Cyprus Mail: News Articles in English, 01-08-11

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

Saturday, August 11, 2001

CONTENTS

[01] CY engineers want more time to study peace plan

[02] Burglary warning as the holiday exodus begins

[03] Witness says missing doctor suspect 'staged murder to extort money'

[04] Denktash demands stake in oil discussions

[05] Bureaucratic bungle leaves pensioners sweltering through the heat wave

[06] Violin prodigy to give Curium concert

[07] Bomb suspect officer suspended by Defence Ministry

[08] Shock resignations throw civil service union into turmoil

[09] Talks expected to resume in early September

[01] CY engineers want more time to study peace plan

CYPRUS Airways (CY) engineers yesterday asked for more time to study a government proposal aimed at resolving a long-running promotions dispute before they give reassurances that there will be no more strikes.

Labour Minister Andreas Moushiouttas gave CY and engineers' union ASYSEKA the proposal on Tuesday to help resolve the dispute. The two sides were given until August 20 to return with their positions. ASYSEKA threatened strike action a week ago but called it off after Moushiouttas said he would intervene.

Earlier, their refusal to give precise details of when they planned to stop work was condemned by CY management as industrial guerrilla warfare set to cause maximum inconvenience. The company refused point blank to negotiate further unless the threat of action was lifted.

The engineers abandoned work for two hours on July 20, grounding CY flights and leaving passengers stranded at the height of the tourist season.

The ASYSEKA general council scrutinised the proposal together with Moushiouttas yesterday morning. After a marathon meeting, the ASYSEKA General Assembly last night asked for more time before responding to the mediation proposal.

ASYSEKA called on Moushiouttas to give more details about the proposal which they said they would respond to on August 20. They promised not to announce any strike measures until then. However, some members of the assembly reportedly opposed this stance.

Moushiouttas yesterday expressed the hope that the CY engineers would not go on strike but was adamant that his proposal was not negotiable. CY chairman Haris Loizides said on Thursday that there would be some difficulties in satisfying the wide-ranging demands of the union.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001

[02] Burglary warning as the holiday exodus begins

WITH Cypriots escaping en masse the heat of the major cities to head for the cool of the sea, police are going on alert for an expected increase in burglaries.

Traditionally, the summer season - especially the mid-August break - is the prime period for petty theft, breaking and entering and burglaries. Although such crimes rarely involve physical violence, the fact that 40 per cent of all crime on the island is theft-related points to the significance attributed by police.

As vice-superintendent Bambos Stavrinides told the Cyprus Mail, this type of crime is for the most part "opportunistic".

"Where burglaries are concerned, the perpetrators usually go for small items of value, such as jewellery, cameras, watches. It's usually an in-and- out job, so that they reduce the chances of getting caught."

According to official statistics, in the year 2000 around 70 per cent of theft and burglary cases were solved and the perpetrators brought to justice. A total of 1,018 burglaries were reported.

"This element of deterrence is one of the main reasons why there has been a steady fall in this crime type." Stavrinides said. "Now prospective burglars will have second thoughts about breaking the law."

Other reasons were increased precautions taken by home owners, with demand for alarm systems steadily rising. Police have also set up a "hotline" which people can call (dial 1499 from anywhere) to report suspect activities around their neighbourhood.

Police patrols can reach the scene where a crime is in progress in two to 10 minutes at the latest, Stavrinides said.

More and more private residences are requesting home alarm systems, according to John Argyrides, director general manager at Group 4, a security firm. Priced at around £600 for an average-sized home, alarm systems can be installed within a day and also provide an option for fire detection as an additional precaution. An extra monitor fee of £120 a year ensures that the company contacts the police as soon as the alarm, connected to the main station, goes off.

As Stavrinides explained, both actual theft and the act of breaking and entering are crimes punishable by prison sentences, sometimes lengthy.

The number of burglaries is expected to also fall this year. By observing a few basic safety precautions, holidaymakers will be able to enjoy their hard-earned vacations without worry, noted Stavrinides. "Honest citizens come back to their homes, crime wannabes stay out of jail. That way everyone is happy."

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001

[03] Witness says missing doctor suspect 'staged murder to extort money'

A LIMASSOL courtroom yesterday heard staggering allegations of staged murder, blackmail, extortion and deception in the case of a 45-year old doctor gone missing since May 8.

George Kinnis, a father of two, is believed to have been abducted after taking a leave of absence two months ago from the Limassol Hospital, where he headed the X-ray department. Police investigations have established Kinnis had purchased a plot of land for around half a million pounds, but had allegedly been swindled by the real estate contractor. A few days before his disappearance, the doctor allegedly told a friend he was afraid the contractor would not return the money.

The contractor, later identified as 53-year-old Andreas Sophocleous, was last week remanded in custody on suspicion of being tied to the doctor's abduction, as well as offences relating to circulation of forged documents and obtaining cash using false pretences.

A key witness testifying in relation to the forgery offences yesterday described how Sophocleous was indirectly using blackmail to extract large amounts of cash from him. Andreas Petrou, also a contractor, told a shocked courtroom that Sophocleous had staged a murder in order to make him feel like an accessory.

According to Petrou, on one occasion Sophocleous told him about a good deal on a plot of land. When the two men arrived at the site, they noticed a car parked at a distance.

At that point the driver got out of the car and started making threats against the two men. Sophocleous then allegedly told Petrou that he knew the driver, and that the person was also interested in buying the plot. According to Petrou, Sophocleous said the man was trouble and that he would kill him to get him out of their way.

Petrou told the court that Sophocleous then went to the man while he stayed behind. Shots were then fired. When Sophocleous returned, he was covered with blood, and said that he had been seen committing the crime by a passer- by. In the days that followed, Petrou was allegedly told by Sophocleous that the eyewitness wanted cash to keep quiet, and that Petrou had to pay up, which he did.

The defence team yesterday dismissed Petrou's claims as bogus, arguing that the story was made up to cover the fact Petrou owed Sophocleous around £30, 000. They also told the court Petrou had signed 12 cheques that later bounced.

The suspect has denied any involvement with Kinnis' disappearance, although eyewitnesses testified Sophocleous had met the doctor on May 8.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001

[04] Denktash demands stake in oil discussions

TURKISH Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash wants his breakaway state in the north to have a piece of the offshore oil and gas pie, which the Cyprus government is negotiating for with neighbouring countries.

In a statement issued on Thursday, Denktash claimed the 'TRNC' also had rights over the economic region and the continental shelf of the island. He pointed out that the economic region and continental shelf of Cyprus had not yet been delimited and added that this could only be done through agreements signed with the approval of the 'TRNC', Turkey and other regional countries in line with international law.

Referring to talks held earlier this week between Cypriot and Syrian officials, Denktash said he would defend the rights of the 'TRNC'.

Commerce Minister Nicos Rolandis and his Syrian counterpart agreed to work on a bilateral deal to be signed by the end of this year for the joint exploration of the natural resources. Cyprus hopes to conclude similar deals with Israel and Egypt.

"From these reports, it is understood that the Greek Cypriot administration is trying to prepare the ground for a future fait accompli on the issue," Denktash's statement said.

"The regions should be delineated in line with international law through agreements to be concluded with all the concerned countries in the region, including Turkey," it added. "And it is clear that this delineation cannot be possible without reaching an agreement with the TRNC. The administration in the south, whatever it calls itself, does not have the right to sign a delineation agreement unilaterally."

Denktash said that the Greek Cypriot side was obliged to act in co- operation with the 'TRNC' on the issue.

"We hope that the Greek Cypriot administration will not adopt a negative stand that might become a new source of crisis in the region and that the concerned countries will not permit such a move," he said.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001

[05] Bureaucratic bungle leaves pensioners sweltering through the heat wave

THE RESIDENTS of an old people's home in Latsia are sweltering through the heat wave because a misunderstanding between two government departments has prevented the operation of air conditioning units.

Sixteen recently installed climate control units at the 'Stegi' retirement home cannot be used because there is not enough electric power.

The call to the EAC has been delayed by a misunderstanding between the Electrical and Mechanical Department of the Communications and Works Ministry and the Welfare Department of the Labour Ministry.

It appears that both departments felt the call to the EAC fell within the other's jurisdiction.

Most of the residents of the home have been moved to parts of the building that have older units that still work during the day, except for those who are bed ridden and have to remain in their rooms. All of them suffer at night because there are no working units in the rooms.

A source at the Electrical and Mechanical Department admitted there was a problem: "it's like someone building cars before building the roads," the source said.

The Meteorological department announced yesterday that the heat wave would continued over the next three or four days.

Meteorological officer Loizos Stephanou said temperatures and humidity would remain high.

Temperatures will remain around 40 degrees, and humidity will stay high.

Humidity levels have been uncomfortably high with levels at 30 per cent in Nicosia and up to 80 per cent in coastal regions.

Stephanou also said that winds would be almost non-existent, increasing the discomfort and heat-stress risk levels.

Temperatures in Nicosia yesterday afternoon reached 39.9 degrees Celsius with humidity levels at 33 per cent.

The public is once again being warned to avoid strenuous physical exercise, consume plenty of water or fruit juice, stick to light meals, avoid alcohol and dress in light-coloured, loose clothing.

There has been one heat-related death, during last month's heat wave, when a Rumanian builder succumbing to the scorching heat.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001

[06] Violin prodigy to give Curium concert

POPULAR violinist and child prodigy Vanessa Mae will give a one-off concert in Cyprus at the end of September, it was announced yesterday.

Mae, now 22, will come to Cyprus at the invitation of Laiki Bank as part of its centenary celebrations and will perform at Curium Amphitheatre on September 30.

Born Vanessa-Mae Vanakorn Nicholson, the daughter of a Chinese mother and Thai father in Singapore, Mae also shares her birthday with classical composer, Paganini.

She moved to London at the age of four with her mother, having started piano lessons at age three. When she was five, she began to study violin and shortly after won a prize at the British Young Pianist of the Year Competition.

The youngest student of Professor Lin Yao Ji of the Central Conservatoire of China, and of Felix Andrievski of the Royal College of Music in London, Mae began performing early in her career, playing with the Philharmonic Orchestra at the age of 10.

By the time she was 13, Mae had gone on an international tour with the London Mozart Players and recorded both Tchaikovsky's and Beethoven's Violin Concertos, the youngest person in the world to have completed such a feat. When she began to work on her album, The Violin Player, she already had three classical recordings under her belt, as well as her debut and sophomore albums, Violin and Kids' Classics. 1995's The Violin Player, which blends traditional and modern, electric violin sounds, spawned the pop song, "Toccata & Fugue", which hit the UK charts. Mae made history yet again, as the only classical artist to have a Billboard Dance Chart Topper, with the dance remix of "Toccata & Fugue".

In 1996, she was nominated for Best Female Artist at the BRIT Awards, blurring the lines between musical genres as the first instrumental and classical artist to receive this nomination. She also received the BAMBI International Classical Artist of the Year Award.

Tickets for the Mae concert will go on sale on August 16, at the Nicosia Municipal Theatre and the Pattichion Theatre in Limassol.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001

[07] Bomb suspect officer suspended by Defence Ministry

SAVVAS Sudjis, a lieutenant colonel with the National Guard, has been suspended by the Defence Ministry pending an investigation into allegations he supplied explosives used in several bombing incidents.

On Thursday, the 47-year-old infantry officer was remanded in custody for eight days by a Nicosia district court, which heard from police investigators that Sudjis had been named by a suspect as the supplier of TNT and grenades.

The colonel was named by Fanos Mahattou, 42, from Ayia Napa, who has been tied through DNA testing to a bomb explosion in Paralimni.

According to the testimony given in court, the explosive material in three separate cases is the same as that used by the National Guard. Mahattou allegedly told police that Sudjis had supplied him with six or seven hand grenades as well as the TNT. These were handed over to another person awaiting trial in connection with destruction of property using explosives.

Sudjis will also have to explain to the court - and army authorities - why a small arsenal of weapons was found in his home. A police search on Thursday came up with 16 bayonets, a reel of fuse, two smoke grenades, an unregistered airgun and a large quantity of military equipment.

The Defence Ministry announcement noted Sudjis had been suspended to "assist the inquiry initiated by the military authorities".

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001

[08] Shock resignations throw civil service union into turmoil

CIVIL servant's union PASYDY was thrown into turmoil yesterday, with over half of the general council taking the holiday absence of their chairman as an opportunity to resign en masse.

The reasons for the shock resignations at the powerful union - which will force a fresh electoral conference within 30 days - were unclear yesterday, but the PASYDY leader, General Secretary Glafcos Hadjipetrou, spoke of a 'desire for renewal'.

The 54 resignations seemed to uncover a rift between Hadjipetrou and the chairman of the union's general council, Antonis Antoniou.

Antoniou, speaking from Greece where he was holidaying yesterday, said he believed Hadjipetrou supported the 54 resigning council members and spoke of a "war" against the chairman within the union.

Hadjipetrou did not align himself for or against the quitting councillors yesterday, but he was certainly not disparaging of their action in his comments.

Antoniou and the rest of the general council were elected less than four months ago.

The PASYDY General Secretary said the 54 general council members had signed a joint statement resigning from the union body. He said no reason had been given for the sudden departures.

"There is a provision in our constitution which stipulates that when over half of the members resign simultaneously and in writing, this leads to the general council resigning and no reason has to be given," Hadjipetrou said. "Following this, according to the constitution, the executive council remains while a new general council is elected at an emergency electoral council called within 30 days."

Hadjipetrou suggested the 54 wanted to usher in a change. "They just considered that at this stage it is necessary to have new elections to sort out the serious problems public sector workers face, this is clear," he said.

"There are many problems being left hanging, and perhaps colleagues considered it necessary to resort to an electoral council to renew the mandate with new faces," he added, casting aspersions at the leadership of the current council.

Chairman Antoniou said he had not been informed of the intentions of his councillors. Antoniou did not hide his disappointment at the course of action chosen by the 54, and pointed the finger at Hadjipetrou: "My information is that Glafcos is in the group too, though I cannot confirm this because his signature is not on the document," he told CyBC radio.

The chairman said he had been "under attack" from within the union from the moment he was elected. But he vowed to seek re-election at the new union electoral conference: "I do not give up, I will fight again."

Antoniou said the resignations were a "disruptive" move at a time when the union was dealing with many important civil service issues, such as wage demands currently being reviewed by a ministerial committee.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001

[09] Talks expected to resume in early September

The UN-led proximity talks came to a halt last November when Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash declared them a waste of time. Denktash has been demanding that his breakaway state in the north be recognised before any talks could continue.

The Turkish Cypriot leader will meet UN Secretary-general Kofi Annan in Salzburg in Austria on August 28. Annan's special representative for Cyprus Alvaro de Soto is slated to visit the island on August 29 for at least three days of contacts.

Reports have been rife that Denktash will seek a new basis for the resumption of the talks, but the Greek Cypriot side is insisting they pick up where they left off last November.

"Mr Denktash should give answers to the previous non-papers, according to the procedure agreed," a government source told CNA. "The Greek Cypriot side has given answers and it expects that the new process will start from the point Rauf Denktash withdrew."

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001

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