Cyprus Mail: News Articles in English, 98-05-05

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

Tuesday, May 5, 1998

CONTENTS

[01] US blames EU and Turkish Cypriots for impasse

[02] 'Not enough blame put on Turks'

[03] Media encounters long on entertainment, but short on news

[04] Journalists in tit for tat protests

[05] Market in biggest 1998 one-day fall

[06] 20 direct phone links inaugurated

[07] US complained about sellers of Kurd magazine

[08] Medical association launches Aids leak probe

[09] Special task force to fix security shambles at airport

[10] Building strike to go ahead as planned

[11] Greek doctors suggest special trauma course

[12] Larnaca dockers to stage indefinite strike

[13] Nicosia sizzler to get even hotter

[14] Wasteful Omonia surrender title to Anorthosis

[01] US blames EU and Turkish Cypriots for impasse

TURKISH Cypriot preconditions for the resumption of intercommunal talks are unrealistic, US envoy Richard Holbrooke said yesterday. But he also blamed the European Union for the current impasse.

Speaking to Greek and Turkish Cypriot journalists at the UN-controlled Ledra Palace hotel in Nicosia's Green Line, Holbrooke said meaningful negotiations cannot take place as long as the Turkish side insists on its stance.

Holbrooke said the Turkish side is insisting on recognition of the breakaway state in the north and that Cyprus' EU membership application be withdrawn.

"Presenting these two positions as conditions precedent to a negotiation will make progress difficult," Holbrooke said.

"If progress is to be made on Cyprus, genuine progress, both sides will have to be willing to engage in a genuine give and take serious negotiation. This is not the current situation. This was especially true in regard to two positions taken by the Turkish side."

But while he repeated that the Turkish side's demands were unrealistic, Holbrooke blamed the EU for the situation.

In December the EU Luxembourg summit agreed to open accession negotiations with Cyprus. At the same time it snubbed the Turkish application almost entirely.

"Let's be honest about it... the consequences of Luxembourg are with us today and we are going to have to deal with them," Holbrooke said.

"The European Union was correct in inviting Cyprus to talks... and wrong not to invite Turkey... as well... and it is that imbalance which I believe has led to the present impasse."

He added the US, at the highest levels, has made it clear time and again that it feels the EU decision was "unfortunate".

He said he believes the two sides can and should work out a method by which both can participate in the EU dialogue as political equals. "I am confident that this is possible," he said.

But the EU's External Affairs Commissioner Hans Van den Broek rejected Holbrooke's apportioning of blame.

"This argument suggests as if Turkey should be allowed a veto on the application of membership by Cyprus," he told BBC World Service radio. "For the EU this is difficult to accept."

The US envoy's comments came after three days of intensive negotiations shuttling between the two sides.

He will not come back again unless he feels such a visit would be useful, he said. But US State Department Co-ordinator Thomas Miller will return at the end of the month and the Americans will continue their efforts to reach a settlement, Holbrooke said.

"I believe that there is a solution to the Cyprus problem, but the responsibility for that solution first and foremost must rest with the parties themselves - the parties most involved," he said.

"Both sides will have to make adjustments in their current positions during a meaningful negotiation," he said.

Holbrooke said he did not consider his visit a failure and that he does not consider the current situation "a crisis or a catastrophe".

"We came knowing that this would happen," he said. "The problems we encountered were part of the process."

[02] 'Not enough blame put on Turks'

In a written statement, the president said that Holbrooke had not put enough blame on the Turkish side for the deadlock in the talks. Holbrooke had previously told the government he would blame the other side far more strongly, it added.

Clerides said he also took exception to a statement in which the American envoy said it was clear that Clerides did not have control over the Turkish Cypriots, saying "I think it is very clear and no one has disputed that Glafcos Clerides does not represent or has control over the people of Northern Cyprus. He doesn't deny that. It's a fact. He said it."

The Clerides statement said Holbrooke had misinterpreted his position: "The President has never accepted that the relevant article of the 1960 Constitution which defines him as representative of the Cyprus Republic has ceased to be valid."

In an article published in yesterday's Washington Post, Holbrooke said that the reason no progress was made was because "the Turkish side has changed its position".

Government Spokesman Christos Stylianides said the government was "disappointed and displeased" that the intransigence of the Turkish side had led to deadlock once again.

He added that the international community "must understand that the Turkish side is exclusively responsible for the lack of progress in efforts to reach a comprehensive settlement to the Cyprus question".

Stylianides said Cyprus' political leaders had already been briefed on Clerides' talks with Holbrooke by Foreign Minister Yiannakis Cassoulides. Developments will probably be discussed at a National Council meeting on Friday, he said.

[03] Media encounters long on entertainment, but short on news

LACK of real progress in Richard Holbrooke's diplomatic efforts has yielded an unlikely product: intensely-publicised news conferences big on entertainment value but thin in the hard news department.

For those fairly familiar with the details of the Cyprus problem - like most of the island's inhabitants - watching a Holbrooke news conference on TV or attending it in person is highly unlikely to expand their knowledge of the subject.

But for those in search of sound bites, sexy quotations, a bit of black humour and even a swipe at the local media, then there's nothing to beat a Holbrooke session with the press.

If the man lives up to his reputation, and he often does, he gives a masterly display of how to put on a brave face on failure, keep a news conference on schedule, duck unwanted questions, and put journalists in their place by knocking their work.

Yesterday's news conference at the Ledra Palace Hotel in Nicosia was a perfect example.

After intensive talks with Glafcos Clerides and Rauf Denktash over the weekend, a 10am news conference yesterday at the Ledra Palace attracted some 150 journalists. They dutifully filed into the room already aware that there would be nothing new to report at the end of the event.

The Washington Post had already quoted Holbrooke in an exclusive interview yesterday as saying that his latest round of shuttle diplomacy had produced no results.

But Holbrooke, whom the media never tire of reminding us was the architect of the 1995 Dayton peace accords for Bosnia, did have something positive to report before he revealed to his listeners that his latest mission has failed to produce any results.

During his last visit to the island in April, he used his end-of-visit news conference to produce two businessmen - one Greek Cypriot and one Turkish Cypriot - and declare that Denktash had agreed (the Turkish Cypriot leader later cast doubt on that) to the resumption of contacts between businessmen from both sides.

Yesterday, Holbrooke inaugurated direct phone lines between both sides of the island for the first time since the 1974 Turkish invasion.

"Just pick up the phone, dial the area code and get through to a number on either side of Cyprus. And I wish to stress you can also send faxes," went the sales pitch.

In what has become something of a tradition at Holbrooke news conferences, he also thanked everyone, declaring everyone a friend and expressing admiration for the "tenacity" (a favourite word) with which Clerides and Denktash argue their case.

Asked yesterday about new ideas he had left with the two sides during his last visit, he had this to say: "I don't know that they are new ideas or old ideas. Every time I think I have a good idea one of the two sides says somebody produced that in 1977 or 1983, or that was in the (UN) Set of Ideas...

"So, I am not going to use the word 'new' because there does not appear to be anything new under the Cypriot sun."

With visible annoyance, Holbrooke also criticised the local media for misrepresenting Washington's stance on the European Union's decision in December to start Cyprus accession talks and to rebuff Turkey's European aspirations.

"I cannot stress this more highly... because I read your press and each of your presses misreports this in a provocative way... So just get it straight..."

[04] Journalists in tit for tat protests

The journalists in the north to cover an afternoon meeting between Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash and US Presidential envoy Richard Holbrooke.

The Turkish Cypriot move was in retaliation for a morning development when Turkish journalists were not allowed to cross to the free areas to cover Holbrooke's meeting with President Glafcos Clerides. Police refused them entry as they had arrived on the island at an unrecognised airport in the occupied areas.

Turkish Cypriot press reports yesterday said the Turkish journalists protested that they had been allowed to cross the previous day, but they were then kept waiting so long by police checking on this that they missed the start of the meeting and left "in disgust".

[05] Market in biggest 1998 one-day fall

SHARE prices registered their biggest one-day fall this year after two leading stocks - the Cyprus Popular Bank and Hellenic Bank - traded ex- dividend.

Brokers said the fall in share prices was also caused by negative sentiment resulting from the failure of US envoy Richard Holbrooke's latest effort to restart direct negotiations on the Cyprus problem.

The official all-share index of the Cyprus Stock Exchange tumbled by 1.83 per cent to close at 92.52, with the key banks sub-index registering the biggest fall by any of the bourse's seven-indices.

It fell by 2.68 per cent with that of investment companies - down by 1.86 per cent - the second biggest loser. Only insurance and tourist companies finished the day up, albeit slightly at 0.13 per cent and 0.16 per cent respectively.

Shares of the Popular and Hellenic banks account for about 25 per cent of the market's capitalisation. The two banks paid shareholders £0.12 and £0.10 in 1997 dividends respectively.

The Popular Bank, the island's second largest, closed £0.14 down at £3.94 with trade in the stock accounting for 25 per cent of the bourse's entire volume - £1.87 million. Hellenic shares fell by £0.11.5 to close at £3.02 apiece.

"It is not what it looks like," said Neophytos Neophytou of AAA United Stockbrokers Ltd, citing what he called the expected fall in prices as a result of ex-dividend debut of Popular and Hellenic shares.

"Additionally, the sentiment in the market was not good, but if you exclude the dividends, the market should have fallen by just under one per cent."

Shares of the Bank of Cyprus, the island's largest financial institution, shed £0.08 in yesterday's trade in what brokers said was the negative psychological effect of the fall in other bank shares.

Severis &amp; Athienitis Securities, one of the island's largest brokerages, meanwhile announced yesterday that the IPO issue of the Limassol-based Avacom Computer Services has been over-subscribed by just over eight times.

"This makes the issue, the first on the CSE for 1998, one of the most over- subscribed issues in the history of Cyprus new issues," it said in a statement.

The information technology company is expected to complete the mailing of share certificates and cheques to subscribers by the end of the week, the statement added. The deadline for applying to subscribe to the shares expired last Thursday.

Shares in Avacom are expected to begin trading on the bourse later this month.

[06] 20 direct phone links inaugurated

US emissary Richard Holbrooke yesterday inaugurated the opening of a small number of direct telephone links between the two sides on the island.

"It shows that even in the midst of difficult diplomatic discussion, progress is possible," Holbrooke said, referring to his latest inconclusive round of talks on the island.

"I urge the people of both parts of Cyprus to use these lines to reach out to old friends they haven't contacted and talked to in many years," he said.

"Communications reduce misunderstandings, communications can reduce tensions. This is a very important development."

The 20 new automated telephone lines will replace the UN-operated three- line system which has become ineffective due to increased demand.

The old system could only handle around 100,000 calls between the two sides each year. The new lines will be able to cope with 750,000.

The system, which is costing £40,000, is being paid for by the Americans through the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR).

During yesterday's inauguration at the UN-controlled Ledra Palace Hotel the new system was tried out by Greek Cypriot businessman Constantinos Lordos and Norwegian envoy Stein Stoa.

Stoa, of the International Peace Research Institute in Oslo, was appointed by the Norwegian government in the role of facilitator to the bicommunal contacts between Greek and Turkish Cypriot businessmen.

The joint businessmen's forum was set up in Brussels last November at Holbrooke's initiative. The new phone system was part of the effort.

UN permanent Representative Gustave Feissel was also present at yesterday's inauguration. He said the old manual system had become overburdened because of increased demand in recent years.

"One would say this is not the biggest news in the world but I would look at it quite differently. It is being news," Holbrooke said.

Lordos made a call to Turkish Cypriot businessman Taker Turgut. "Ambassador Holbrooke is proud of us. He looks like the fat chicken laying all those eggs," he said.

The installation of the new system has taken on greater importance for communication between the two sides since Rauf Denktash banned Turkish Cypriots from all bicommunal meetings in December last year.

Callers dialling from the Greek Cypriot side who wish to use the new system should dial 0139 to hear a dial tone and then dial 101 to hear another dial tone and then the desired number in the north. The calls will be charged at the local rate.

Callers from the north must dial 012 and then 100.

[07] US complained about sellers of Kurd magazine

"I can say it was before last October when the US ambassador came to my office to raise different issues, and on one of these issues he expressed a complaint from his embassy that Kurdish persons sold a magazine, the proceedings of which went to fund the PKK (the Kurdish Workers' Party)," Foreign Minister Yiannakis Cassoulides said yesterday.

He was speaking to the House Human Rights Committee which was continuing its investigation as to why Kurd activist Ramazan Celik was arrested by police for selling the magazine.

Although Attorney-general Alecos Markides last week suspended any legal action against Celik, the committee was still outraged by the whole affair.

Markides confirmed during yesterday's meeting that a written complaint about street sellersof the political magazine had been submitted to the Justice Ministry by the US embassy in Nicosia.

Despite the US embassy questioning the government's ambivalence towards how the PKK receives its funds, Cassoulides said there was no question about its support for the Kurdish people.

[08] Medical association launches Aids leak probe

THE MEDICAL Association has launched an investigation into whether one of its members was responsible for exposing the 'Aids priest'.

Last week a cleric whose identity was confirmed by Archbishop Chrysostomos as Archimandrite Pacratios Meraklis was reported as suffering from Aids.

Worried that patient-doctor confidentiality could be damaged by the affair, the association is determined to discover whether the story was first leaked by one of its own.

Doctors are also concerned that the priest might have undergone an Aids test without giving his consent.

"In accordance with professional confidentiality the relationship between doctor and patient is sacred. Only when a patient gives his written consent can a doctor divulge certain information," a Medical Association announcement said yesterday.

The association said if it finds that any doctor violated regulations in this case disciplinary action will be taken.

Diko deputy Marios Matsakis has submitted a motion before the House Human Rights Committee calling for tighter controls against the naming of supposed Aids sufferers through the media.

"We need international guidelines to be enforced. It is against the public interest to name Aids sufferers because the fight against Aids depends on doctor-patient confidentiality," Matsakis told the Cyprus Mail yesterday.

He said the trend towards naming and shaming Aids sufferers will deter people from seeking medical treatment or advice.

"If someone takes a blood test and the next day the whole of Cyprus knows they have Aids, everyone will avoid taking tests," said Matsakis.

The deputy said Archbishop Chrysostomos was not helping by not only naming the priest but also saying people could catch Aids from taking Holy Communion.

[09] Special task force to fix security shambles at airport

POLICE chief Panicos Hadjiloizou has sent a special task force to Larnaca airport to clean up a security operation he describes as a shambles.

In a letter to Larnaca police command, Hadjiloizou said security at the airport was at its lowest level since it became the island's main airport after the 1974 invasion.

And he has ordered a specially trained team from the MMAD rapid reaction force to reorganise existing security arrangements.

Hadjiloizou says in his letter that "weak leadership" in Larnaca command and an inability to instil discipline are among reasons why Larnaca is being exposed to international crime.

He also points to a "climate of indifference" among security personnel and a lack of expert training to ensure effective policing.

Police HQ in Nicosia has acted swiftly to ensure Hadjiloizou's instructions are enforced.

The head of security has been replaced and a senior inspector, Neophytos Constantinou, called in to lead the MMAD team.

Constantinou has been told to study the state of the airport's internal and external security and to introduce a training programme for all personnel.

And because of the seriousness Hadjiloizou attaches to the problems at Larnaca airport he has demanded a monthly report on security matters to be submitted to him personally.

[10] Building strike to go ahead as planned

BUILDING industry workers are set to go ahead with their strike tomorrow, after employers have refused again to give in to demands for wage increases.

Building workers' union representative Andreas Clitou said yesterday that unions hoped bosses would change their position on the matter after an afternoon meeting, but that if they didn't, strike action would go ahead.

But the employers are standing firm and the industrial action will now proceed.

The 24-hour strike will see building workers down tools across the island. They will then meet in the afternoon to decide what further action to take.

The storm in the building sector blew up over the renewal of collective agreements and the employers' refusal to grant pay rises. The bosses claim that pay increases in the past have not seen productivity boosted by the same rate, and as such their decision to freeze pay is "justified".

According to official figures, between 1991 and 1997 benefit increases reached 62 per cent, but productivity went up by just 13.4 per cent.

It is widely feared that the strike may set a precedent, having a knock-on effect in other sectors also seeking renewal of collective agreements.

[11] Greek doctors suggest special trauma course

CYPRUS would have great problems treating a large number of injured in the case of war or serious earthquake, specialist doctors say.

In a letter to the Defence Ministry and the Ministry of Health, doctors at Patra University in Greece say that a war lasting 4-6 days in Cyprus would produce five or six thousand injured people, 75 per cent of whom would require urgent medical attention.

The rest of the injured will either be treated before arriving in hospital or will die on the way, say the doctors who run a medical training programme called 'Advanced Trauma Life Support' at the university.

In order to prevent injured people dying, a training programme would establish an emergency plan of action for doctors specially trained to deal with the treatment of injuries.

The Patra specialists believe their programme should be taken up by the Cyprus government.

They say that since 40 per cent of deaths which occur in the first four hours after the injured arrives in hospital can be prevented, doctors will save many lives if they are given the appropriate training to deal with mass injuries.

But Defence Ministry spokesman Andreas Harides yesterday denied that Cyprus doctors lack the appropriate training to treat those injured in a war situation. He said they are already adequately trained and do not need further training.

Both the Defence Ministry and the Ministry of Health have yet to confer about the suggested training programme. The Advanced Trauma Life Support programme involves lectures, practical training, written and oral examinations delivered by lecturers from Patra University.

Doctors who take part in the training programme receive a certificate which has to be renewed every four years.

In their letter to the two ministries, the Patra doctors say that emergency training is crucial in view of the occupation of Cyprus and continued threats of war.

[12] Larnaca dockers to stage indefinite strike

Port unions claim the government is dragging its feet on whether to upgrade and expand the troubled port, and they say they are determined to hold an indefinite strike as from tomorrow.

Sek union representative Neophytos Charalambous said yesterday's strike was a response to the government's failure in announcing its strategy for the port's future.

"The Communications Minister promised to give us an answer by the end of last month. Without work we can't make a living, so we've decided to go on indefinite strike," Charalambous said.

To underline the port's ever-diminishing business, yesterday's strike only affected the loading of four potato boats.

[13] Nicosia sizzler to get even hotter

TEMPERATURES rose six degrees above normal yesterday - and it will be even hotter today and tomorrow, the weathermen say.

Average temperatures for the beginning of May are usually 28-29 degrees, but yesterday Nicosia sizzled in temperatures of 35 degrees and a high of 32 degrees was recorded on the coast.

Meteorological Department Spokesman Cleanthis Philaniotis put the current heat wave down to various factors such as warm air masses from the east and south combined with high atmospheric pressure which only makes things worse.

Today and tomorrow will stay hot and sunny and even more of a scorcher than 35 degrees. And although there will be a slight drop on Thursday, "it will not be a dramatic change," Philaniotis said.

This latest heat wave comes a day after the Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Costas Themistocleous again warned of dire water shortages on the island.

An official at the Water Development Department has confirmed that water reserves are down from last year. There are currently 40,573,000 cubic metres of water in dams - 15.1 per cent of their capacity - while at this time last year, the dams contained 63,378,000 cubic metres, 23.6 per cent of capacity.

There is enough water to meet the island's needs until the end of the year, and plans of action for next year are still being studied by the government.

There are water cuts in Nicosia four days a week, with mains supplies switched on for twelve hours on the other three days.

But despite the continued crisis, the Water Board says it has no plans to introduce further cuts in the near future.

[14] Wasteful Omonia surrender title to Anorthosis

ANORTHOSIS moved a step closer to retaining their league title on Saturday after holding the main challengers Omonia to a 2-2 draw in front of a capacity crowd at Nicosia's Makarios stadium.

It had been described as the `match of the season' and more than lived up to its billing. All the ingredients that make football the most popular game in the world were there - passion, commitment, skill, goals, narrow misses and suspense.

Big game nerves must have had an effect on the standard of defending which left a lot to be desired. All four goals were the result of defensive errors, which, nevertheless contributed to the excitement.

Omonia were devastated after the final whistle as they knew they had the chances to finish off Anorthosis but did not take them. Ironically, they were let down on the night by German striker Rainer Rauffman, who has been their best player all season.

With Omonia leading 2-1, the German, who has scored 42 goals this season, was unable to beat Anorthosis keeper Panayiotou when clean through at the end of the first half.

His second half penalty miss, with Omonia still leading, was to prove even more costly. He had been brought down by Panayiotou who had no trouble blocking the German's poorly struck penalty kick. This proved to be the turning point.

It was very harsh for Rauffman, who had contributed so much to Omonia's revival this season; on Saturday night, he had a hand in both Omonia's goals.

He set up the first goal for Xiouroupas in the 12th minute, chasing a diagonal pass by Sakis and then playing it across the goalmouth. Panyiotou failed to hold the ball, as the Anorthosis defence stood back and Xiouroupas slotted it into the net from three yards.

Anorthosis were level five minutes later when Omonia left Demetris Ioannou unmarked inside the area. The ball was headed on by Tomic and the big defender had the time stop it and fire a powerful shot past Christofi.

Omonia were in front again in the 25th minute when Rauffman's header was blocked by Charalambous on the line and the oncoming Ioakim pounced to put the ball into the net. As Anorthosis went looking for an equaliser, gaps were left in defence which Omonia started to exploit.

On the stroke of halt-time, a minute after Rauffman had been foiled by Panayiotou, Kaiaphas also had a chance to increase Omonia's lead, but his lack of experience let him down.

Having dribbled round the advancing Panayiotou, he had the time to steady himself and pick his spot before shooting. Instead he rushed and shot straight at Michailovic who headed the ball away.

Midway through the second half, Malekkos and Hoffman Rauffman combined skillfully to put Rauffman through. Panyiotou fouled him, but made amends by saving the resulting penalty kick. That was the turning point.

With 14 minutes left, Charalambous crossed into the Omonia area where three defenders could not clear the ball which fell to the unmarked Melanarkitis. He beat Christofi at his near post, with the Omonia defence ball-watching.

With Omonia's tired players deflated, Anorthosis had no trouble holding on for the final whistle.

After the game Anorthosis' fans and players celebrated winning the league title and made statements about their successful defence of the championship. Anorthosis coach Dusan Mitosevic said: "This draw gives us the title... this year's title is much sweeter for us!"

There is still a game to play and Anorthosis are only two points ahead of Omonia who have a much better goal difference.

In other words, if they fail to beat Evagoras at home next weekend and Omonia beat Ethnikos Achna, the Nicosia side will take the title. What made Anorthosis believe that victory over Evagoras is such a certainty?

Is it because Evagoras have escaped relegation and will have nothing to play for or will the game be fixed. Only if the match is rigged would Anorthosis be justified taking victory over Evagoras for granted.

Evagoras made sure of their stay in the first division with a 1-0 victory over sixth-placed Paralimni who did not play to win. This was the same side that a week ago had outplayed Omonia, despite losing 3-1 in the end!

On Sunday all the relegation-threatened sides won their respective games easily. Salamina crushed Apoel 6-1, Alki beat Aek 4-1 and Ael won 5-2 at Ethnikos Ashias. The only result above suspicion was the 1-1 draw between Anagennisis and Apop in Dherynia - both sides needed to win to avoid relegation.

As things are, second from bottom Anagennisis look to be heading for the second division. Alki, in the third relegation spot are certain to beat Ael away from home next weekend and climb to safety.

The third relegation spot will be decided in the clash between Apop and Salamina in Paphos, with the home side needing to win to stay up and send the visitors down.

At least there will be one game, next weekend, the result of which will not be known in advance.

© Copyright Cyprus Mail 1998

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