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Cyprus Mail: News Articles in English, 01-10-28Cyprus Mail: News Articles in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Cyprus Mail at <http://www.cyprus-mail.com/>Sunday, October 28 , 2001CONTENTS
[01] Turkish Cypriots 'have a year to join the EU team'By Melina DemetriouFOREIGN Minister Yiannakis Cassoulides yesterday gave Turkish Cypriots one year to decide on the government's offer to join its EU negotiating team. "The window of opportunity will remain open until September next year,"he said, "and until then they have time to return to Cyprus problem talks and also to join our negotiating team." Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash deems Cyprus'application for EU membership illegal and has repeatedly turned down invitations to participate in Cyprus'membership negotiations. Cassoulides was speaking yesterday after this week's visit to Cyprus by European Commission President Romano Prodi. Addressing the House of Representatives on Thursday, Prodi said Cyprus would join the EU irrespective of whether a settlement had been reached, but urged both sides to use the window of opportunity offered by accession to reach a settlement. Prodi said that if a solution were reached before Cyprus concluded membership talks by the middle of next year it would be possible to include the provisions of a political agreement in arrangements for accession. "History would not look kindly on those who knowingly let this opportunity slip," he said, having earlier expressed disappointment at the Turkish Cypriot side's rejection of UN efforts to resume the talks. Cassoulides described Prodi's visit as "especially important". He said that Prodi had officially conveyed the European Commission's view that Cyprus will be among those countries in the next wave of enlargement in 2004, solution or no solution. Cassoulides said he considered that Prodi's remarks were "evident of an improvement of his stance regarding Cyprus". He recalled that the EC President had made "diplomatic statements in the past (about whether Cyprus would be able to join the EU before a political solution)." Prodi left Cyprus on Friday after his high-profile two-day visit. Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001 [02] Deadline for new voters to registerVOTERS whose names are not listed in the government's electoral directory have until Wednesday to register for December's municipal elections, the Central Election Service announced yesterday.The Election Service called on all citizens who will be at least 18 by election day, December 16, "to apply soon and no later than October 31 for registration in the electoral directory if their names are not listed already". Application forms for registration are provided by the Election Service at the Interior Ministry and District offices. Voting in the elections is compulsory for all adult citizens. Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001 [03] Testing time for older carsTHE 'MoT' age arrives in Cyprus tomorrow, as all cars registered between January 5, 1970, and October 11 1973, number plates EN390 to GZ999, are asked to come forward for tests between Monday and the end of January, 2002.Official letters will inform motorists to take their vehicles to one of a list of registered garages. Motorists should pay the £25 fee to a Co-operative Bank, in exchange for a receipt, a copy of which should be taken to the garage. Retests for those cars that fail will cost £15. All cars that fail to turn up to the test will be banned from the roads until they pass. A full list of participating garages will be included in the letter of summons. Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001 [04] New phone numbers can be used from ThursdayBy Rita KyriakidesTHIS WEEK the Cyprus Telecommunications Authority (CyTA) is introducing eight-digit phone numbers in what it calls its new 'National Numbering Plan'. December 1 is the day CyTA officially switches to eight digits instead of the current six -- with all calls within Cyprus charged at the same rate. But starting this Thursday, November 1, existing and new numbers will operate in parallel for seven months, until June 1, 2002. From then, all calls to the old numbers will be forwarded to recorded announcements for a period of six months. Area codes -- 02, 05, 04 etc -- will be replaced by two digits, which will be added to all phone numbers according to district. All numbers will start with the digit 2. Nicosia numbers, for example, will start with 22, and Limassol numbers will start with 25. All eight numbers will have to be dialled, wherever you are calling from. Mobile phone number prefixes will also be changed from 09 to 99. People calling from overseas will dial the international code +357 followed by the new eight-digit number. CyTA says the National Numbering Plan is being implemented so the authority can prepare for competition when other service providers enter the market under European Union liberalisation rules. For more information about the number changes, customers can call the toll- free help line on 0800 2001 or visit the CyTA website at <i> www.cyta.com.cy/tesa/</i> Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001 [05] Four remanded in land scam caseNICOSIA District Court yesterday remanded four suspended civil servants for eight days in connection with the illegal transfer of Turkish Cypriot land in the remote Tylliria area, east of Polis.The men are suspected of being involved in the illegal transfer last year of land that was later sold to an investment company for around £1 million. Interior Minister Christodoulos Christodoulou has promised a thorough investigation into the case, including both the private and public sector, going back further than just 2000. A fifth man arrested in connection with the case did not appear in court yesterday. Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001 [06] Christofias'gallbladder removedHOUSE President and AKEL leader Demetris Christofias yesterday underwent a successful operation at Nicosia General Hospital to remove his gallbladder.He was admitted yesterday morning to undergo the scheduled operation, a laparoscopic cholecystectomy, and is due to be discharged today, a hospital source told the Sunday Mail . "The operation has been successful,"the source said. The surgery lasted for an hour ad a half. The House President will rest for a few days before returning to work. Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001 [07] Iranian deported for having opiumAN IRANIAN arrested for opium possession, which he claimed was for medicinal purposes, was deported yesterday.The 39-year-old man was detained on Friday morning at Larnaca Airport shortly his flight touched down from Tehran. Officers from the Larnaca drug squad found three condoms filled with 380 grams of opium in his luggage and he was arrested. He was taken to court yesterday morning and sentenced to immediate deportation. Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001 [08] Precious Silver found after legging it with hunting houndLOST LASSIE look-alike Silver, the pegleg mascot of the Paphos International Sailing Club, was yesterday reunited with his devoted owner, pensioner Bryan Wilcock from Chlorakas, thanks to an appeal in yesterday's Cyprus Mail .Silver went missing on Tuesday, when he broke his collar and ran off with a hunting dog. Chlorakas residents Petros Theodosiou and his English girlfriend Debbie Blagboro found him alone near the Tombs of the Kings on Wednesday night. Concerned that his three-legged state might have been the result of a recent accident, they took him home to feed him and get him checked by a vet. They asked around in the village, but no one seemed to recognise Silver, who came from the other end of Chlorakas. But then they saw the article in yesterday's Cyprus Mailand phoned the newspaper to get in touch with Bryan. The three met up yesterday afternoon and Bryan was delighted to have his beloved dog back. " He's very well and he's been well looked after,"he said. Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001 Cyprus Mail: News Articles in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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