Cyprus Mail: News Articles in English, 98-04-26

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

Sunday, April 26, 1998

CONTENTS

[01] 'Don't miss this opportunity'

[02] Keve fears over EU harmonisation

[03] Two killed in highway horror crash

[04] New cars sales plummet

[05] Army probe into tower block fall

[06] Turks converting Lapithos church into casino

[07] Police baffled by Limassol grenade attacks

[08] Canada bids to attract Cyprus students

[01] 'Don't miss this opportunity'

GREEK and Turkish Cypriots should not lose the opportunity being offered through next week's visit by US special emissary Richard Holbrooke, the State Department has said.

Spokesman James Rubin, confirming Holbrooke's visit on May 2, said: "The US hopes that both sides will see this as an important opportunity to meet with what we all know to be a very able diplomat, who's going constructively to look at ways to resolve the problem."

Rubin said Holbrooke would be on the island for several days and would discuss with officials relevant "ways to bring peace to this troubled region".

But he refrained from revealing any details, saying the US "does not believe it would be helpful for Ambassador Holbrooke's work to describe in detail any of the discussions...

"Ambassador Holbrooke will be bringing to bear his extraordinary diplomatic expertise on this problem...," Rubin said.

The government nevertheless remains cautious about any possible breakthrough, sources indicated yesterday.

"We are waiting for concrete indications that may come up or may be confirmed during Holbrooke's visit here," the government source said.

Holbrooke visited the island early this month, but left empty handed after Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash told him he would insist the UN-led intercommunal talks could only resume on the basis of "two states".

On Friday, however, President Clerides appeared optimistic after being briefed by US State Department Co-ordinator Thomas Miller in Athens.

Earlier in the day before his departure, Clerides had said there was no sign that Turkey or the Turkish Cypriot side would respond positively and attend a resumption of the intercommunal talks.

But after meeting Miller, he said what he had heard from the US envoy was good enough to go back on his earlier statements. He was quoted on state radio as saying that Miller, who usually precedes Holbrooke, would be bringing to Cyprus "a lot more than expected".

In Athens, Miller said it was time Greek and Turkish Cypriots showed the creativity and flexibility displayed by negotiators in Bosnia, the Middle East and Northern Ireland to restart deadlocked talks.

[02] Keve fears over EU harmonisation

THE CHAMBER of Commerce (Keve) will urge the government not to rush into EU harmonisation causing damage to the economy as a result.

Keve has carried out a study on the possible effects of the EU harmonisation process on the island's economy. It will submit its conclusions to the government.

The study echoed the words of Foreign Minister Yiannakis Cassoulides who said Cyprus must be afforded the same pre-accession financial package as the other five candidate countries.

However, Keve believes the harmonisation process offers the island a unique opportunity to "modernise and reform" the economy.

The manufacturing industry has been singled out as the sector most in need of EU finance to help it become more competitive.

A series of measures to help strengthen local industry has been outlined in the study.

Keve is also calling on the government to protect the island's offshore sector by advising it to seek a special status from the EU.

Keve sees liberalisation of the financial system as good for business, but has reservations over freedom of employment within EU member states.

The Chamber of Commerce fears there could be a social cost to pay -- including local unemployment -- if Cyprus is flooded by European job seekers.

[03] Two killed in highway horror crash

Driver Henryk Geleff, 36, and his son Mario died instantly when their vehicle veered out of the fast lane of the motorway and ploughed into the back of a lorry parked on the hard shoulder.

The owner of the lorry, Demetris Andreou, aged 50, walked away unscathed from the accident, though he had to be treated for severe shock.

Police said Andreou had stopped his fruit truck on the hard shoulder so he could "heed the call of nature".

A police spokesman said Geleff's car swerved out of control from the outside lane, careering into the hard shoulder.

Police said he was wearing a seat belt, but could not confirm whether his son was also wearing one.

Three fire engines arrived at the scene to free the victims from the tangled heap of iron, but it was too late.

Henryk Geleff was married to a Cypriot and lived in Limassol.

Kofinou traffic police are continuing their investigation.

[04] New cars sales plummet

The registration of new cars dropped 29 per cent in the first three months of this year, while used cars sales rose by 51.2 per cent.

The figures reveal an overall increase of 18.6 per cent in registrations of private saloon cars, but whereas in the past the new car market took the lead, the second-hand market has now boomed to such an extent as to overshadow new car sales.

In all, 5,695 vehicles were registered in the three-month period.

Overall registrations -- including private cars and commercial vehicles -- rose by 21 per cent over the same period last year.

Motorcycles and moped registrations increased by 38 per cent, totalling 779 from January to March, compared to 561 in the same period last year.

[05] Army probe into tower block fall

Nineteen-year-old soldier Gregoris Tzongkouros from Strovolos miraculously survived his fall from the top of the Magli building. His life was probably saved by a seventh floor parapet that interrupted his fall.

The National Guard has launched an investigation into the incident. It is understood the fall is being treated as an accident, rather than attempted suicide or anything suspicious.

But the army remains baffled as to how the soldier could have fallen from his rooftop post, which is surrounded by a 1.5-metre-high mesh.

Tzongkouros suffered serious head and other injuries after plunging down six floors on Friday evening.

He was rushed to hospital and underwent five hours of emergency surgery.

Defence Minister Yiannakis Omirou visited the soldier in hospital yesterday morning and went to the scene of the accident before ordering the investigation.

Doctors at Nicosia's General hospital say Tzongkouros is in a critical condition; the next 24 hours will be crucial to his survival.

[06] Turks converting Lapithos church into casino

According to Avrupa, a paper critical of the Denktash regime, the conversion of the Ayia Anastasia church has already begun.

Some 500 churches in the occupied areas have been destroyed, looted or turned into mosques, stables or public toilets since the Turkish invasion in 1974.

Some of the churches to have been destroyed date from the 12th century, while almost all their priceless relics have been smuggled out and are now being sold on the black market abroad.

The Ayia Anastasia church building itself is not particularly old, but its icons, transferred from an earlier church, are of considerable value.

[07] Police baffled by Limassol grenade attacks

The grenade attacks took place in the villages of Episkopi and Ypsonas. They caused superficial damage.

Police have yet to connect the two incidents.

The first grenade exploded at 3am outside the Episkopi home of 50-year-old Pantelou Kyriazis, causing slight damage to her car.

A second blast occurred place less than two hours later at the Ypsonas home of Andreas Tsitsis, 52, causing only superficial damage to his vehicle.

Tsitsis, a mechanic at the nearby British base, told police he had no idea who the culprits could be.

Limassol police said the grenades used in the two attacks were not of the same type.

[08] Canada bids to attract Cyprus students

Cyprus has traditionally been a major student recruitment ground for British and American universities, but according to Dr. George Chrysomilides, Chairman of the Canadian Education Network, there has been a recent shift of focus from the United Kingdom and Greece to the United States.

Whereas in 1979/80, only 4.9 per cent of Cyprus students studying abroad went to the United States, by 1995/96, the figure had risen to 19.7 per cent, opening the way for Canada to exploit the growing market.

The delegation, organised by the Canadian Education Network, will attend a number of meetings with Cyprus colleges and government officials.

© Copyright Cyprus Mail 1998

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