Cyprus Mail: News Articles in English, 00-11-26

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From: The Cyprus Mail at <http://www.cyprus-mail.com/>

CONTENTS

[01] Denktash threat to quit talks comes under fire

[02] Arson attack in Larnaca

[03] Wood-cutter killed by chainsaw

[04] Government pledge on the rights of children

[05] Where is all the dam water?

[06] One week’s road toll: two dead and £36,110 in fines

[01] Denktash threat to quit talks comes under fire

On Friday Denktash said in Ankara he had reached the decision that “these talks are nothing but a waste of time as long as our parameters are not accepted”, and he implied -- without saying so directly -- that he would not be going to Geneva.

By yesterday afternoon, the Turkish Cypriot leader had still not made his intentions clear.

Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit echoed Denktash’s views on Friday, saying that in the light of the fact that there had been no resolution after almost a year of meetings, Turkey supported Denktash’s intention to leave the talks.

“We hope that Denktash revises his position and decides to attend the talks, but if he doesn’t then he will be held fully responsible by the UN, the European Union and the whole of the international community for the political consequences of such an action,” Government Spokesman Michalis Papapetrou told a news conference in Nicosia yesterday.

He said the UN and the international community should resist the temptation of considering Denktash’s demands for acknowledgment of his self-declared regime in the north in order to save the talks.

Papapetrou said Ankara was reinforcing Denktash’s efforts to destroy the peace process in Cyprus. He said that tomorrow the Foreign Ministry will begin examining practical ways of involving the international community in efforts to convince the Turkish Cypriots to stay in the talks.

UN spokeswoman Sarah Russell expressed the hope that Denktash will attend the sixth round, and noted that UN Secretary-general’s Special Adviser for Cyprus Alvaro De Soto will be on the island from December 3-6, when he would meet the Turkish Cypriot leader.

After a meeting yesterday with the EU rapporteur for Cyprus, Jacques Poos, opposition AKEL leader Demetris Christofias called on the international community “to make it abundantly clear to Denktash and Turkey that there can be no settlement without respect for UN resolutions” on Cyprus.

The US State Department believes that Denktash’s attitude was not doing any good to either Turkey or the Turkish Cypriots, a US official has told the Athens News Agency. The US backs UN efforts to solve the Cyprus problem and is in contact with all sides trying to convince Denktash to attend the talks, it said.

Meanwhile, the Turkish daily Hurriyet said yesterday that a decision by Denktash to abandon the talks would be “historic”. It also reported that Deputy Prime Minster Mesut Yilmaz, who is responsible for negotiations with the European Union which has granted Turkey candidate status, has called on the Turkish side to delay a decision on whether to leave the talks until after next month’s EU summit in Nice. But both Ecevit and Denktash oppose this view, the paper said.

The summit will define Turkey’s status as a candidate member for EU accession, at the same time setting ground rules, one of which could be related to progress in the Cyprus problem.

[02] Arson attack in Larnaca

POLICE are investigating an arson attack which caused extensive damage to a car in Larnaca.

The 2.15am blaze started after the arsonists doused the bonnet with petrol while the car belonging to Pantelitsa Krashia, 40, was parked in her garage on Filias Street.

The fire caused damage to the bonnet and engine estimated at around £2,000.

[03] Wood-cutter killed by chainsaw

A 50-year-old Russian man was killed yesterday in Paphos while he was cutting wood with a chainsaw.

Zorin Michael was cutting wood in his yard in the village of Statos when he was injured in the front part of his body by the chainsaw.

Michael was found by his wife who cried for help from the neighbours. He was rushed to Paphos hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Police are investigating.

[04] Government pledge on the rights of children

Addressing a conference on child protection and welfare, Moushiouttas said the state would continue to co-operate with child protection organisations and implement more programmes and services to ensure compliance with all provisions of the convention.

The two-day conference is being held by the Child Protection and Welfare Co- ordinating Committee to mark 10 years since the House of Representatives ratified the convention on children’s rights.

In a statement the Committee said everyone should worry about the competitive and materialistic society of today which victimises children, not allowing them to enjoy their childhood years.

It also said the inclusion of sex and violence in the mass media creates thoughts and feelings that traumatise children and deprive them of the innocent childhood they deserve.

Responsibility for finding ways to preserve childhood lies with the state, non-

governmental organisations, and society in general, all of which must help in forming a long-term national policy on the issue, the statement added.

[05] Where is all the dam water?

Agriculture Minister Costas Themistocleous, who has committed himself to solving the water crisis, has promised that all will be solved by the end of the year when the new Larnaca desalination plant comes on stream.

But the dam at Polemidia is a graphic reminder of just how bad the water problem has become. It runs dry at one end, the ground cracked and broken. Small plants that once thrived underwater have withered and died. Rubbish lies scattered by walkers and fishermen – plastic bags, empty water bottles, a car tyre and even a beach umbrella.

Reservoirs and desalination plants together provide about 35 per cent of the country’s water needs. The rest come from aquifers.

Winter rains in 1999-2000 were just 58 per cent of normal. Dams were left at half the level they had been in 1999 and reservoirs were 85 per cent empty.

This year, the government stopped using dam water for irrigation in the Southern Conveyor Belt area for the first time in 50 years.

The main opposition party AKEL has called for a clampdown on leakage from dams and water pipes. But the government, which sees a future of plentiful water supplies in desalination, says the current leakage rate of 10 per cent is commensurate with the European Union average.

Underground water reserves supply Cyprus with some 65 per cent of its water needs, but over-pumping is thought to be around 30 million cubic metres a year.

[06] One week’s road toll: two dead and £36,110 in fines

TWO people were killed and 28 seriously injured in 148 traffic accidents during the week of November 5 to 12, the police say. A further 43 people were slightly injured during the same period.

Police said there were 3,757 violations of the traffic code and £36,110 was paid in fines.

The courts tried 509 traffic-related cases and 62 people lost their right to carry or obtain a driving licence.

During the week, police recorded 1,803 cases of speeding, and 116 drivers were booked for not wearing seatbelts.

Seventy-nine moped and motorcycle riders were caught not wearing their helmets and 452 drivers were reported for using mobile phones while driving.

Three drivers were booked because of excessive exhaust emissions.

Police also carried out 341 breathalyser tests, booking 22 drivers for alleged drink-driving.

Cyprus Mail 2000

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