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Cyprus Mail: News Articles in English, 00-12-14
CONTENTS
[01] Teachers strike and threaten further action
[02] Denktash: I'll go to Geneva, but not for proximity talks
[03] Greek Cypriot abducted near Pergamos
[04] UNFICYP mandate renewed
[05] Shares take another battering
[06] Consumers' Association blasts TV channels over toy ads
[07] Bank robber steals £85,000
[08] Deadly week on the roads
[01] Teachers strike and threaten further action
APPROXIMATELY 2,000 high school teachers yesterday marched on the
Presidential Palace demanding to receive higher pay to keep ahead of their
primary school colleagues. The teachers began their protest outside their
union building at 10am and them moved on to the Presidential Palace, where
they stayed for about an hour, staging a 15-minute sit-in that blocked off
the busy road outside the Palace. The teachers were angered by President
Glafcos Clerides' refusal to see them, with OELMEK union leader Andreas
Stavrou saying they were determined to escalate measures. He said the
government had betrayed the teachers and was mocking them, something he
said would force a confrontation, whatever the cost to education. The union
will be holding nationwide consultations today to decide what further
action to take, but the Cabinet yesterday warned there would be no dialogue
with the teachers until all their action was suspended. Speaking after a
Cabinet meeting, Education Minister Ouranios Ioannides said Clerides had
not met teachers' representatives because it was his policy not to meet
with bodies while action was being taken. He said the government would not
take any measures against striking teachers, except to dock their wages for
the days they would be striking. Ioannides added that lessons missed due to
the strike would be caught up. The teachers' union OELMEK on Monday decided
to implement last week's suspended measures, which included yesterday's 24-
hour strike, refusal to submit pupils' end of term reports, and no contacts
whatsoever with ministry officials. Parents' organisations have expressed
their disappointment at the developments, which they said were not expected
after the two sides' initial agreement last week. Parents said they would
meet both sides to try and sort the situation out, stressing that they
would not hesitate to assign responsibilities for the crisis. Ioannides
yesterday said the government's handling of the issue so far had been
flawless. "The fact is that equal pay was decided on by law in 1992 and not
2000. As a result, the high school teachers' reaction to their primary
school colleagues receiving equal pay should not be happening today but
should have happened in 1992." The spat began when elementary school
teachers went on strike demanding pay rises to bring them into line with
secondary teachers. But the secondary teachers reacted immediately, asking
in turn for an upgrade in their salary status to maintain the gap with
primary school teachers.
[02] Denktash: I'll go to Geneva, but not for proximity talks
By a Staff Reporter TURKISH Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash will go to Geneva
but not to take part in the sixth round of proximity talks, newspapers in
the north reported yesterday. Denktash has for weeks insisted the proximity
talks were a waste of time and that the Turkish Cypriot side would not take
part unless they were held on its terms -- despite statements by the UN
that the parameters would not be changed. Denktash wants talks on a state-
to-state basis and centering on confederation rather than federation. Talks
are scheduled to begin in Geneva at the end of January. Yesterday, Turkish
Cypriot opposition newspaper Avrupa reported that Denktash had "given up
his obstinacy" and declared he would go to Geneva. Speaking on a television
programme called "To Tell the Truth", Denktash said that he would go to
Geneva in January, but not to attend the sixth round of talks, although he
did say he would talk to UN officials. "You can call this a first round,"
Denktash said, adding that he would go to Geneva on the basis of what he
had prepared himself. Government spokesman Michalis Papapetrou said
yesterday he had no doubt that, as the time approached for the sixth round,
the Turkish Cypriot leader would try and go back on his stance. "It would
not suit Mr Denktash not to go to the talks and pressure is being exerted
by the international community for the continuation of the talks, not new
talks," Papapetrou said. In Ankara, Turkish Foreign Ministry Deputy
spokesman Huseyin Dirioz said Turkey supported the goodwill mission of the
UN Secretary-general.
[03] Greek Cypriot abducted near Pergamos
TURKISH occupation forces yesterday abducted a 40-year-old father of three,
less than two weeks after issuing a threatening ultimatum over the arrest
by Cyprus police of a Turkish Cypriot man suspected of smuggling two kilos
of heroin. The Turkish ultimatum for the release of Omer Tekoglu was sent
to UNFICYP two weeks ago after he was picked up by police outside the
buffer zone village of Pyla, allegedly in possession of two kilos of
heroin. "If Greek Cypriot police are engaging in a new policy of kidnapping
suspects from the UN-controlled buffer zone, Turkish Cypriot police will
respond in a similar manner," the ultimatum read. Yesterday, UN spokeswoman
Sarah Russel said 39-year-old contractor Panicos Tsiakourmas had
disappeared as he was heading toward the occupied village of Pergamos,
which borders the Sovereign Base Area (SBA) in Dhekelia, to pick up six
Turkish Cypriot workers and carry them to Nicosia. The Greek Cypriot is
accused of possessing two kilos of cannabis. He is expected to appear in
`court' in the occupied areas today. An SBA spokesman told the Cyprus
Mail that Tsiakourmas' pick-up truck had been found on SBA territory,
around 400 metres from the occupied areas, with the lights on and the
engine running. Tsiakourmas' brother, who went to Pergamos at around 6.15am
to pick up five other Turkish Cypriot workers, found the car. He said his
brother picked up workers from the same spot every day. Reports from the
north said that Tsiakourmas was seized after two kilos of cannabis were
allegedly found in his vehicle.
[04] UNFICYP mandate renewed
THE UN Security Council yesterday agreed to a six-month renewal to the 36-
year presence of the UNFICYP peacekeeping force in Cyprus. The Council took
a unanimous decision to extend the 1,240-strong mission until June 15, 2001,
while urging Turkish Cypriots and Ankara to halt their self-imposed
sanctions against UN troops. In June the occupation forces shut down all
but one crossing point along the Green Line, restricting the movement of
peacekeeping personnel. Turkish forces advanced to Greek-Cypriot inhabited
Strovilia, violating the cease-line and the military status quo. The moves
were a show of protest against the last renewal of the UNFICYP mandate,
which failed to affirm Turkish Cypriot approval for the presence of the UN
in the occupied areas, in addition to the approval needed from the
Republic. Yesterday's resolution called on the "Turkish Cypriot side and
Turkish forces to rescind the restrictions imposed on June 30 2000, on the
operations of UNFICYP and to restore the military status quo." But Russian
Ambassador to the UN, Sergei Lavrov, confirmed that the Greek and Turkish
Cypriots continue to "maintain their well known positions vis-a-vis the
item on the Council's agenda". Earlier this month, UN Secretary General
Kofi Annan, excluded the customary addendum that states the position of the
Republic as well as that held by the Turkish Cypriot authorities, after
Greek Cypriots denounced it in June. Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash
recently decided to abandon the UN-sponsored proximity talks until his
demands for recognition are met. UN diplomats do not consider his decision
final.
[05] Shares take another battering
SHARE PRICES stumbled again yesterday as blue chips stocks came under heavy
selling pressure sending the all-share index plummeting 3.23 per cent to
close at 258 points. The FTSE/CySE index dropped 3.62 per cent to end at 1,
154 and all other sectors recorded across-the-board losses. Volume stood at
£18.2 million as losers outpaced gainers 146 to 32 with 34 unchanged.
Trading remained under Tuesday's 264-point close throughout the session.
The highest the index hit was 262 during the first twenty minutes before
heading into an irreversible decline. The banking sector sustained the
biggest losses, plunging four per cent amid heavy trading in Bank of Cyprus
(BoC) and Laiki the two most actively traded stocks of the day. BoC shed 13
cents to close at £3.70 while Laiki gave up 17 cents to finish at £3.61.
Total volume for the two banks reached close to £4 million. On the Athens
Stock Exchange (ASE) BoC didn't fare any better, losing 2.58 per cent to 2,
270 drachmas (£3.79) while the general and banking indexes dropped 3.15 and
2.60 respectively. Louis Cruise Lines came in third on the CSE's most
active list yesterday with a volume of £1.3 million and some three million
shares traded but the share lost two cents to end at 52 cents. Tsokkos
Hotels was also heavily traded with 3.2 million shares worth £1.2 million
changing hands gaining three cents to close at 42 cents. GlobalSoft was
left out of the race for the third day in a row, shedding seven cents to
end at £5.21. After six days of gains following a recent downslide, which
saw the index plunge to 219 points, investors are still being tempted to
cash in despite last week's show of optimism. Market analyst Christos
Achillides said he could not rule out further profit-taking in the next few
days even with the index hitting lower levels. "However I think it would be
difficult to go beyond the recent low that we had," he said. "We may see
another correction tomorrow but I think that by Friday we will see
increased demand."
[06] Consumers' Association blasts TV channels over toy ads
PARENTS are feeling the Christmas pinch harder than others, with the
Consumers' Association yesterday claiming toy adverts brainwashed children
to push their parents to buy, buy, buy. Association chief Dinos Ioannou
told the Cyprus Mail that television and radio channels seemed to be
ignoring relevant laws on the screening of toy adverts before specific
watersheds. "By law, adverts of this type should not be shown until 10pm
or at all on weekends and school holidays; the nights before weekends or
holidays, the threshold rises to 11pm," Ioannou said. "We are urging all
the television and radio stations to honour these guidelines." He said an
Association announcement calling on the Radio and Television Authority to
take action on the unlawful adverts was just a first step: "Our committee
will meet and decide what to do next if this attempt is not successful. The
strongest measure we can take is to sue the channels involved, we have that
right." In fact, the Broadcasting Authority has already begun to
investigate violations of the law, its director Christoforos Christoforou
said yesterday. "I was just on the phone a few minutes ago and we are
examining a number of cases, most of which we have spotted ourselves but
one of which followed a viewer complaint." Christoforou could not say how
many violations were being investigated but added: "Because of Christmas,
this type of violation is high on our list of priorities: we have also sent
memorandums to all of the stations reminding them of the law." Ioannou,
however, is concerned that a lot of damage has already been done, "We are
very concerned about these advertisers that essentially exploit children,
turning them into a pressure group on their parents and extended family.
Since the law exists it should be adhered to." Jackie Chrysanthou, a
Nicosia mother of two pre-teens, said the influence of adverts had waned as
her children got older: "Now they want clothes, video-games and CDs, not
the kind of stuff you see advertised as much. They already know what they
want anyway." But when they were younger, they wanted everything they saw
on television: "They get brainwashed, and you feel pressure to get them
what they want, and if you have the money you do." Mother of three under-
10s Carrie Demetriadou said the phrase she heard most from her children
during the Christmas season was, "I want that." Both women agreed, however,
that the power of advertisements paled in comparison to television shows
and their attendant merchandise. "My son didn't know what Pokemon was until
the show came on TV. Then he started watching, and now wants the toys and
games. It is one thing seeing a 30-second advert and another seeing a half-
an-hour show at least once a week," Demetriadou said.
[07] Bank robber steals £85,000
By a Staff Reporter A MAN made off with £85,000 after holding up two
Hellenic Bank employees at gunpoint in Nicosia yesterday. The incident
happened at approximately 10 am, as staff carrying the cash were about to
leave the Strovolos branch by car to take it to the bank's central office.
The robber, who was riding a scooter, pulled a gun on Christos Christou and
Marios Zografou, and demanded that Zografou, who was carrying the money,
hand it over before disappearing. Despite an immediate call for assistance
from the police, who arrived minutes after the theft, the culprit escaped,
possibly using the area's many narrow, winding roads to make his exit.
George Papadopoulos, the Director General of Hellenic, said the case was
"most unfortunate," especially as the money was normally transferred using
a private security firm.
[08] Deadly week on the roads
By a Staff Reporter SIX people were killed and 15 seriously injured in 131
traffic accidents during the week between November 27 and December 12,
police reported yesterday. A further 23 people were slightly injured during
the same period. Police said there were 1,946 violations of the traffic
code, and £21,455 was paid in fines. The courts tried 248 traffic related
cases and 34 people lost their right to carry or obtain a driving licence.
During the week, police recorded 978 cases of speeding, and 65 drivers were
booked for not wearing seatbelts. Twenty-seven moped and motorcycle riders
were caught not wearing their helmets and 130 drivers were reported for
using mobile phones while driving. One driver was booked because of
excessive exhaust emissions. Police carried out 289 breathalyser tests, of
which 17 drivers were positive.
Cyprus Mail 2000
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