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Cyprus Mail: News Articles in English, 03-02-15
Saturday, February 15, 2003
CONTENTS
[01] Perdikis slams Pourgourides over share scam commentsBy Sofia
KannasGREEN Party deputy George Perdikis yesterday joined the assault on
House Watchdog Committee Chairman Christos Pourgourides, who earlier this
week accused presidential candidate Tassos Papadopoulos of defrauding
investors in the stock market scandal.Perdikis was responding to charges
made by DISY deputy Pourgourides on Thursday that the findings of a
criminal investigation by the Attorney-general's office proved Papadopoulos
was guilty of defrauding investors in Claridge Investments Ltd, in which
the DIKO deputy was a major shareholder and legal advisor.Perdikis told the
Cyprus Mail yesterday that Pourgourides' comments about Papadopoulos were
uncalled for, saying: “The attitude displayed by Mr Pourgourides was unfair
and dishonest.”He also questioned the Chairman's eagerness to publicise the
findings of the investigation implicating Papadopoulos while failing to
disclose information regarding a criminal investigation into an investment
company which dealt with the development of land in Yeroskipou and involved
Pourgourides.Perdikis alleged the DISY deputy was responsible for changing
the two planning zones in Yeroskipou in favour of a big businessman who
owned 1,000 donums in the area.“There was an investigation into the company
and a conclusion by the criminal investigators that there was a case to be
made. Yet Mr Pourgourides said nothing about this particular investigation
and we must question why this might be.”Perdikis added that the
investigation into Claridge investments should have been discussed within
the Watchdog Committee.“The Claridge case should have been put in front of
the committee. No one has the right to take this sort of information and
use it like Mr Pourgourides did.“We must wonder why Mr Pourgourides took
advantage of the fact that the report into Claridge was publicised by the
Cyprus Investor's Associsation.”Pourgourides slammed Papadopoulos on
Thursday, saying the report on the investigation into Claridge, which was
submitted to the Attorney-general's office on December 16 last year,
clearly implicated the candidate in the swindling of investors in the
company between July 1999 and March 2000.Perdikis' Greens are backing
Papadopoulos in tomorrow's Presidential elections. Pourgourides' DISY
supports the re-election of President Glafcos Clerides.
[02] Limassol police warn of more burglaries after 48-hour spreeBy Sofia
KannasTHERE has been a spate of burglaries in Limassol over the last 48
hours, police confirmed yesterday.Up to 17 separate break-ins occurred on
Tuesday and Wednesday, resulting in around £50,000-worth of jewellery and
money being stolen from private houses and apartments in the Limassol
area.Limassol Assistant Chief of Police Andreas Karyolemos told the Cyprus
Mail yesterday that this type of break-in had been seen in Cyprus before in
recent months.“We are talking about a sudden wave of burglaries lasting a
few days -- we have seen this phenomenon before. “We suspect most of the
burglaries were carried out by foreigners who come to Cyprus for a few days
and the return to their countries with the stolen goods.“Of course we are
not ruling out that Cypriots were involved, but usually when we see a
sudden spate of burglaries like this, it means its more likely
foreigners.”Karyolemos said the fact that money and jewellery were stolen
also suggested foreign criminals had been at work.“Over the last couple of
days it has been only cash and jewellery stolen. If the burglars were local
they would probably take DVD players for example, or bigger items. But
money and jewellery are more easy to transport overseas on a plane, so this
is why we suspect foreign criminal gangs in this case.”Asked when the
burglaries took place, Karyolemos said incidents took place in day time as
well as in the evenings.“Sometimes the burglars rang the bell to see if
anyone was home and if no one answered then they would break in to the
house or apartment.“But sometimes it's clear that houses or flats are empty
-- maybe their owners are out or on holiday -- and then criminals
strike.“It also seems the criminals target houses and apartments which
appear more affluent, where they think they might find something
valuable.”He also said it was possible that another flurry of activity
would take place in the next few days.“Usually, they carry out some
burglaries when they arrive on the island, and then strike again just
before they leave the island.”Karyolemos advised the public to be vigilant
over the next few days, saying,“We suggest that people take care to put any
valuables in a secure place. It's also advisable that people close and lock
their windows and doors when they leave their homes empty.“But we have put
on special patrols especially to try and clamp down on these incidents, and
we hope this will help.“Burglaries are the most common form of crime in
Cyprus. Up to 75 per cent of crimes are burglaries and thefts,” he added.
[03] Clerides camp gloats at opposition discomfitureBy George PsyllidesTHE
GOVERNMENT yesterday sought to capitalise on a good final week of
campaigning in which they believe President Glafcos Clerides has narrowed
the gap in his race with opposition candidate Tassos Papadopoulos ahead of
tomorrow's first round of voting in presidential elections.Papadopoulos has
found himself under attack from all sides this week, and the confirmation
on Thursday that UN Secretary-general Kofi Annan would come to Cyprus at
the end of the month effectively shot down his main argument that the
Clerides camp was exaggerating developments in the Cyprus problem.Clerides
is standing for a limited 16-month mandate, arguing critical developments
in the Cyprus problem require his continued presence at the helm.Papadopoulos
and his backers at AKEL have based their campaign on the premise that such
“critical developments” are a figment of Clerides' imagination.But Annan's
decision to visit the island on February 26 yesterday left the Clerides
camp gloating with satisfaction.“Claims about fabricated developments and
tricks have collapsed like a house of cards, and what's left lingering is
why some people wanted to turn a blind eye when things were very obvious,”
Government Spokesman Michalis Papapetrou said yesterday.AKEL leader
Demetris Christofias said yesterday the opposition had never said there
were no developments, but rather that “the opposition had never accepted
the dramatisation of developments” towards which a whole operation had been
set up by Clerides and his staff.Christofias said Annan would meet a new
president, who would be “fresh and trusted by the people, and who would be
full of good faith to discuss the necessary improvements” in the UN
plan.But Christofias himself was the focus of controversy last Tuesday
after he interrupted a prime-time radio show on CyBC to reprimand the
presenter for “not doing her job properly”. He claimed the reporter was
asking the foreign minister 'loaded' questions that allowed him to showcase
Cyprus problem developments.On the same day, Papadopoulos warned a
television channel he would pull out of a live interview if a specific
journalist were not taken off the panel.His staff also accused a second
journalist, who had participated in a television interview on Monday, of
launching a defamatory attack on their candidate.During the interview, the
journalist pointed out to Papadopoulos that his education policy document
contained numerous spelling and syntax errors and wondered whether the
people who drafted the programme were going to be employed at the Education
Ministry if he were elected.Such criticism of the media drew a barrage of
condemnation from all sides, including the journalists' union, which
expressed its worry and displeasure at the interventions from politicians
in the work of journalists.Then came the publication of the findings of a
criminal investigation implicating Papadopoulos in the swindling of
investors by a public company on which he was a board member. The
allegations were rejected as mudslinging by Papadopoulos, who nevertheless
found himself in the line of fire for the second time in a week.The latest
blunder came on Thursday, when Papadopoulos said during a live television
interview that if elected he would beg Clerides to help him with the
negotiations on the Cyprus problem.This flies in the face of repeated
accusations by his campaign team that Clerides' negotiating team has
mishandled the negotiations.A telephone survey conducted by Antenna gave
Papadopoulos an unexpectedly low approval rating of 35.85 per cent for the
Thursday night interview, which was broadcast live on all television
channels.In a similar interview on Wednesday night, Clerides received 83.82
per cent.This apparently raised eyebrows at AKEL, whose mouthpiece Haravghi
yesterday questioned the procedure of the phone poll, since it claimed
hundreds of viewers had complained they could not get through to vote.
[04] Anti-war protesters set to gather in DhekeliaBy Stefanos EvripidouANTI-
war protesters in Dhekelia will be joining millions of demonstrators around
the world today in a global campaign against US aggression on Iraq.The
worldwide demonstrations will be held in over 60 countries and are expected
to attract around 25 million campaigners. The colossal movement was
instigated by the European Social Forum, which marked February 15 for an
'anti-Bush and Blair war on Iraq' demonstration in 11 European countries. A
landmark conference in Cairo last December initiated a new campaign
encouraging people around the world to come together for a worldwide day of
demonstrations against the prospect of war.And so today people will be
filling the streets for peaceful demonstrations against war from Dhekelia
to London, Tel Aviv to Tokyo and San Francisco to Kiev.Efi Xanthou from the
Co-ordinating Committee of the 'Stop the War' Alliance said yesterday that
people here “are against the war on Iraq and are not only concerned with
the Cyprus problem and the upcoming elections”. Xanthou said that they
expected a large number of demonstrators to attend today's rally. The
protest is being staged at the helicopter runway on the British Bases in
Dhekelia. Asked why the protest was being held at the bases, Xanthou
replied: “First, because we want to protest against the use of the bases as
a launch pad for this attack, and secondly, because it's February 15 and
political gatherings cannot be held on the eve of the elections.”British
Bases spokesman Rob Need said yesterday that SBA police would be taking the
appropriate measures by providing police officers at the demonstration. He
confirmed that no British soldiers would be positioned at the site of the
protests.
[05] US withdraws air traffic request after civil aviation protestBy Tania
KhadderA NOTE cautioning all aircraft and surface vessels in the
Mediterranean area to keep in contact with US forces has been retracted,
government spokesman Michalis Papapetrou confirmed yesterday. The United
States government withdrew its notice after reactions from the
International Civil Aviation Organisation. “Yes, there was such a note,
which was withdrawn after reactions from the ICAO,” Papapetrou said.The
Nicosia flight information region received the warning, as did other areas
of the Mediterranean including Madrid, Casablanca, Algiers, Barcelona,
Marseille, Rome, Tunis, Milan, Malta, Tripoli, Brindisi, Cairo, Beirut, Tel
Aviv and Damascus.The announcement says that with US forces operating at a
heightened state of alert in the Mediterranean, any approaching aircraft or
surface vessels are requested to make radio contact with them. “US forces
will exercise appropriate measures of self-defence if warranted by the
circumstances. Aircraft and surface vessels approaching US forces will help
make their intentions clear and avoid unnecessary initiation of such
defensive measures by making prior contact as described above,” the note
said.While it claims the US does not intend to impede or interfere with the
freedom of navigation in these areas, apparently, the International Civil
Aviation Organisation thought otherwise.
[06] Extra security for US embassy?By Alex MitaU.S. EMBASSY officials in
Nicosia yesterday refused to comment on reports that security had been
stepped up for fear of a possible terrorist attack as America gears up for
war in Iraq.Reports in local papers said the embassy had handed out gas
masks and atropine injections, while bio-chemical experts briefed embassy
staff on how to deal with a terrorist attack. A US Embassy spokesman would
neither confirm nor deny the reports.“We have an excellent co-operation
with the local authorities. I cannot comment further on security issues,”
he said.Had he been issued a gas mask? “No comment,” was the reply.A
government source told the Cyprus Mail the government had stepped up its
security around the embassy.“We have more frequent patrols of the vicinity
of the area, but we have no reason to believe that the embassy is under
threat of a terrorist attack,” the source said. “In general, we have
stepped up the security, because the US may well attack Iraq; these are
precautionary measures and we are strengthening our security measures.“We
have not received specific information that the embassy is under threat,
but the situation in the Gulf is quite serious and we have to take
precautionary measures,” the source said.
[07] Denktash says no chance of Cyprus deal by deadline By a Staff
ReporterTURKISH Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash said yesterday there was no
chance of a deal to reunite Cyprus before the February 28 deadline set by
the United Nations. The UN, backed by the European Union and the United
States, is pushing for a deal, but Denktash said: "We cannot achieve
anything by the 28th".Speaking before the latest in a series of meetings
with President Glafcos Clerides, the veteran Turkish Cypriot leader said:
"There are blank pages in the plan which need to be filled. These pages
mean laws, the constitution. There is a lot to be done. From the beginning
the 28th was never a realistic date." Each side has accused the other of
obstruction and intransigence in the UN-backed talks. The UN plan would
reunify the island but would require the Turkish Cypriot side to give up
some land and would mean a sizeable exchange of populations. Denktash says
the territorial concessions are a recipe for violence. Annan is due to
visit Cyprus as part of a European tour on which he will push for a deal
before the deadline. "The secretary general is going to arrive on the 26th,
stay through to the 28th and depart on March 1," Denktash said.
[08] Kidney doctors to sue health ministerBy Alexia SaoulliTWO KIDNEY
specialists yesterday issued lawsuits against Health Minister Frixos
Savvides after their recent resignation from Larnaca general hospital,
alleging they had been persecuted by the hospital's administration. Charges
were also brought against hospital head, Dr. Andreas Demosthenous, which
the Civil Service Committee disciplinary board would examine, the doctors'
lawyers said.But Savvides yesterday told the Cyprus Mail he was not worried
about the suit and that the charges were utterly groundless.“I'm not at all
worried. It's within their right to sue me, but the charges are
unsubstantiated. They're making a lot of noise about nothing, possibly
because we have elections on Sunday,” he said.Nevertheless, the doctors --
Efthyvoulos Anastassiades and Polycarpos Polycarpou -- said yesterday the
nephrology department had been “under persecution” since 1994, when
Anastassiades was first appointed. Their resignation letter claimed they
had endured “soul-destroying confrontations” over the years over their vain
efforts to see the department upgraded and patients needs met.
Anastassiades and Polycarpou also maintained Demosthenous had “thwarted
admitting patients, unsettled the ward so kidney patients were deprived of
necessary space and at one point locked a ward so we could not serve
patients. Finally, he wrote an abusive and unfounded letter against us,”
they claimed.On Monday, Health Ministry officials accused Anastassiades and
Polycarpou of abandoning their duties following a dispute with their
superiors over Polycarpou's refusal to fill in his annual assessment form.
The doctors felt Polycarpou would not be given a fair evaluation by
Demosthenous and asked the Ministry for another doctor to evaluate him.
Their request was turned down on the grounds it was a routine procedure and
that, as their superior, Demosthenous was the appropriate authority. They
were told they could appeal the final report if it was deemed unfair.The
medics subsequently walked out on their duties and unofficially resigned.
On Wednesday, Savvides slammed the doctors for using patient welfare to
blackmail the Ministry and said they would be penalised, pending official
charges against them before the Medical Association.But the doctors insist
they did not abandon patients. Instead, the atmosphere they had been
working in had prevented them from “defending their patients' interests”,
which was why they had been forced to resign.
[09] Gearing up for Valentine'sBy Tania KhadderAPHRODITE must be smiling.
As the modern mortals who inhabit her birthplace celebrate Valentine's Day
with growing enthusiasm, her son Eros is working overtime.In mythological
times, it was Eros (Cupid) who shot golden arrows into the hearts of those
his mother wanted to unite in marriage. He has since become one of the
holiday's most recognizable symbols.These days, however, it is Cyprus'
service industries that are doing all the work to help bring lovers
together. Restaurants and hotels are fully booked with a variety of special
options for the occasion. Flower shops are delivering tokens of love
throughout the island, while lingerie and sex shops play a late-night role
in the festivities. “Tomorrow night will be crazy,” Ghazi Mroueh, manager
at Abu Faysal restaurant in Nicosia, said yesterday. “It is one night where
we see so many customers we've never seen before.” More than ever before,
couples in Cyprus are taking an interest in Valentine's Day, and businesses
are feeling, and reacting to, the boom. Let's face it: love sells.“It is
definitely a bigger holiday now, and is more commercial,” Mroueh added. But
even before couples had to go out for Valentine's Day, giving flowers to
loved ones was a traditional form of expression. This remains the case now,
as flower shops all over the island yesterday claimed to be busy arranging
special orders.As expected, roses are the most sought after token of
affection, with a dozen ranging from £12 to £20. Roses arranged in the
shape of the heart, and festive vases are also popular.Those with
reservations at Abu Faysal's can do Valentine's Day Lebanese-style and dine
on heart-shaped falafels. At Pralina's, lovers can take home heart-shaped
French terrine with oven-dried tomatoes, cream cheese and black olives.
Whereas Friday nights are often characterized by group outings, restaurants
say they will see mostly couples tonight. At Romantica restaurant in
Nicosia, only one party of four will break tonight's reservations for two,
manager Sophie Mercurio said. To celebrate the occasion, Mercurio said a
very special night has been planned, with a Valentine balloon décor and
complementary roses for men to give their ladies. The evening's
reservations have been divided into two shifts, for those choosing to dine
from 7.30-9.30pm or at 10pm. A full course meal including wine is available
at £20 for the early sitting, and £25 for the later one. “They pay more if
they come at ten, but the benefit is that they can stay as they long as
they want,” Mercurio said. Mercurio and Mroueh both had one qualm with
Valentine's Day this year: that it falls on a Friday. Because Friday nights
are always a busy night in the restaurant business, this year's special day
is not as profitable as it would be if it fell, say, on a Tuesday night.But
what happens when the heart-shaped goodies have been devoured, and the last
drop of wine has been sipped? Apparently, that's when the real fun
begins.At Intimissimi in Nicosia yesterday afternoon, the saleswoman was so
overwhelmed with clients she was unable to speak to the Cyprus Mail. And
the owner at Lover's sex shop in Nicosia said his sales have been excellent
this week, and that his biggest clientele would be in today. “It's always
busy on Valentine's Day,” he said. “People buy vibrators, lingerie, lotions
and massage oil.”He claims that, contrary to popular belief, many of his
customers are women and that last Thursday, as many as 70 women came into
his shop. “My shop helps people have a different kind of experience in the
bedroom. They can be more playful,” he added. He then went on to show his
more sentimental side.“Valentine's day is a very special day to show your
love, but people should show their love every day,” he said. Aphrodite must
be beaming with pride. Eros can retire.
[10] KOKO: the girl band eyeing the big timeBy Stefanos EvripidouFOUR girls
with talent, looks and youth on their side are in Cyprus to launch their
campaign to take over the world under the experienced direction of much-
travelled John Themis.Themis has worked with a multitude of top artists,
including Culture Club, Kylie Minogue, Madonna, Dido, George Michael, Elton
John and Sinead O'Connor, apart from writing the number one British hit
single “What Took You So Long” by Emma Bunton.The band, KOKO, call
themselves British Cypriot Europeans with a bit of Irish. A valuable bit,
however, for as Irish contingent Joanna warns: “There's no room in this
outfit for any divas.”Their music is described as R'n'B Mediterranean,
Middle Eastern flavoured with a touch of pop. Their songs have been written
by the girls themselves, as well as acclaimed artists like Quincy Jones Jnr,
the Sugarbabes and Dane Bowers. The girls - Katerina, Joanna, Emily and
Nathalie - range from 16 to 20 years old. They all love to sing and dance
and hope to begin their march on popdom this Saturday on CyBC's
'Savatovrado' programme. They are all musically minded and best of all, can
sing very well. “I think, for myself and my sister (Katerina), our greatest
inspiration has been my father (Themis), who from six years of age fought
with his brother for his guitar and then taught himself to play to become a
great musician,” says Emily. The group refuse to become a flash of fame
that will burn out after a while. “People on stuff like Pop Idols have lots
of talent, but we feel sorry for them because they aren't taken seriously
and they'll always be considered pop idols,” say the group.Themis wanted to
bring the girls to Cyprus to remind them of their roots while easing them
into the spotlight. “This is an awareness campaign. We are hoping to get a
record deal soon but we don't want a career that's quick up, quick down,
like many in the business,” said Themis.His advice is: “You've got to have
your own ingredient and make your own cake”. When asked what his favourite
type of music is, given the extensive variety of artists he has worked with,
he replies that there are only two types: good and bad. “Good music comes
from the gods, the rest can go to hell.”
[01] Perdikis slams Pourgourides over share scam commentsBy Sofia
KannasGREEN Party deputy George Perdikis yesterday joined the assault on
House Watchdog Committee Chairman Christos Pourgourides, who earlier this
week accused presidential candidate Tassos Papadopoulos of defrauding
investors in the stock market scandal.Perdikis was responding to charges
made by DISY deputy Pourgourides on Thursday that the findings of a
criminal investigation by the Attorney-general's office proved Papadopoulos
was guilty of defrauding investors in Claridge Investments Ltd, in which
the DIKO deputy was a major shareholder and legal advisor.Perdikis told the
Cyprus Mail yesterday that Pourgourides' comments about Papadopoulos were uncalled for, saying: “The attitude displayed by Mr Pourgourides was unfair and dishonest.”He also questioned the Chairman's eagerness to publicise the findings of the investigation implicating Papadopoulos while failing to disclose information regarding a criminal investigation into an investment company which dealt with the development of land in Yeroskipou and involved Pourgourides.Perdikis alleged the DISY deputy was responsible for changing the two planning zones in Yeroskipou in favour of a big businessman who owned 1,000 donums in the area.“There was an investigation into the company and a conclusion by the criminal investigators that there was a case to be made. Yet Mr Pourgourides said nothing about this particular investigation and we must question why this might be.”Perdikis added that the investigation into Claridge investments should have been discussed within the Watchdog Committee.“The Claridge case should have been put in front of the committee. No one has the right to take this sort of information and use it like Mr Pourgourides did.“We must wonder why Mr Pourgourides took advantage of the fact that the report into Claridge was publicised by the Cyprus Investor's Associsation.”Pourgourides slammed Papadopoulos on Thursday, saying the report on the investigation into Claridge, which was submitted to the Attorney-general's office on December 16 last year, clearly implicated the candidate in the swindling of investors in the company between July 1999 and March 2000.Perdikis' Greens are backing Papadopoulos in tomorrow's Presidential elections. Pourgourides' DISY supports the re-election of President Glafcos Clerides.
Copyright Cyprus Mail 2003
Friday, February 14, 2003
[02] Limassol police warn of more burglaries after 48-hour spreeBy Sofia
KannasTHERE has been a spate of burglaries in Limassol over the last 48
hours, police confirmed yesterday.Up to 17 separate break-ins occurred on
Tuesday and Wednesday, resulting in around £50,000-worth of jewellery and
money being stolen from private houses and apartments in the Limassol
area.Limassol Assistant Chief of Police Andreas Karyolemos told the Cyprus
Mail yesterday that this type of break-in had been seen in Cyprus before
in recent months.“We are talking about a sudden wave of burglaries lasting
a few days -- we have seen this phenomenon before. “We suspect most of the
burglaries were carried out by foreigners who come to Cyprus for a few days
and the return to their countries with the stolen goods.“Of course we are
not ruling out that Cypriots were involved, but usually when we see a
sudden spate of burglaries like this, it means its more likely
foreigners.”Karyolemos said the fact that money and jewellery were stolen
also suggested foreign criminals had been at work.“Over the last couple of
days it has been only cash and jewellery stolen. If the burglars were local
they would probably take DVD players for example, or bigger items. But
money and jewellery are more easy to transport overseas on a plane, so this
is why we suspect foreign criminal gangs in this case.”Asked when the
burglaries took place, Karyolemos said incidents took place in day time as
well as in the evenings.“Sometimes the burglars rang the bell to see if
anyone was home and if no one answered then they would break in to the
house or apartment.“But sometimes it's clear that houses or flats are empty
-- maybe their owners are out or on holiday -- and then criminals
strike.“It also seems the criminals target houses and apartments which
appear more affluent, where they think they might find something
valuable.”He also said it was possible that another flurry of activity
would take place in the next few days.“Usually, they carry out some
burglaries when they arrive on the island, and then strike again just
before they leave the island.”Karyolemos advised the public to be vigilant
over the next few days, saying,“We suggest that people take care to put any
valuables in a secure place. It's also advisable that people close and lock
their windows and doors when they leave their homes empty.“But we have put
on special patrols especially to try and clamp down on these incidents, and
we hope this will help.“Burglaries are the most common form of crime in
Cyprus. Up to 75 per cent of crimes are burglaries and thefts,” he added.
Copyright Cyprus Mail 2003
Saturday, February 15, 2003
[03] Clerides camp gloats at opposition discomfitureBy George PsyllidesTHE
GOVERNMENT yesterday sought to capitalise on a good final week of
campaigning in which they believe President Glafcos Clerides has narrowed
the gap in his race with opposition candidate Tassos Papadopoulos ahead of
tomorrow's first round of voting in presidential elections.Papadopoulos has
found himself under attack from all sides this week, and the confirmation
on Thursday that UN Secretary-general Kofi Annan would come to Cyprus at
the end of the month effectively shot down his main argument that the
Clerides camp was exaggerating developments in the Cyprus problem.Clerides
is standing for a limited 16-month mandate, arguing critical developments
in the Cyprus problem require his continued presence at the helm.Papadopoulos
and his backers at AKEL have based their campaign on the premise that such
“critical developments” are a figment of Clerides' imagination.But Annan's
decision to visit the island on February 26 yesterday left the Clerides
camp gloating with satisfaction.“Claims about fabricated developments and
tricks have collapsed like a house of cards, and what's left lingering is
why some people wanted to turn a blind eye when things were very obvious,”
Government Spokesman Michalis Papapetrou said yesterday.AKEL leader
Demetris Christofias said yesterday the opposition had never said there
were no developments, but rather that “the opposition had never accepted
the dramatisation of developments” towards which a whole operation had been
set up by Clerides and his staff.Christofias said Annan would meet a new
president, who would be “fresh and trusted by the people, and who would be
full of good faith to discuss the necessary improvements” in the UN
plan.But Christofias himself was the focus of controversy last Tuesday
after he interrupted a prime-time radio show on CyBC to reprimand the
presenter for “not doing her job properly”. He claimed the reporter was
asking the foreign minister 'loaded' questions that allowed him to showcase
Cyprus problem developments.On the same day, Papadopoulos warned a
television channel he would pull out of a live interview if a specific
journalist were not taken off the panel.His staff also accused a second
journalist, who had participated in a television interview on Monday, of
launching a defamatory attack on their candidate.During the interview, the
journalist pointed out to Papadopoulos that his education policy document
contained numerous spelling and syntax errors and wondered whether the
people who drafted the programme were going to be employed at the Education
Ministry if he were elected.Such criticism of the media drew a barrage of
condemnation from all sides, including the journalists' union, which
expressed its worry and displeasure at the interventions from politicians
in the work of journalists.Then came the publication of the findings of a
criminal investigation implicating Papadopoulos in the swindling of
investors by a public company on which he was a board member. The
allegations were rejected as mudslinging by Papadopoulos, who nevertheless
found himself in the line of fire for the second time in a week.The latest
blunder came on Thursday, when Papadopoulos said during a live television
interview that if elected he would beg Clerides to help him with the
negotiations on the Cyprus problem.This flies in the face of repeated
accusations by his campaign team that Clerides' negotiating team has
mishandled the negotiations.A telephone survey conducted by Antenna gave
Papadopoulos an unexpectedly low approval rating of 35.85 per cent for the
Thursday night interview, which was broadcast live on all television
channels.In a similar interview on Wednesday night, Clerides received 83.82
per cent.This apparently raised eyebrows at AKEL, whose mouthpiece
Haravghi yesterday questioned the procedure of the phone poll, since it claimed hundreds of viewers had complained they could not get through to vote.
Copyright Cyprus Mail 2003
Saturday, February 15, 2003
[04] Anti-war protesters set to gather in DhekeliaBy Stefanos EvripidouANTI-
war protesters in Dhekelia will be joining millions of demonstrators around
the world today in a global campaign against US aggression on Iraq.The
worldwide demonstrations will be held in over 60 countries and are expected
to attract around 25 million campaigners. The colossal movement was
instigated by the European Social Forum, which marked February 15 for an
'anti-Bush and Blair war on Iraq' demonstration in 11 European countries. A
landmark conference in Cairo last December initiated a new campaign
encouraging people around the world to come together for a worldwide day of
demonstrations against the prospect of war.And so today people will be
filling the streets for peaceful demonstrations against war from Dhekelia
to London, Tel Aviv to Tokyo and San Francisco to Kiev.Efi Xanthou from the
Co-ordinating Committee of the 'Stop the War' Alliance said yesterday that
people here “are against the war on Iraq and are not only concerned with
the Cyprus problem and the upcoming elections”. Xanthou said that they
expected a large number of demonstrators to attend today's rally. The
protest is being staged at the helicopter runway on the British Bases in
Dhekelia. Asked why the protest was being held at the bases, Xanthou
replied: “First, because we want to protest against the use of the bases as
a launch pad for this attack, and secondly, because it's February 15 and
political gatherings cannot be held on the eve of the elections.”British
Bases spokesman Rob Need said yesterday that SBA police would be taking the
appropriate measures by providing police officers at the demonstration. He
confirmed that no British soldiers would be positioned at the site of the
protests.
Copyright Cyprus Mail 2003
Saturday, February 15, 2003
[05] US withdraws air traffic request after civil aviation protestBy Tania
KhadderA NOTE cautioning all aircraft and surface vessels in the
Mediterranean area to keep in contact with US forces has been retracted,
government spokesman Michalis Papapetrou confirmed yesterday. The United
States government withdrew its notice after reactions from the
International Civil Aviation Organisation. “Yes, there was such a note,
which was withdrawn after reactions from the ICAO,” Papapetrou said.The
Nicosia flight information region received the warning, as did other areas
of the Mediterranean including Madrid, Casablanca, Algiers, Barcelona,
Marseille, Rome, Tunis, Milan, Malta, Tripoli, Brindisi, Cairo, Beirut, Tel
Aviv and Damascus.The announcement says that with US forces operating at a
heightened state of alert in the Mediterranean, any approaching aircraft or
surface vessels are requested to make radio contact with them. “US forces
will exercise appropriate measures of self-defence if warranted by the
circumstances. Aircraft and surface vessels approaching US forces will help
make their intentions clear and avoid unnecessary initiation of such
defensive measures by making prior contact as described above,” the note
said.While it claims the US does not intend to impede or interfere with the
freedom of navigation in these areas, apparently, the International Civil
Aviation Organisation thought otherwise.
Copyright Cyprus Mail 2003
Saturday, February 15, 2003
[06] Extra security for US embassy?By Alex MitaU.S. EMBASSY officials in
Nicosia yesterday refused to comment on reports that security had been
stepped up for fear of a possible terrorist attack as America gears up for
war in Iraq.Reports in local papers said the embassy had handed out gas
masks and atropine injections, while bio-chemical experts briefed embassy
staff on how to deal with a terrorist attack. A US Embassy spokesman would
neither confirm nor deny the reports.“We have an excellent co-operation
with the local authorities. I cannot comment further on security issues,”
he said.Had he been issued a gas mask? “No comment,” was the reply.A
government source told the Cyprus Mail the government had stepped up its
security around the embassy.“We have more frequent patrols of the vicinity
of the area, but we have no reason to believe that the embassy is under
threat of a terrorist attack,” the source said. “In general, we have
stepped up the security, because the US may well attack Iraq; these are
precautionary measures and we are strengthening our security measures.“We
have not received specific information that the embassy is under threat,
but the situation in the Gulf is quite serious and we have to take
precautionary measures,” the source said.
Copyright Cyprus Mail 2003
Saturday, February 15, 2003
[07] Denktash says no chance of Cyprus deal by deadline By a Staff
ReporterTURKISH Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash said yesterday there was no
chance of a deal to reunite Cyprus before the February 28 deadline set by
the United Nations. The UN, backed by the European Union and the United
States, is pushing for a deal, but Denktash said: "We cannot achieve
anything by the 28th".Speaking before the latest in a series of meetings
with President Glafcos Clerides, the veteran Turkish Cypriot leader said:
"There are blank pages in the plan which need to be filled. These pages
mean laws, the constitution. There is a lot to be done. From the beginning
the 28th was never a realistic date." Each side has accused the other of
obstruction and intransigence in the UN-backed talks. The UN plan would
reunify the island but would require the Turkish Cypriot side to give up
some land and would mean a sizeable exchange of populations. Denktash says
the territorial concessions are a recipe for violence. Annan is due to
visit Cyprus as part of a European tour on which he will push for a deal
before the deadline. "The secretary general is going to arrive on the 26th,
stay through to the 28th and depart on March 1," Denktash said.
Copyright Cyprus Mail 2003
Saturday, February 15, 2003
[08] Kidney doctors to sue health ministerBy Alexia SaoulliTWO KIDNEY
specialists yesterday issued lawsuits against Health Minister Frixos
Savvides after their recent resignation from Larnaca general hospital,
alleging they had been persecuted by the hospital's administration. Charges
were also brought against hospital head, Dr. Andreas Demosthenous, which
the Civil Service Committee disciplinary board would examine, the doctors'
lawyers said.But Savvides yesterday told the Cyprus Mail he was not
worried about the suit and that the charges were utterly groundless.“I'm
not at all worried. It's within their right to sue me, but the charges are
unsubstantiated. They're making a lot of noise about nothing, possibly
because we have elections on Sunday,” he said.Nevertheless, the doctors --
Efthyvoulos Anastassiades and Polycarpos Polycarpou -- said yesterday the
nephrology department had been “under persecution” since 1994, when
Anastassiades was first appointed. Their resignation letter claimed they
had endured “soul-destroying confrontations” over the years over their vain
efforts to see the department upgraded and patients needs met.
Anastassiades and Polycarpou also maintained Demosthenous had “thwarted
admitting patients, unsettled the ward so kidney patients were deprived of
necessary space and at one point locked a ward so we could not serve
patients. Finally, he wrote an abusive and unfounded letter against us,”
they claimed.On Monday, Health Ministry officials accused Anastassiades and
Polycarpou of abandoning their duties following a dispute with their
superiors over Polycarpou's refusal to fill in his annual assessment form.
The doctors felt Polycarpou would not be given a fair evaluation by
Demosthenous and asked the Ministry for another doctor to evaluate him.
Their request was turned down on the grounds it was a routine procedure and
that, as their superior, Demosthenous was the appropriate authority. They
were told they could appeal the final report if it was deemed unfair.The
medics subsequently walked out on their duties and unofficially resigned.
On Wednesday, Savvides slammed the doctors for using patient welfare to
blackmail the Ministry and said they would be penalised, pending official
charges against them before the Medical Association.But the doctors insist
they did not abandon patients. Instead, the atmosphere they had been
working in had prevented them from “defending their patients' interests”,
which was why they had been forced to resign.
Copyright Cyprus Mail 2003
Friday, February 14, 2003
[09] Gearing up for Valentine'sBy Tania KhadderAPHRODITE must be smiling.
As the modern mortals who inhabit her birthplace celebrate Valentine's Day
with growing enthusiasm, her son Eros is working overtime.In mythological
times, it was Eros (Cupid) who shot golden arrows into the hearts of those
his mother wanted to unite in marriage. He has since become one of the
holiday's most recognizable symbols.These days, however, it is Cyprus'
service industries that are doing all the work to help bring lovers
together. Restaurants and hotels are fully booked with a variety of special
options for the occasion. Flower shops are delivering tokens of love
throughout the island, while lingerie and sex shops play a late-night role
in the festivities. “Tomorrow night will be crazy,” Ghazi Mroueh, manager
at Abu Faysal restaurant in Nicosia, said yesterday. “It is one night where
we see so many customers we've never seen before.” More than ever before,
couples in Cyprus are taking an interest in Valentine's Day, and businesses
are feeling, and reacting to, the boom. Let's face it: love sells.“It is
definitely a bigger holiday now, and is more commercial,” Mroueh added. But
even before couples had to go out for Valentine's Day, giving flowers to
loved ones was a traditional form of expression. This remains the case now,
as flower shops all over the island yesterday claimed to be busy arranging
special orders.As expected, roses are the most sought after token of
affection, with a dozen ranging from £12 to £20. Roses arranged in the
shape of the heart, and festive vases are also popular.Those with
reservations at Abu Faysal's can do Valentine's Day Lebanese-style and dine
on heart-shaped falafels. At Pralina's, lovers can take home heart-shaped
French terrine with oven-dried tomatoes, cream cheese and black olives.
Whereas Friday nights are often characterized by group outings, restaurants
say they will see mostly couples tonight. At Romantica restaurant in
Nicosia, only one party of four will break tonight's reservations for two,
manager Sophie Mercurio said. To celebrate the occasion, Mercurio said a
very special night has been planned, with a Valentine balloon décor and
complementary roses for men to give their ladies. The evening's
reservations have been divided into two shifts, for those choosing to dine
from 7.30-9.30pm or at 10pm. A full course meal including wine is available
at £20 for the early sitting, and £25 for the later one. “They pay more if
they come at ten, but the benefit is that they can stay as they long as
they want,” Mercurio said. Mercurio and Mroueh both had one qualm with
Valentine's Day this year: that it falls on a Friday. Because Friday nights
are always a busy night in the restaurant business, this year's special day
is not as profitable as it would be if it fell, say, on a Tuesday night.But
what happens when the heart-shaped goodies have been devoured, and the last
drop of wine has been sipped? Apparently, that's when the real fun
begins.At Intimissimi in Nicosia yesterday afternoon, the saleswoman was so
overwhelmed with clients she was unable to speak to the Cyprus Mail. And
the owner at Lover's sex shop in Nicosia said his sales have been excellent
this week, and that his biggest clientele would be in today. “It's always
busy on Valentine's Day,” he said. “People buy vibrators, lingerie, lotions
and massage oil.”He claims that, contrary to popular belief, many of his
customers are women and that last Thursday, as many as 70 women came into
his shop. “My shop helps people have a different kind of experience in the
bedroom. They can be more playful,” he added. He then went on to show his
more sentimental side.“Valentine's day is a very special day to show your
love, but people should show their love every day,” he said. Aphrodite must
be beaming with pride. Eros can retire.
Copyright Cyprus Mail 2003
Friday, February 14, 2003
[10] KOKO: the girl band eyeing the big timeBy Stefanos EvripidouFOUR girls
with talent, looks and youth on their side are in Cyprus to launch their
campaign to take over the world under the experienced direction of much-
travelled John Themis.Themis has worked with a multitude of top artists,
including Culture Club, Kylie Minogue, Madonna, Dido, George Michael, Elton
John and Sinead O'Connor, apart from writing the number one British hit
single “What Took You So Long” by Emma Bunton.The band, KOKO, call
themselves British Cypriot Europeans with a bit of Irish. A valuable bit,
however, for as Irish contingent Joanna warns: “There's no room in this
outfit for any divas.”Their music is described as R'n'B Mediterranean,
Middle Eastern flavoured with a touch of pop. Their songs have been written
by the girls themselves, as well as acclaimed artists like Quincy Jones Jnr,
the Sugarbabes and Dane Bowers. The girls - Katerina, Joanna, Emily and
Nathalie - range from 16 to 20 years old. They all love to sing and dance
and hope to begin their march on popdom this Saturday on CyBC's
'Savatovrado' programme. They are all musically minded and best of all, can
sing very well. “I think, for myself and my sister (Katerina), our greatest
inspiration has been my father (Themis), who from six years of age fought
with his brother for his guitar and then taught himself to play to become a
great musician,” says Emily. The group refuse to become a flash of fame
that will burn out after a while. “People on stuff like Pop Idols have lots
of talent, but we feel sorry for them because they aren't taken seriously
and they'll always be considered pop idols,” say the group.Themis wanted to
bring the girls to Cyprus to remind them of their roots while easing them
into the spotlight. “This is an awareness campaign. We are hoping to get a
record deal soon but we don't want a career that's quick up, quick down,
like many in the business,” said Themis.His advice is: “You've got to have
your own ingredient and make your own cake”. When asked what his favourite
type of music is, given the extensive variety of artists he has worked with,
he replies that there are only two types: good and bad. “Good music comes
from the gods, the rest can go to hell.”
Copyright Cyprus Mail 2003
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