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Cyprus Mail: News Articles in English, 02-09-08Cyprus Mail: News Articles in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Cyprus Mail at <http://www.cyprus-mail.com/>Sunday, September 8, 2002CONTENTS
[01] Security Council briefing on Cyprus 'not necessary'By Jean ChristouTHE UNITED Nations Security Council's informal consultations on Cyprus, which were due to take place tomorrow, have been postponed as unnecessary, reports from New York said yesterday. The Security Council was to have been briefed on the ongoing Cyprus talks by UN Secretary-general Kofi Annan's special envoy for Cyprus, Alvaro de Soto. But Annan's spokesman Fred Eckhard told journalists in New York that Friday's meeting in Paris between the Secretary-general and the leaders of the two sides had rendered a Security Council meeting unnecessary. After the Paris meeting Annan said that although serious differences still existed between the two sides he felt the gaps could be bridged. Annan met separately with President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash and later held joint discussions with the two leaders and de Soto. It was agreed the two sides would continue the direct negotiations they have been engaged in since mid-January in Nicosia, and meet again with the Secretary-general in New York on October 3 and 4. Annan asked them both to tackle matters they discussed with a sense of urgency and said he hoped for significant progress by that time. Speaking to the press after meeting Annan and Denktash on Friday, Clerides, when asked, did not rule out the possibility that the UN might put forward a comprehensive solution plan if there is no progress by the beginning of October. Denktash said he was pleased with the meeting and pledged to try and bridge the gaps that still existed. But government spokesman Michalis Papapetrou said that to achieve this goal it will be necessary for the Turkish Cypriot side to go to the talks with a different political will “which will be in line with the letter and the spirit of UN Security Council resolutions”. Copyright Cyprus Mail 2002 [02] Imports up, exports downIMPORTS to Cyprus rose in the first four months of 2002, while a slight drop in exports was recorded, the latest figures show.Total imports reached £814.8 million compared with £789.1m in the first four months of 2001, while total exports amounted to £178.1m compared with £194.6m during January-April 2001.The trade deficit was £636.7m compared with £603.5m in the corresponding period of 2001.Domestic exports, including stores and provisions, were valued at £84.1m during the first four months, compared with £79m last year.European Union countries supplied Cyprus with goods valued at £414.9m or 50.9 per cent of total imports, and absorbed goods worth £43.5m, 53.5 per cent of Cyprus domestic exports.Copyright Cyprus Mail 2002 [03] Turkish women's handball team flies inTHE Turkish women's handball team Uskudar arrived on the island at Larnaca Airport yesterday for its game today with Latsia, Nicosia.A fax from the European Handball Federation (EHF) on Friday put an end to an argument by Uskudar that the team should depart through the Ledra Palace checkpoint in Nicosia and from there through the occupied areas back to Turkey.The EHF said the first leg will be played at Eleftheria National Stadium in Nicosia today and the second leg on September 14 in Istanbul at the Haldun Alagas Stadium.The Turkish team arrived through Larnaca via Athens, while the Cypriot team will take the same route for the game in Turkey next Saturday.The Cyprus Handball Federation said that the Uskudar delegation obtained visas at Larnaca Airport on arrival.The 21-member delegation are staying at a central Nicosia hotel, and all local arrangements including appropriate security measures have been taken, the EHF said.In earlier correspondence, the federation said Uskudar had asked about the possibility of using the Ledra Palace checkpoint to enter the island, citing a major reduction in travel costs for the Turkish delegation.But the Cyprus Handball Federation said the Turkish request was "a calculated method to illegally depart from Cyprus via an illegal airport situated in that area".It also expressed regret over what it called Uskudar's continued effort to "exploit the match for the illegal political purposes of securing and advancing the recognition of an illegal regime established by Turkey in 1983". Copyright Cyprus Mail 2002 [04] Thieves take cash in house raidA BRITISH manager of an offshore company in Limassol has reported the theft of more than £2,000 in various denominations from his house.He told police thieves had broken into his house in Ayios Tychonas sometime between 12.15am-7am on Friday. The culprits escaped taking CY£200, US$1,010, 1,400 euros, STG£600, 200 Swiss francs, and smaller sums in foreign currency. Copyright Cyprus Mail 2002 [05] Tourists report rape and robberyTWO RUSSIAN tourists have reported to police that they were the victims of rape and armed robbery.The 49-year-old and 19-year-old reported the assault to Limassol police on Friday. The two women said a man they had met at a local beach the day before had offered to take them on a guided tour to Paphos. But instead of taking them to Paphos, he took them to a mountain region, forced the 49-year-old at gunpoint to hand over her bag containing $500, and locked her in the car, the women said. He then allegedly raped the 19- year-old, also at gunpoint. The two Russians said the man then took them back to Limassol early on Friday morning and threatened them, telling them not to report the incident to the police. But on the advice of their tour operator they filed charges with the police later that day. Limasol police said yesterday they are looking for a man for questioning in connection with the case. Copyright Cyprus Mail 2002 [06] 50 mobile phones stolenFIFTY mobile phones have been stolen from a Limassol shop, police said yesterday.The phones and a computer worth £1,333 were taken from Avacom-Tel on Ayias Fylaxeos Street sometime between 7.30pm on Thursday and 8.30pm on Friday. The value of the phones is not yet known. Limassol CID is investigating the robbery. Copyright Cyprus Mail 2002 Cyprus Mail: News Articles in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |