou said a study had shown 10 per cent of vehicles with high emissions were responsible for 40 per cent of carbon monoxide emissions and 30 per cent of hydrocarbons.

And he notes that although statistics show only one per cent of accidents were attributed to mechanical faults, studies abroad indicate some 10 per cent of accidents are in fact due to the state of the car.

His recommendations include the soonest possible launch of regular inspections according to EU specifications, the preparation of new laws and regulations based on EU directives to regulate the inspection of motor vehicles and the inclusion of provisions for emissions and improving the quality of fuel, especially diesel.

[07] S-300s have no place in Cyprus - White House

In a press briefing, McCurry stated that while his government had no information to suggest that any components of the system had actually reached the island, the US would be "troubled" if the system were to be deployed.

He stressed, however, that in spite of its concerns, America had it made it clear that it condemned Turkish threats of military action should the missiles be deployed.

Meanwhile, Turkish press reports said yesterday Turkish Cypriot Leader Rauf Denktash had written to United Nations Secretary-general Kofi Annan, asking him to intervene over the missile issue.

The reports quoted Denktash's letter as saying the deployment of the missiles would "negatively affect" the political climate on the island and endanger regional peace.

[08] Clerides independence message marks `positive' developments

In his televised message to coincide with the day, President Clerides last night expressed the hope that the "unprecedented" current international interest in the Cyprus problem would lead to a "just, viable and workable" settlement.

Clerides said that though the UN-led direct talks at Troutbeck and Glion had ended in deadlock, some "positive" elements had emerged for the Greek Cypriot side.

He said the document tabled during the talks by UN negotiator Diego Cordovez contained "improved positions for our side concerning basic aspects of the Cyprus problem."

He said a "negative provision" in previous UN documents - giving Greece and Turkey most favoured nation status for Cyprus - had been removed.

The other positive things to come out of the talks were assurances that Cyprus's EU accession course would not be affected by Turkish threats and the UN apportioning the blame for the collapse of talks to the Turkish side, Clerides said.

Messages marking the day were also issued by all political parties.

[09] Archaeologist returns to France to battle custody case

In October 1995, two months after Yvon Gourlay brought nine-year-old Tiphaine to Cyprus, he was sentenced to a year's imprisonment in absentia for non-presentation of his daughter. Early this year Gourlay was arrested in Cyprus on an Interpol warrant after his former wife, Chantal Pinguet, came to Cyprus to try and take her daughter back. Tiphaine did not return with her mother, telling reporters she wanted to stay with her father.

Gourlay's extradition hearing began before Nicosia District Court but was abandoned after he stated he was to return to his home country voluntarily to face the music.

"They left this morning on the 9am flight to Paris," Gourlay's lawyer, Doros Lykourgos, said yesterday, referring to the father and daughter.

Lykourgos said Gourlay's return meant the in absentia conviction would be overturned and court proceedings begun anew.

He said Gourlay would be tried for contempt of court for allegedly failing to present his daughter but would also be seeking custody of his daughter. The French court has previously given custody to the mother.

"The first hearing will be on Thursday October 20,' Lykourgos said.

Lykourgos said that after consulting with his French lawyer, Gourlay felt confident of winning his case.

[10] Schizophrenia drug offers new hope

The drug, which will go under the trade name Zyprexa, represents an exciting breakthrough in the treatment of the disease because it does not produce the debilitating side effects associated with traditional anti- psychotic drugs. These include muscle spasms, excessive restlessness and other, Parkinson's Disease-like symptoms.

Schizophrenia is considered the most debilitating mental illness in the world, affecting one per cent of the planet's population. Showing no bias for gender, race or ethnicity, it usually appears in the late teens or early twenties. Symptoms include diminished emotions, delusions and loss of the ability to communicate. A split personality, a condition commonly thought to be related to schizophrenia, is not actually a symptom of the disease.

[11] Sheep, fodder and pesticides

All three are pioneer exhibitions of great significance, Demetris Ioannou, chairman of the State Fairs Authority told a press conference yesterday.

"They are pioneer exhibitions in their structure, organisation and content, and will unquestionably be useful not only for visitors and buyers who are directly involved, but also for the public at large," he said.

Exhibits on show at the Agri-Fair Exhibition range from sheep to fodder, pesticides to livestock machinery. Participants include individuals, industrialists, importers, the co-operative movement, the potato and olive products boards and others.

The Watertech Exhibition, organised with the Agri-Fair for the first time, will concentrate on the latest technology and services in irrigation, water supply and water management and conservation. Within the framework of the event, a seminar will be held on water management.

The Machinery and Tools Exhibition is being organised for the first time, and will span all kinds of tools, processing machinery and other relevant products.

Ioannou said more than 140 exhibitors would take part in the three fairs, covering an exhibition area of 6,500 square metres. They will be opened by Agriculture Minister Costas Petrides on Wednesday, October 8. Visiting hours are Wednesday to Friday 10.00 am to 1.00 pm and 5.00 pm to 10.00 pm, and Saturday to Sunday 10 am to 1.00 pm, 4.00 pm to 11 pm. Entrance is free.

Meanwhile, the second general assembly of the Association of Mediterranean Trade Fairs will be held in Limassol on October 6 to 7 to discuss co- operation projects, training and other activities. The Cyprus State Fairs Authority is a founding member of the association whose members include the fairs of Amman, Valencia, Barcelona, Genoa, Damascus, Salonica, Casablanca, Cairo, Lisbon, Istanbul, Malta, Marseille, Nablus, Tel Aviv, Tripoli and Tunis.

[12] Xylophagou rejects bases' melon compromise

Last month, British base authorities removed soil deposited near the Pyla firing range by farmers wanting to grow melons and potatoes and proposed an alternative site in an effort to avoid confrontation. But the Xylophagou improvement board yesterday said it would not permit farming on the forestry land the bases had proposed.

The bases say farmers are banned by a court ruling from farming near the firing range. In past years disputes over farming rights in the same area have sparked violent clashes between the bases and farmers.

[13] Squaddie pleads guilty to assault

A BRITISH soldier yesterday pleaded guilty to assaulting two English tourists outside an Ayia Napa disco on August 2.

Roger Bell, 26, from Liverpool, a rifleman with the First Battalion Kings Regiment, admitted a charge of common assault after the prosecution amended its more serious charges of causing grievous bodily harm to three tourists and submitted two counts of actual bodily harm.

He has pleaded guilty to assaulting Barry Ford, 23, and his girlfriend Claire Harbour, 22.

Bell is the only one of five British soldiers accused of the attack on a group of English tourists to face the prospect of conviction.

Last Friday three riflemen walked free from court after the prosecution dropped charges against them and withdrew the case due to lack of evidence.

Yesterday fellow soldier Stuart Spencer, 20, from Liverpool, had his case dismissed and also walked free.

Prosecution lawyer Nicos Demetriou told the court it would be a waste of time proceeding with Spencer's case and the judge agreed to have it withdrawn.

But Demetriou said afterwards that Attorney-general Alecos Markides could decide to prosecute Spencer if he agreed it was in the public interest to bring witnesses back from the UK to do so.

Spencer's defence lawyer Tassos Katsikides said later: "I believe my client's name has been cleared as the prosecution have discontinued proceedings against him."

Spencer, accompanied by his father, was tight-lipped about the court's decision after the hearing.

As charges of assaulting a third tourist - Shane Bell, 23, from Eltham, London, who had his jaw shattered in the attack outside the P'zazz disco in Ayia Napa - were dropped completely, none of the originally accused, for now, will be punished for the offence.

However, Roger Bell now faces a maximum three-year jail term and/or a £2, 000 fine when he is sentenced next Wednesday.

The soldier was positively identified during the trial by his alleged victims Ford and Harbour, both from southeast London.

Both testified that he threw the first punch.

Ford had his wrist broken and his face beaten to a pulp, while his girlfriend was forced to watch him being beaten senseless.

If Bell receives a prison sentence next week he will be immediately discharged from the British army.

[14] Strike threat looms over airports

THE THREAT of disruption at the airports was looming yesterday evening as the government made a last-ditch attempt to avert a strike by seasonal ground-staff.

Last week, the Cyprus Airways (CA) main workers' union (Synyka) called all 200 seasonal workers - mostly ground staff - out on strike as from today in protest at the airline's refusal to give 50 temporary workers permanent jobs.

Labour Minister Nicos Moushioutas tried to resolve the dispute yesterday by calling both sides to an emergency meeting at the ministry.

The meeting, which began in the afternoon, was still proceeding at the time of going to press last night, with neither Synyka nor CA having made any statements.

Union chief Costas Demetriou said earlier in the day that the strike was still on the cards, though he added that he was waiting on an intervention from Moushioutas.

Synyka are claiming management have refused to comply with an existing agreement to make temporary workers permanent.

CA spokesman Tassos Angeli has retorted by saying the airline never made staff permanent till the winter period, when its "needs" became clearer.

He said it was up to the Labour Ministry, which was already mediating between Synyka and management on the issue, to decide if CA had reneged on any agreements.

He attacked the union for calling a strike while the ministry was mediating on the issue.

[15] Government ready to provide information on missing

THE GOVERNMENT said yesterday it was ready to hand over classified information on 215 missing persons to the UN.

President Clerides met UN resident representative Gustave Feissel and informed him in writing that the Greek Cypriot side was ready to submit information on Turkish Cypriot missing on the understanding the other side would do likewise.

Feissel confirmed afterwards that both sides had made the necessary arrangements to exchange evidence on missing persons as agreed.

He said the exchange of information would take place within the next few days.

Government spokesman Manolis Christofides said earlier the Greek Cypriot side had prepared information regarding 200 Turkish Cypriots and 15 Greek Cypriots.

"Our side is prepared today to hand the UN information on about 200 Turkish Cypriots as well as 15 Greek Cypriots buried in the occupied areas," said Christofides.

He added: "The information is handed over in a responsible manner and we expect the other side to respond in the same way, so we can put an end to this tragic problem."

The spokesman clarified that the facts gathered via eyewitness reports and statements will have to be substantiated with scientific evidence to confirm an individual's identity.

This is expected to be the first in a series of exchanges on the whereabouts of the missing.

However, the Humanitarian Affairs Commissioner Takis Christopoulos said he expects evidence on at least 400 Greek Cypriot missing to be handed over by the Turkish Cypriot side.

"They must give us information on at least twice the number of cases we will be handing them."

Officially listed as missing since the 1974 Turkish invasion are 1,619 Greek Cypriots. Five hundred Turkish Cypriots are declared to be missing since intercommunal clashes in the early sixties.

On Monday Christopoulos handed President Clerides all the information collected which he agreed to pass on to the UN.

Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash had previously reached an agreement during two meetings in Nicosia to "provide each other simultaneously with all information already at their disposal on the location of graves."

The exchange was scheduled for the end of September.

[16] Anorthosis bow out of Europe

The German side, who won the first leg 2-1 thanks to a goal scored three minutes before the end of the game, go through 3-2 on aggregate.

The draw was a bitter disappointment for Anorthosis' players who ran themselves into the ground, but against a physically stronger and disciplined German side, effort alone was never going to earn them qualification.

In the last quarter of an hour, with Karlsruhe content to play out time, the gulf in physical strength between the two sides became more obvious. Even if Anorthosis did get the winning goal the would level the tie, they would certainly not have lasted the 30 minutes of extra-time like the Germans.

The home side started very well, managing to unsettle the German defence from the start. In the 8th minute Michailovic hit the woodwork and, four minutes later, he had put his side in front, beating the German keeper from a direct free-kick on the edge of the area.

It was not long after that Karlsruhe settled down and disrupted Anorthosis' momentum with their controlled passing and movement. Four minutes before half-time they were level when German international Haessler passed to Scheppen, who beat Panayiotou with a clean shot.

With the score level before the interval, it looked like Anorthosis' chances of causing an upset had all but evaporated. Karlsruhe would kill the game off in second half, by holding the ball, closing space down and defending in numbers.

This is exactly what happened. The German side sat back and soaked up the pressure, Anorthosis becoming increasingly frustrated by their inability to find a way through. And when Karlsruhe's players counter-attacked they always looked more likely to score.

Anorthosis kept throwing men forward and they did go close with a couple of headed efforts by Okkas. But the visitors held firm without really breaking sweat.

This was the end of Anorthosis' European campaign. They played two ties in the Champions League, from which they were knocked out by Lierse SK. They set one record - they did not lose any of their three home games in European competition this season.

© Copyright 1997 Cyprus Mail

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