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Cyprus Mail: News Articles in English, 02-05-19Cyprus Mail: News Articles in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Cyprus Mail at <http://www.cyprus-mail.com/>Sunday, May 19, 2002CONTENTS
[01] EU denies dragging its feet on the 13 militantsBy Jean ChristouTHE GOVERNMENT expects Europe to finalise the departure of the 13 Palestinians on Tuesday, after the EU's Spanish presidency yesterday denied it was dragging its feet on the issue. EU member states have been haggling for more than a week on what to do with the Palestinians, who have been holed up under heavy security in Larnaca's Flamingo Hotel since being expelled from Israel following a 40-day siege at Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity. Yesterday was the third time EU ambassadors postponed their decision on where to send the 13. "It seems the legal difficulties on their status have been resolved... some details are pending about which countries will accept how many, and we expect this issue to be finalised by Tuesday," government spokesman Michalis Papapetrou told Reuters news agency. Foreign Minister Yiannakis Cassoulides also said that immediately after Tuesday's decision there would be developments on the issue. "What is needed now is a little more effort as to the issue of their distribution, and this will happen on Tuesday," he said. Spain, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Belgium and Ireland have volunteered to accept some of the men, but no agreement has yet been reached on how many each of the countries will take. Diplomats told Reuters in Madrid that the delay was an embarrassment for the EU when "we can't agree on such a relatively minor issue", said one. "Where is European solidarity?" asked another. "We worked very late last night (Friday) on this question and we will continue to work through the weekend to solve it as soon as possible," Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Pique said yesterday. "Let's not exaggerate the problem. We are just tying up a few odds and ends," he added. Cyprus had wanted the Palestinians gone earlier in the week but appears willing to go along with the EU's hedging for the moment. "We aren't worried. There will be an agreement in the end, we are sure," another official told Reuters. A Palestinian official said the men were being very patient. Turandot at Paphos Aphrodite Festival Copyright Cyprus Mail 2002 [02] 'We have no problem with Annan's messages'FOREIGN Minister Yiannakis Cassoulides said yesterday that UN Secretary- general Kofi Annan had conveyed four messages to the leaders of the two sides during his visit earlier in the week.Cassoulides said Annan had told the leaders of the need to speed up the ongoing talks, to insist on the time-frame of June, to abandon unproductive discussions and focus on the fundamental principles, and to take advantage of the presence of his Special Adviser on Cyprus, Alvaro de Soto.The Foreign Minister said the Greek Cypriot side had "no problem" accepting any of these messages. But he said it was up to Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash to show whether he would respond to them, during the direct talks with President Glafcos Clerides. "There is a window of opportunity that will close by autumn and even if Denktash continues to have the same positions, Cyprus will proceed at full speed to join the EU," Cassoulides said.When he left the island on Thursday after a two-day visit, the first by a UN Secretary-general in 23 years, Annan said he told the leaders they could resolve the four core issues of the Cyprus problem by the end of June if they really wanted to. Turandot at Paphos Aphrodite Festival Copyright Cyprus Mail 2002 [03] British flights back to normalBOTH British Airways (BA) and national carrier Cyprus Airways (CY) said yesterday that flights to and from the UK had returned to normal, and that no further disruptions are expected this weekend following backlogs created by an air traffic control computer glitch in Britain.A BA spokesman said that only one flight from the UK had been affected on Friday, resulting in a delay of just over two hours. "Things are back to normal now and everything is running on time," the spokesman said. "Onwards flights from the UK are also running on time," he added. CY spokesman Tassos Angelis said the airline has had no more problems since three flights were slightly affected on Friday. "We are not anticipating any further delays over the weekend," Angelis said. Turandot at Paphos Aphrodite Festival Copyright Cyprus Mail 2002 [04] 'Cyprus' and 'Turkey' in each others' armsBy Alexia SaoulliPHOTOGRAPHS of Miss Star Cyprus 2000 and Miss Turkey together are likely to cause quite a stir when a Greek magazine goes on sale this week, Politis reported yesterday. Stella Demetriou and Neshan Mulazim posed together for the magazine Max and feature on the June edition cover. But this is no ordinary photo shoot, as the pictures of the two girls leave very little to the imagination. Accompanying the spread of pictures is an interview with the former Larnaca beauty queen, in which she also reveals her views on Greco-Turkish relations. Demetriou said this was the first time she and her friend Mulazim had attempted this type of modelling. "This is the first time in either's career that we have done this kind of erotic photo shoot," she said. She said she knew the pictures would definitely be talked about in Cyprus, Turkey and Greece. Politis reported that the magazine has been in circulation in Athens since Thursday and is already being widely discussed. Max is now expected to hit news-stands throughout the island by the middle of this week. What is most likely to cause uproar is not so much the pictures of the two bare-breasted young women in each others' arms, but an interview with Demetriou on Greco-Turkish friendship. Demetriou said that one reason they had decided to go ahead with the photo shoot was to send the message that younger Cypriot and Turkish generations can become firm friends. "Friendship can exist between young people from the two countries" because both countries have a lot of common elements, she said, citing the dance tsifteteli and certain foods and words. Friends or not, when asked how she saw a solution to the Cyprus problem Demetriou displayed a strong sense of patriotism, saying: "To get the rest of our island back. What else?" She told the Max reporter that the word 'Turkey' conjured up feelings of Den Xehno (I won't forget) in Cypriot people. "What do you expect?" she said. "It's not so easy for someone to just forget what happened in 1974." Even though Demetriou says she is unable to forget, she confidently waits for the day when both sides finally stop pitting against each other so everyone can move freely all over the island once more. "I hope for it," she is quoted as saying of that day. "That way my friend Neshan and I can go to the northern part of the island on holiday." Turandot at Paphos Aphrodite Festival Copyright Cyprus Mail 2002 [05] Egyptian FM arrives todayEGYPTIAN Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher arrives in Cyprus today on a brief visit to discuss a joint economic zone between Cyprus and Egypt. He will meet President Glafcos Clerides and Cypriot Foreign Minister Yiannakis Cassoulides at the residence of Egyptian Ambassador Omar Metwally. Maher will leave Cyprus later this afternoon for Athens.Turandot at Paphos Aphrodite Festival Copyright Cyprus Mail 2002 [06] Archbishop 'improving' in AthensARCHBISHOP Chrysostomos, who was flown by air ambulance to a specialised hospital in Athens for treatment a week ago, is showing signs of improvement, doctors in Greece said yesterday.The Director of Evangelismos Intensive Care Unit, Apostolos Armaganides, said that with the aid of his doctors Chrysostomos stood up yesterday and took a few steps. Greek and Cypriot Health Ministers Alecos Papadopoulos and Frixos Savvides, visited Chrysostomos yesterday morning. The Archbishop sustained a head injury in late April after a fall on the stairs of the Archbishopric in Nicosia. Turandot at Paphos Aphrodite Festival Copyright Cyprus Mail 2002 [07] Boy crushed by tractor tyreA SIX-YEAR-OLD boy was killed in a freak accident in Paphos yesterday afternoon.At around 3pm, Nicholas Ignatiou, from Amargeti, and two other men were attempting to change the fuel tank on a tractor. They removed a rear tyre and placed it alongside the vehicle, police said. Ignatiou's grandson, Stavros Panayi, approached the tyre and it slipped and crushed him. He was rushed to Paphos hospital, but was declared dead on arrival. Turandot at Paphos Aphrodite Festival Copyright Cyprus Mail 2002 [08] British tourist says she was rapedA 21-year-old British tourist has reported to police that she was raped on Friday night, police said yesterday.The young woman said she was on Ayios Antonios Street in Kato Paphos, when an unknown man approached and invited her to go to a nightclub with him. But instead of taking her to a nightclub, he led her to an open area nearby and raped her, she told police. The tourist described the man in question as 1.75 metres tall and of average build, with a dark complexion, round face and short, black hair. Police said the alleged assailant was wearing blue jeans and white shirt, and is probably Cypriot. Paphos CID officers are investigating. Turandot at Paphos Aphrodite Festival Copyright Cyprus Mail 2002 [09] Turandot at Paphos Aphrodite FestivalTICKETS go on sale tomorrow for the fourth Paphos Aphrodite Festival, which is presenting Giacomo Puccini's opera Turandot from the national Opera of Poland-Teatr Wielki. The festival will take place at the Paphos Mediaeval Castle and will include three performances on September 6, 7 and 8. For more information call toll free on 8000-8005.Turandot at Paphos Aphrodite Festival Copyright Cyprus Mail 2002 Cyprus Mail: News Articles in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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