|
|
|
Cyprus Mail: News Articles in English, 03-02-21
Friday, February 21, 2003
CONTENTS
[01] Coma man to go homeBy Tania KhadderHEALTH Minister Frixos Savvides
said yesterday he was making arrangements to send a comatose British man
back to Manchester from his Paphos hospital bed in the next week. Stafan
Schelze, 42, has been in a coma since a moped accident on January 9. He had
no private insurance and his family could not afford the cost of an
evacuation back to the UK, so until Savvides' intervention on Wednesday was
in limbo in Paphos hospital.But after the minister spoke with doctors at
Paphos General Hospital in the morning, and with Schelze's niece Helen
McCarthy last night, repatriation preparations were under way. “However he
can work it out, I will be profoundly grateful,” McCarthy said last night.
“I just cannot believe that this is all happening so fast, after we've been
dealing with this for so long.”McCarthy has been working to bring Schelze
home since the accident, and will be taking care of arrangements upon his
arrival in the UK, where the National Health Service will take over his
care. She added she had been impressed by Savvides' willingness to help and
his friendliness, calling him “a lovely man”.While specific information
regarding the arrangement was not yet available, Schelze will be flying
home on a Cyprus Airways flight with a doctor before the end of next week.
Because he is on a stretcher, 6-8 seats will need to be reserved on the
plane for him to travel. Schelze was working as a DJ at the Nature café bar
in Paphos when he suffered a moped accident that left him in a coma. He is
showing signs of recovery in responding to stimuli with slight movements of
the eye. His surgeon, Dr. Fylaktis Constantinides, said yesterday it was
difficult to determine his prospects.McCarthy, however, remains optimistic.
“I have a lot of hope for Stefan and how far we can go with him,” she said
last night. She added she was looking forward to his return, and planned to
do all she could to help him recover. She also said that her goal is to get
him well enough he can come back to Cyprus if he chooses. “He loved it so
much in Cyprus. He used to say that he considered himself Cypriot,” she
said.
[02] Outgoing ministers rush for duty free carsBy a Staff ReporterMEMBERS
of the outgoing government are rushing to upgrade their cars for the latest
models before their duty free status expires on March 1.The Cyprus Mail has
learned that at least three member of the Clerides government are in line
for brand new BMWs, Defence Minister Socratis Hasikos, Presidential
Undersecretary Pantelis Kouros and Government Spokesman Michalis
Papapetrou.Papapetrou, a lawyer and deputy leader of the United Democrats,
was yesterday unabashed about taking advantage of his last remaining days
as a member of the government.“It's not an issue of changing car. I am
buying a car,” he told the Cyprus Mail. “I'm entitled as other ministers to
this privilege and I say frankly that I will exercise it. I'm not afraid to
say it, after all I don't have something to bother my conscience because
being in this office has cost me money. “If my only consideration was money
then my law practice would have been much more rewarding to me than waiting
for the cheque and salary as Government Spokesman. I don't feel I'm
cheating anybody.”
[03] Foreign Ministry in drive to counter bad press for PapadopoulosBy
George PsyllidesTASSOS Papadopoulos' election has sent the foreign ministry
scrambling to refute numerous reports in the international media presenting
the President elect as a hardliner whose past could spell the end of talks
to reunify the island.Foreign Minister Yiannakis Cassoulides has already
ordered Cyprus' diplomatic missions abroad to work to refute any report,
which could hurt the island's national interests.“No one is allowed to
judge the elected President of the Republic, apart from through his acts
from the moment he assumes his office and afterwards,” Cassoulides said.
The Guardian on Monday after the elections run an article headlined
“'Turkish-basher' who might just reunify the country”.In the article,
Papadopoulos was described as a controversial figure who had rejected all
previous UN attempts to reunify the island.“The 69-year-old conservative is
a hardliner who has rejected all previous UN attempts to reunify Cyprus…Mr
Papadopoulos came down firmly on the side of the rejectionists,” the
Guardian said.“A prominent member of EOKA, the guerrilla group that
campaigned in the 50s against British rule for union with Greece, the UK-
trained barrister has rarely tried to dispel his reputation as a diehard
nationalist.“In the early 60s he was second in command of the Akritas
organisation, whose avowed aim was to rid the island of Turkish Cypriots -
a goal that ignited much intercommunal fighting and eventually led to the
Turkish invasion in 1974.”According to the daily, Turkish Cypriot leader
Rauf Denktash has already said he could not do business with Papadopoulos
because of his “Turk-bashing” past.In a second article headlined
'Hardliner's win threatens Cyprus deal' on February 20, the Guardian
commented that prospects for a solution had taken a blow with the election
of Papadopoulos.“Citing Mr Papadopoulos' tough track record as a
rejectionist, seasoned Cyprus observers worry that as the island's new
president he will not only be a much tougher negotiator than his
predecessor but may refuse to sign the historic agreement altogether,” the
Guardian said.The same line was followed by the Financial Times, which
commented in an editorial that Papadopoulos' victory “casts an uncertain
shadow” over plans for reunification.“Those on the prosperous Greek side of
the island who are against a settlement have been stalling, safe in the
knowledge they will get into the EU anyway,” the editorial said,Its writer
even suggested that if “Greek Cyprus refused to compromise, EU member
states should seriously consider whether to ratify the entry of a country
that had the chance to make itself whole again, but whose leadership
wilfully frittered away the chance to make peace”.Under the headline “Annan
attempts new effort to unite Cyprus after hardliner wins election”, the
Independent said Papadopoulos had in the past opposed all efforts to end
the 29-year-old division of the island.“Mr Papadopoulos wants improvements
to the plan despite warnings that little can be changed without sparking
counter-demands from the other side, which would plunge the process into
disarray,” the daily said.Quoting Denktash, the Independent said
Papadopoulos' win threatened to deadlock the UN efforts to reunite the
island.“It is the intransigent stance of the Greek Cypriot people which won,
” Denktash said.
[04] Prodromou apologises for bitterness but stands by his choiceBy George
PsyllidesDISY deputy Prodromos Prodromou yesterday apologised to party
members for the bitterness he may have caused by supporting outgoing
Attorney-general Alecos Markides in last week's presidential elections.“I
have to say that my choice to support Alecos Markides, I believe, was the
correct path; for me it was a decision of conscience, but I realise that
for a large number of DISY faithful this position is not understood and has
caused bitterness,” Prodromou said.“To them I want to say I'm sorry, and at
the same time stress that they should not be complacent with the reasoning
that the elections were lost because of Alecos Markides' candidacy.”Prodromou
is one of five DISY members who openly supported Markides' candidacy and
were later blamed for dashing the re-election chances of President Glafcos
Clerides - who was formally backed by DISY.Last Sunday's election defeat
has sparked a bitter war of words between DISY chief Nicos Anastassiades
and the five dissidents.Anastassiades initially vowed to expel the 'gang of
five', though he is now having second thoughts; the rebels put the blame
for the election failure squarely on the DISY chief, whom they urged to
resign.“Neither the chairman of the party, nor his associates in the
leadership of the party, nor the ministers whose record was dumped on the
President as an unpaid bill have assumed their responsibilities,” Prodromou
said.He added that “black Sunday” had been a painful experience, not only
because the elections had been lost but because the people of DISY were
left feeling they were lost unjustly and ingloriously.“In addition to all
this, the image we conveyed with the chairman of the party in the forefront
trying to shake off any responsibility from his shoulders and find
scapegoats, and everything we were forced to say in the heat of the moment
were surely not what DISY people were expecting to hear that night,”
Prodromou said.He said all this should be discussed to find out what had
really gone wrong, and the page should be turned and any disputes left
behind on the way to unity.Prodromou said he felt it was necessary to
apologise before DISY's supreme council on Saturday where he expected a
real probe into the causes of the defeat.The supreme council is scheduled
to discuss the election defeat but could also look into whether there are
grounds for disciplinary measures - expulsion - against the 'Five'.DISY
could soon be heading for elections, where Anastassiades' leadership looks
set to face a challenge.One challenger could be Foreign Minister Yiannakis
Cassoulides, who has already said he would run if it would help unite the
party.Cassoulides said yesterday the current crisis had been simmering for
quite some time, but the reasons behind it should be sought on Saturday. He
said DISY did not have the luxury of being divided, and urged the
dissidents once more to do their self-criticism because their political
arguments throughout the campaign had frustrated Clerides' bid.Another DISY
member, Communications Minister Averoff Neophytou, said he was considering
running for the position of deputy chairman, but only if his candidacy
would not affect the unity of the party.He said his personal ambitions
would take a back seat for the sake of unity but if the logic of having
elections at all levels predominated, then he would be standing for the
position.
[05] Fancy a €50,000 job in Brussels?By Sofia KannasCOMPETITION for posts
as Cypriot EU officials will be fierce, the European Institute for Cyprus
said yesterday.Recruitment for more than 100 Cypriot EU officials is
expected to begin within the next few weeks following Wednesday's
announcement by the European Commission in Brussels that targets in this
field have been set for all new member states.Neophytos Chrysochos,
Director of Research at the Institute, yesterday confirmed that the total
staff for Cyprus was estimated at approximately 110, including one Director
and six middle managers.“The EU's special unit for personnel selection has
allocated a certain number of positions for each candidate country. The
targets were based on each country's population, the weighting of votes in
the EU council and finally the number of Euro MPs for all member
countries.“Based on these three criteria a working formula was used to
ascertain the number of officials for each candidate nation.”Asked what the
recruitment process would involve, Chrysochos told the Cyprus Mail that
selection for the positions of Director and middle managers would be
different to those for the 103 lower ranking officials.“The top seven posts
will be decided by CV and interviews.“But the rest of the positions will be
decided by preliminary exam papers and then a more serious exam. After this,
interviews will be conducted and then a short-list drawn up of people
eligible to apply for positions. So even if you are short-listed you are
not guaranteed a position, you are only able to apply.But hopefully within
the next seven years these positions will be filled by Cypriot citizens.And
what are the attractions of applying for the post of EU official?“There are
many attractions. The 103 officials will get a salary of more than €50,000
per year and other benefits depending on the family situation. “For example,
there are household allowances, at five per cent of the basic yearly
salary. There are also child allowances of €233 per month per child, plus a
school allowance. A repatriation allowance of 16 per cent of the yearly
salary also exists, as well as some fixed amounts for travel expenses.“So
it's a very attractive package in terms of benefits but a somewhat
exhausting process to get the job.”Chrysochos said the recruitment process
would be rigorous and competition would be fierce.“The selection process is
designed to pick out the best people for the jobs. Not just in terms of
passing the exams, but also in terms of other skills, such as the ability
to work in a multicultural environment.Language skills are also of
paramount importance.“As well as speaking Greek, applicants must also be
fluent in at least one of the three main EU languages -- English, French or
German.”“There are some specialist posts for lawyers and economists but
most posts will be for general public servants.Asked what qualifications
were necessary for applicants, Chrysochos said that any type of university
degree was acceptable.“We don't exclude any type of degree, though post-
graduate degrees and doctorates are regarded as important. But practical
experience and knowledge of EU policies are also needed.“The posts will be
open to graduates with less than three years' experience as well as those
with more than three years' experience. “The application process should
open in a few weeks, and forms should be filled in online.”
[06] Minister admits brothers' disappearance 'probably a criminal act'By
George PsyllidesTHE JUSTICE Minister admitted yesterday that the
disappearance of two brothers from Kofinou village near Larnaca appeared to
be a criminal act.Nicholas Sinesi Kannas, 31, and his 27-year-old brother
Kyriacos have been missing since Saturday, with no traces found so far
despite a large-scale search operation launched by the authorities.Speaking
at the Presidential Palace, where relatives of the two missing men
yesterday met with undersecretary to the President Pantelis Kouros,
Minister Alecos Shiambos said there was still no clue regarding the
brothers' disappearance.The minister assured the relatives that the
authorities would not give up their efforts, while all measures were being
taken to uncover solid evidence on the case.“You realise that such
investigations normally start from specific clues for them to be effective;
in the particular case we have not been able to find any leads yet,”
Shiambos said.He added that the family had given police some clues and
suspicions they had, but that there was nothing specific.Shiambos said it
was absolutely natural for the family to worry, noting that the complaints
they had made about the police were due to their anxiety concerning the
fate of their loved ones.On Tuesday, relatives of the two men formed a
human chain on the Larnaca to Limassol and Nicosia to Limassol motorways,
holding up traffic for 30 minutes in protest at what they said were
inadequate police efforts to locate the brothers.The minister said police
could not disclose details of their investigation because it would hinder
their efforts.Asked whether authorities thought the disappearance was a
criminal act, Shiambos said: “it seems that all clues and evidence lead
towards that direction”.Several people have been questioned in connection
with the case, while police have searched the greater Kofinou area for any
traces of the two brothers.On Wednesday, special rescue teams used high-
tech cameras to search 16 wells in the area but again to no avail.
[07] Cyprus will have to leave non-aligned movement when it joins the EUBy
Jean ChristouCYPRUS will have to pull out of the Non Aligned Movement (NAM)
when it joins the EU next year, outgoing Government Spokesman Michalis
Papapetrou said yesterday.The NAM, which was founded in 1961, represents
114 developing countries around the world and was originally set up as a
counter body to the rival Cold War blocks.Cyprus, since its independence in
1960, has been a consistent and active founding member of NAM. The first
President of the Republic, Archbishop Makarios, was one of the founders of
the Movement and several NAM conferences have been held in Cyprus.
Papapetrou said that even though Cyprus would no longer be a member of NAM,
the island would continue to maintain special links with the organisation.
“A lot of things connect us with this movement, including historical
tradition,” he said.The latest NAM conference, which opened in Malaysia
yesterday, was being held under the shadow of the proposed US-led war on
Iraq, which the organisation opposes. The 114-member states represent the
overwhelming majority of the 191 UN member-states, and six of its countries
sit on the 15-member Security Council.Cyprus is being represented at the
conference by its High Commissioner in Malaysia, the Press and Information
Office said. “Usually the Foreign Minister and the President attend, but
they could not because of the elections,” a spokesman said.The first
Conference of Non-Aligned Heads of State, at which 25 countries were
represented, was convened in Belgrade in September 1961, largely through
the initiative of Yugoslav President Josip Broz Tito.Subsequent conferences
involved ever-increasing participation by developing countries. The 1964
Conference in Cairo, with 47 countries represented, featured widespread
condemnation of Western colonialism and the retention of foreign military
installations. Thereafter, the focus shifted away from political issues to
the advocacy of solutions to global economic and other problem.
[08] More heavy rains flood into the damsBy Stefanos EvripidouMORE heavy
rain in the past couple of days has been good news for the island's 17 dams,
which have enjoyed a surge in capacity in one of the wettest Februaries in
recent years.The dams were yesterday 54.7 per cent full, almost six per
cent up on a week ago, and compared to 48.9 per cent at the same time last
year.“Over 1.8 million cubic metres of rain has entered the dams over the
last 24 hours,” said Phedros Roussis of the Water Development Department
yesterday. This brings the total to 149.6 million cubic metres, 16.6
million more than last Thursday.Meteorological Services officer Klitos
Pyotis said yesterday that an average 11mm of rainfall had fallen on the
island in the last 24 hours, bringing average rainfall for the whole of
February to date up to 116mm. “This represents 42 per cent above the
average rainfall for the month of February. It's definitely been a rainy
month,” he added.From the start of the hydrometeorological year on October
1 until the end of February, total rainfall has reached 370mm, representing
99 per cent of average rainfall for that period at 10 days before the
month's end.Met Service director Kyriacos Theophilou, said low pressure
movements would continue to affect the region. “The weather will continue
to be cloudy in patches with rain and some snow in the higher regions.
Temperatures will drop slightly to 13C inland, 15C on the coast and 1C in
the mountains,” said Theophilou.Unfortunately for those planning a weekend
out of town, the forecast does not looking bright. The weather for the next
three days will remain unsettled with occasional sunshine and scattered
showers. Some snowfall is expected in the mountains again.Theophilou
maintained that the forecast was only for three days ahead but said he
believed that Cyprus was not at risk from the harsher weather experienced
by parts of Greece. “Greece is further north and mainly affected by
pressure from Central Europe,” he said.
[09] £100,000 for information on missing Saudi millionaireBy Sofia KannasA
SAUDI man whose brother went missing in Cyprus over three years ago, is
offering a £100,000 reward to anyone who can help solve the mystery of his
disappearance.Millionaire Rakan Khalid Hathleen, who was 52 when he went
missing, arrived on the island in early January 2000, and was last heard of
alive on January 26, 2000. An investigation was launched by local police
and Interpol when foul play was suspected.Speaking to the Cyprus Mail
yesterday, Hathleen's brother Mansour said he was still hoping his brother
may be found alive, despite the fact that no progress has been in the
investigation so far.“It's been three years now, so there's a fifty-fifty
chance he's still alive. But no progress has been made whatsoever.”Rakan
was reported missing by his family in Saudi Arabia in February 2000.“My
brother was in Cyprus on holiday when he disappeared -- he used to come
over three or four times a year as he owned a flat in Limassol. He
sometimes came alone or came with his wife and sons.”“Whenever he was
abroad, he used to call us two or three times a week. The last phone call
he made home was on January 26 and the housemaid picked up the phone. He
said he was in a hurry and wanted to speak to his wife urgently, but when
she came to the phone the line had been disconnected. After that, we became
worried.“The bank also notified us that his credit card had been used and
charged with a large amount. That's when we came over to Cyprus for the
first time in February.”Svetlana Zelenin, a Russian woman and her son
Zakhar -- aged 42 and 18 respectively at the time -were reported to have
been seen with Hathleen and were sought by police in connection with the
fraud.“Our suspicion is that the Russian woman and her son used his credit
card. We had a picture of the son and we took it to various jewellery and
electric stores, and he was identified. He even used it to buy a
pizza.Unconfirmed reports suggest something in the region of £70,000 was
spent using Hathleen's credit card. The credit card was also used in the
Ukraine.Asked what the connection between Hathleen and the Russian pair may
have been Mansour said:“We believe the Russian woman was like a housemaid
for my brother - she came on and off to cook and clean.“The woman and her
son left Cyprus on February 22 2000. The young man was deported for
violating immigration rules - he had overstayed in Cyprus. They went to
Moscow from Larnaca.”No trace of the pair has been found despite the
involvement of Interpol.“Interpol in Saudi, Cyprus, Tashkent and Moscow
have been involved, but there is no sign of them anywhere. They disappeared
like a mirage. Yet these people must know about my brother.Mansour said the
last phone call his brother made on January 26 may help in discovering what
really happened.“We have been urging the telecommunications to try and
trace that last call, to discover where it was made, whether in Limassol,
Nicosia or elsewhere. This might lead to something. But the telecommunications
people said it was not possible.”Mansour dismissed suggestions that his
brother had run off to Uzbekistan with another Russian woman.“My brother
came to Cyprus on January 6, 2000 and immigration records show he never
left the island. If he had left Cyprus then immigration would have
known.”Mansour has been in Cyprus this week pushing for a renewed
initiative into the search for his brother.“I have been to see the police --
the case is still open and he's still considered a missing person.“I am
urging in anyone with even the smallest piece of information about my
brother to come forward - anything they tell us will be treated as
confidential. I am also offering a £100,000 reward.”Commenting on
Hathleen's disappearance yesterday, Justice Minister Alecos Shambos said
the matter was being dealt with by police, but added that the case would be
re-opened should any new evidence come to light.
[10] Rolandis urges more tourist advertising to counter effects of warBy
Stefanos EvripidouOUTGOING Commerce Minister Nicos Rolandis yesterday urged
the new government to spend more on advertising for Cyprus tourism in the
event of a war in Iraq. Speaking at the 25th annual Hotel Management
seminar yesterday, Rolandis highlighted that his ministry had increased the
tourism advertising budget to £17 million to deal with the worldwide
downturn after the September 11 attacks in 2001. “The demand for tourism
started to freeze up in Europe. This was strengthened by the war in
Afghanistan, and will be even more with the upcoming war in Iraq,” said
Rolandis. He said Cyprus was the first to suffer in case of war because of
its location in the eastern Mediterranean, its position as an “expensive
destination”, and the fact that tourists look towards holidays by car
during times of trouble.His ministry decided to spend £17 million on the
promotion of tourism as a result. He highlighted that a new war in the Gulf
would intensify the need for increased spending on advertising, and urged
the new government to take heed. President of the Cyprus Hotel Association,
Avgerinos Nikita, told delegates that the upcoming months would be crucial
for tourism, given the new government's efforts to reunify the island, the
signing of the EU Accession Treaty on April 16 and the uncertainty building
up in Europe, tourism's main market, from the possible outbreak of war in
Iraq.“As past experience of the 1991 Gulf War has shown us, tourism, being
the most sensitive sector of economic activity, will be the first victim.
Eastern Mediterranean destinations suffer the most, while the western
Mediterranean tends to profit from it,” said Nikita.Summer holiday bookings
taken last month are already showing the effects of a looming crisis, he
added, saying that all the signs showed that the new tourist season was
going to be a particularly difficult one. Head of the Cyprus Tourism
Organisation, Chrysis Prentzas, noted that the Iraq crisis was creating a
climate of uncertainty, making it very difficult to predict what the
consequences would be. He said the CTO was working intensively to minimise
the losses if such a war broke out, but reiterated a lot depended on the
developments of the next month.Over 150 representatives from the tourism
industry gathered at the Hilton Park in Nicosia to partake in a seminar run
by PricewaterhouseCoopers and the University of Cyprus, covering topics on
the new competitive environment, buy-outs and mergers, new quality shelters
and the productivity and quality of the Cyprus tourism package.
[01] Coma man to go homeBy Tania KhadderHEALTH Minister Frixos Savvides
said yesterday he was making arrangements to send a comatose British man
back to Manchester from his Paphos hospital bed in the next week. Stafan
Schelze, 42, has been in a coma since a moped accident on January 9. He had
no private insurance and his family could not afford the cost of an
evacuation back to the UK, so until Savvides' intervention on Wednesday was
in limbo in Paphos hospital.But after the minister spoke with doctors at
Paphos General Hospital in the morning, and with Schelze's niece Helen
McCarthy last night, repatriation preparations were under way. “However he
can work it out, I will be profoundly grateful,” McCarthy said last night.
“I just cannot believe that this is all happening so fast, after we've been
dealing with this for so long.”McCarthy has been working to bring Schelze
home since the accident, and will be taking care of arrangements upon his
arrival in the UK, where the National Health Service will take over his
care. She added she had been impressed by Savvides' willingness to help and
his friendliness, calling him “a lovely man”.While specific information
regarding the arrangement was not yet available, Schelze will be flying
home on a Cyprus Airways flight with a doctor before the end of next week.
Because he is on a stretcher, 6-8 seats will need to be reserved on the
plane for him to travel. Schelze was working as a DJ at the Nature café bar
in Paphos when he suffered a moped accident that left him in a coma. He is
showing signs of recovery in responding to stimuli with slight movements of
the eye. His surgeon, Dr. Fylaktis Constantinides, said yesterday it was
difficult to determine his prospects.McCarthy, however, remains optimistic.
“I have a lot of hope for Stefan and how far we can go with him,” she said
last night. She added she was looking forward to his return, and planned to
do all she could to help him recover. She also said that her goal is to get
him well enough he can come back to Cyprus if he chooses. “He loved it so
much in Cyprus. He used to say that he considered himself Cypriot,” she
said.
Copyright Cyprus Mail 2003
Friday, February 21, 2003
[02] Outgoing ministers rush for duty free carsBy a Staff ReporterMEMBERS
of the outgoing government are rushing to upgrade their cars for the latest
models before their duty free status expires on March 1.The Cyprus Mail
has learned that at least three member of the Clerides government are in
line for brand new BMWs, Defence Minister Socratis Hasikos, Presidential
Undersecretary Pantelis Kouros and Government Spokesman Michalis
Papapetrou.Papapetrou, a lawyer and deputy leader of the United Democrats,
was yesterday unabashed about taking advantage of his last remaining days
as a member of the government.“It's not an issue of changing car. I am
buying a car,” he told the Cyprus Mail. “I'm entitled as other ministers
to this privilege and I say frankly that I will exercise it. I'm not afraid
to say it, after all I don't have something to bother my conscience because
being in this office has cost me money. “If my only consideration was money
then my law practice would have been much more rewarding to me than waiting
for the cheque and salary as Government Spokesman. I don't feel I'm
cheating anybody.”
Copyright Cyprus Mail 2003
Friday, February 21, 2003
[03] Foreign Ministry in drive to counter bad press for PapadopoulosBy
George PsyllidesTASSOS Papadopoulos' election has sent the foreign ministry
scrambling to refute numerous reports in the international media presenting
the President elect as a hardliner whose past could spell the end of talks
to reunify the island.Foreign Minister Yiannakis Cassoulides has already
ordered Cyprus' diplomatic missions abroad to work to refute any report,
which could hurt the island's national interests.“No one is allowed to
judge the elected President of the Republic, apart from through his acts
from the moment he assumes his office and afterwards,” Cassoulides said.
The Guardian on Monday after the elections run an article headlined
“'Turkish-basher' who might just reunify the country”.In the article,
Papadopoulos was described as a controversial figure who had rejected all
previous UN attempts to reunify the island.“The 69-year-old conservative is
a hardliner who has rejected all previous UN attempts to reunify Cyprus…Mr
Papadopoulos came down firmly on the side of the rejectionists,” the
Guardian said.“A prominent member of EOKA, the guerrilla group that campaigned in the 50s against British rule for union with Greece, the UK-trained barrister has rarely tried to dispel his reputation as a diehard nationalist.“In the early 60s he was second in command of the Akritas organisation, whose avowed aim was to rid the island of Turkish Cypriots - a goal that ignited much intercommunal fighting and eventually led to the Turkish invasion in 1974.”According to the daily, Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash has already said he could not do business with Papadopoulos because of his “Turk-bashing” past.In a second article headlined 'Hardliner's win threatens Cyprus deal' on February 20, the Guardian commented that prospects for a solution had taken a blow with the election of Papadopoulos.“Citing Mr Papadopoulos' tough track record as a rejectionist, seasoned Cyprus observers worry that as the island's new president he will not only be a much tougher negotiator than his predecessor but may refuse to sign the historic agreement altogether,” the Guardian said.The same line was followed by the Financial Times, which commented in an editorial that Papadopoulos' victory “casts an uncertain shadow” over plans for reunification.“Those on the prosperous Greek side of the island who are against a settlement have been stalling, safe in the knowledge they will get into the EU anyway,” the editorial said,Its writer even suggested that if “Greek Cyprus refused to compromise, EU member states should seriously consider whether to ratify the entry of a country that had the chance to make itself whole again, but whose leadership wilfully frittered away the chance to make peace”.Under the headline “Annan attempts new effort to unite Cyprus after hardliner wins election”, the Independent said Papadopoulos had in the past opposed all efforts to end the 29-year-old division of the island.“Mr Papadopoulos wants improvements to the plan despite warnings that little can be changed without sparking counter-demands from the other side, which would plunge the process into disarray,” the daily said.Quoting Denktash, the Independent said Papadopoulos' win threatened to deadlock the UN efforts to reunite the island.“It is the intransigent stance of the Greek Cypriot people which won,” Denktash said.
Copyright Cyprus Mail 2003
Friday, February 21, 2003
[04] Prodromou apologises for bitterness but stands by his choiceBy George
PsyllidesDISY deputy Prodromos Prodromou yesterday apologised to party
members for the bitterness he may have caused by supporting outgoing
Attorney-general Alecos Markides in last week's presidential elections.“I
have to say that my choice to support Alecos Markides, I believe, was the
correct path; for me it was a decision of conscience, but I realise that
for a large number of DISY faithful this position is not understood and has
caused bitterness,” Prodromou said.“To them I want to say I'm sorry, and at
the same time stress that they should not be complacent with the reasoning
that the elections were lost because of Alecos Markides' candidacy.”Prodromou
is one of five DISY members who openly supported Markides' candidacy and
were later blamed for dashing the re-election chances of President Glafcos
Clerides - who was formally backed by DISY.Last Sunday's election defeat
has sparked a bitter war of words between DISY chief Nicos Anastassiades
and the five dissidents.Anastassiades initially vowed to expel the 'gang of
five', though he is now having second thoughts; the rebels put the blame
for the election failure squarely on the DISY chief, whom they urged to
resign.“Neither the chairman of the party, nor his associates in the
leadership of the party, nor the ministers whose record was dumped on the
President as an unpaid bill have assumed their responsibilities,” Prodromou
said.He added that “black Sunday” had been a painful experience, not only
because the elections had been lost but because the people of DISY were
left feeling they were lost unjustly and ingloriously.“In addition to all
this, the image we conveyed with the chairman of the party in the forefront
trying to shake off any responsibility from his shoulders and find
scapegoats, and everything we were forced to say in the heat of the moment
were surely not what DISY people were expecting to hear that night,”
Prodromou said.He said all this should be discussed to find out what had
really gone wrong, and the page should be turned and any disputes left
behind on the way to unity.Prodromou said he felt it was necessary to
apologise before DISY's supreme council on Saturday where he expected a
real probe into the causes of the defeat.The supreme council is scheduled
to discuss the election defeat but could also look into whether there are
grounds for disciplinary measures - expulsion - against the 'Five'.DISY
could soon be heading for elections, where Anastassiades' leadership looks
set to face a challenge.One challenger could be Foreign Minister Yiannakis
Cassoulides, who has already said he would run if it would help unite the
party.Cassoulides said yesterday the current crisis had been simmering for
quite some time, but the reasons behind it should be sought on Saturday. He
said DISY did not have the luxury of being divided, and urged the
dissidents once more to do their self-criticism because their political
arguments throughout the campaign had frustrated Clerides' bid.Another DISY
member, Communications Minister Averoff Neophytou, said he was considering
running for the position of deputy chairman, but only if his candidacy
would not affect the unity of the party.He said his personal ambitions
would take a back seat for the sake of unity but if the logic of having
elections at all levels predominated, then he would be standing for the
position.
Copyright Cyprus Mail 2003
Friday, February 21, 2003
[05] Fancy a €50,000 job in Brussels?By Sofia KannasCOMPETITION for posts
as Cypriot EU officials will be fierce, the European Institute for Cyprus
said yesterday.Recruitment for more than 100 Cypriot EU officials is
expected to begin within the next few weeks following Wednesday's
announcement by the European Commission in Brussels that targets in this
field have been set for all new member states.Neophytos Chrysochos,
Director of Research at the Institute, yesterday confirmed that the total
staff for Cyprus was estimated at approximately 110, including one Director
and six middle managers.“The EU's special unit for personnel selection has
allocated a certain number of positions for each candidate country. The
targets were based on each country's population, the weighting of votes in
the EU council and finally the number of Euro MPs for all member
countries.“Based on these three criteria a working formula was used to
ascertain the number of officials for each candidate nation.”Asked what the
recruitment process would involve, Chrysochos told the Cyprus Mail that
selection for the positions of Director and middle managers would be
different to those for the 103 lower ranking officials.“The top seven posts
will be decided by CV and interviews.“But the rest of the positions will be
decided by preliminary exam papers and then a more serious exam. After this,
interviews will be conducted and then a short-list drawn up of people
eligible to apply for positions. So even if you are short-listed you are
not guaranteed a position, you are only able to apply.But hopefully within
the next seven years these positions will be filled by Cypriot citizens.And
what are the attractions of applying for the post of EU official?“There are
many attractions. The 103 officials will get a salary of more than €50,000
per year and other benefits depending on the family situation. “For example,
there are household allowances, at five per cent of the basic yearly
salary. There are also child allowances of €233 per month per child, plus a
school allowance. A repatriation allowance of 16 per cent of the yearly
salary also exists, as well as some fixed amounts for travel expenses.“So
it's a very attractive package in terms of benefits but a somewhat
exhausting process to get the job.”Chrysochos said the recruitment process
would be rigorous and competition would be fierce.“The selection process is
designed to pick out the best people for the jobs. Not just in terms of
passing the exams, but also in terms of other skills, such as the ability
to work in a multicultural environment.Language skills are also of
paramount importance.“As well as speaking Greek, applicants must also be
fluent in at least one of the three main EU languages -- English, French or
German.”“There are some specialist posts for lawyers and economists but
most posts will be for general public servants.Asked what qualifications
were necessary for applicants, Chrysochos said that any type of university
degree was acceptable.“We don't exclude any type of degree, though post-
graduate degrees and doctorates are regarded as important. But practical
experience and knowledge of EU policies are also needed.“The posts will be
open to graduates with less than three years' experience as well as those
with more than three years' experience. “The application process should
open in a few weeks, and forms should be filled in online.”
Copyright Cyprus Mail 2003
Friday, February 21, 2003
[06] Minister admits brothers' disappearance 'probably a criminal act'By
George PsyllidesTHE JUSTICE Minister admitted yesterday that the
disappearance of two brothers from Kofinou village near Larnaca appeared to
be a criminal act.Nicholas Sinesi Kannas, 31, and his 27-year-old brother
Kyriacos have been missing since Saturday, with no traces found so far
despite a large-scale search operation launched by the authorities.Speaking
at the Presidential Palace, where relatives of the two missing men
yesterday met with undersecretary to the President Pantelis Kouros,
Minister Alecos Shiambos said there was still no clue regarding the
brothers' disappearance.The minister assured the relatives that the
authorities would not give up their efforts, while all measures were being
taken to uncover solid evidence on the case.“You realise that such
investigations normally start from specific clues for them to be effective;
in the particular case we have not been able to find any leads yet,”
Shiambos said.He added that the family had given police some clues and
suspicions they had, but that there was nothing specific.Shiambos said it
was absolutely natural for the family to worry, noting that the complaints
they had made about the police were due to their anxiety concerning the
fate of their loved ones.On Tuesday, relatives of the two men formed a
human chain on the Larnaca to Limassol and Nicosia to Limassol motorways,
holding up traffic for 30 minutes in protest at what they said were
inadequate police efforts to locate the brothers.The minister said police
could not disclose details of their investigation because it would hinder
their efforts.Asked whether authorities thought the disappearance was a
criminal act, Shiambos said: “it seems that all clues and evidence lead
towards that direction”.Several people have been questioned in connection
with the case, while police have searched the greater Kofinou area for any
traces of the two brothers.On Wednesday, special rescue teams used high-
tech cameras to search 16 wells in the area but again to no avail.
Copyright Cyprus Mail 2003
Friday, February 21, 2003
[07] Cyprus will have to leave non-aligned movement when it joins the EUBy
Jean ChristouCYPRUS will have to pull out of the Non Aligned Movement (NAM)
when it joins the EU next year, outgoing Government Spokesman Michalis
Papapetrou said yesterday.The NAM, which was founded in 1961, represents
114 developing countries around the world and was originally set up as a
counter body to the rival Cold War blocks.Cyprus, since its independence in
1960, has been a consistent and active founding member of NAM. The first
President of the Republic, Archbishop Makarios, was one of the founders of
the Movement and several NAM conferences have been held in Cyprus.
Papapetrou said that even though Cyprus would no longer be a member of NAM,
the island would continue to maintain special links with the organisation.
“A lot of things connect us with this movement, including historical
tradition,” he said.The latest NAM conference, which opened in Malaysia
yesterday, was being held under the shadow of the proposed US-led war on
Iraq, which the organisation opposes. The 114-member states represent the
overwhelming majority of the 191 UN member-states, and six of its countries
sit on the 15-member Security Council.Cyprus is being represented at the
conference by its High Commissioner in Malaysia, the Press and Information
Office said. “Usually the Foreign Minister and the President attend, but
they could not because of the elections,” a spokesman said.The first
Conference of Non-Aligned Heads of State, at which 25 countries were
represented, was convened in Belgrade in September 1961, largely through
the initiative of Yugoslav President Josip Broz Tito.Subsequent conferences
involved ever-increasing participation by developing countries. The 1964
Conference in Cairo, with 47 countries represented, featured widespread
condemnation of Western colonialism and the retention of foreign military
installations. Thereafter, the focus shifted away from political issues to
the advocacy of solutions to global economic and other problem.
Copyright Cyprus Mail 2003
Friday, February 21, 2003
[08] More heavy rains flood into the damsBy Stefanos EvripidouMORE heavy
rain in the past couple of days has been good news for the island's 17 dams,
which have enjoyed a surge in capacity in one of the wettest Februaries in
recent years.The dams were yesterday 54.7 per cent full, almost six per
cent up on a week ago, and compared to 48.9 per cent at the same time last
year.“Over 1.8 million cubic metres of rain has entered the dams over the
last 24 hours,” said Phedros Roussis of the Water Development Department
yesterday. This brings the total to 149.6 million cubic metres, 16.6
million more than last Thursday.Meteorological Services officer Klitos
Pyotis said yesterday that an average 11mm of rainfall had fallen on the
island in the last 24 hours, bringing average rainfall for the whole of
February to date up to 116mm. “This represents 42 per cent above the
average rainfall for the month of February. It's definitely been a rainy
month,” he added.From the start of the hydrometeorological year on October
1 until the end of February, total rainfall has reached 370mm, representing
99 per cent of average rainfall for that period at 10 days before the
month's end.Met Service director Kyriacos Theophilou, said low pressure
movements would continue to affect the region. “The weather will continue
to be cloudy in patches with rain and some snow in the higher regions.
Temperatures will drop slightly to 13C inland, 15C on the coast and 1C in
the mountains,” said Theophilou.Unfortunately for those planning a weekend
out of town, the forecast does not looking bright. The weather for the next
three days will remain unsettled with occasional sunshine and scattered
showers. Some snowfall is expected in the mountains again.Theophilou
maintained that the forecast was only for three days ahead but said he
believed that Cyprus was not at risk from the harsher weather experienced
by parts of Greece. “Greece is further north and mainly affected by
pressure from Central Europe,” he said.
Copyright Cyprus Mail 2003
Friday, February 21, 2003
[09] £100,000 for information on missing Saudi millionaireBy Sofia KannasA
SAUDI man whose brother went missing in Cyprus over three years ago, is
offering a £100,000 reward to anyone who can help solve the mystery of his
disappearance.Millionaire Rakan Khalid Hathleen, who was 52 when he went
missing, arrived on the island in early January 2000, and was last heard of
alive on January 26, 2000. An investigation was launched by local police
and Interpol when foul play was suspected.Speaking to the Cyprus Mail
yesterday, Hathleen's brother Mansour said he was still hoping his brother
may be found alive, despite the fact that no progress has been in the
investigation so far.“It's been three years now, so there's a fifty-fifty
chance he's still alive. But no progress has been made whatsoever.”Rakan
was reported missing by his family in Saudi Arabia in February 2000.“My
brother was in Cyprus on holiday when he disappeared -- he used to come
over three or four times a year as he owned a flat in Limassol. He
sometimes came alone or came with his wife and sons.”“Whenever he was
abroad, he used to call us two or three times a week. The last phone call
he made home was on January 26 and the housemaid picked up the phone. He
said he was in a hurry and wanted to speak to his wife urgently, but when
she came to the phone the line had been disconnected. After that, we became
worried.“The bank also notified us that his credit card had been used and
charged with a large amount. That's when we came over to Cyprus for the
first time in February.”Svetlana Zelenin, a Russian woman and her son
Zakhar -- aged 42 and 18 respectively at the time -were reported to have
been seen with Hathleen and were sought by police in connection with the
fraud.“Our suspicion is that the Russian woman and her son used his credit
card. We had a picture of the son and we took it to various jewellery and
electric stores, and he was identified. He even used it to buy a
pizza.Unconfirmed reports suggest something in the region of £70,000 was
spent using Hathleen's credit card. The credit card was also used in the
Ukraine.Asked what the connection between Hathleen and the Russian pair may
have been Mansour said:“We believe the Russian woman was like a housemaid
for my brother - she came on and off to cook and clean.“The woman and her
son left Cyprus on February 22 2000. The young man was deported for
violating immigration rules - he had overstayed in Cyprus. They went to
Moscow from Larnaca.”No trace of the pair has been found despite the
involvement of Interpol.“Interpol in Saudi, Cyprus, Tashkent and Moscow
have been involved, but there is no sign of them anywhere. They disappeared
like a mirage. Yet these people must know about my brother.Mansour said the
last phone call his brother made on January 26 may help in discovering what
really happened.“We have been urging the telecommunications to try and
trace that last call, to discover where it was made, whether in Limassol,
Nicosia or elsewhere. This might lead to something. But the telecommunications
people said it was not possible.”Mansour dismissed suggestions that his
brother had run off to Uzbekistan with another Russian woman.“My brother
came to Cyprus on January 6, 2000 and immigration records show he never
left the island. If he had left Cyprus then immigration would have
known.”Mansour has been in Cyprus this week pushing for a renewed
initiative into the search for his brother.“I have been to see the police --
the case is still open and he's still considered a missing person.“I am
urging in anyone with even the smallest piece of information about my
brother to come forward - anything they tell us will be treated as
confidential. I am also offering a £100,000 reward.”Commenting on
Hathleen's disappearance yesterday, Justice Minister Alecos Shambos said
the matter was being dealt with by police, but added that the case would be
re-opened should any new evidence come to light.
Copyright Cyprus Mail 2003
Friday, February 21, 2003
[10] Rolandis urges more tourist advertising to counter effects of warBy
Stefanos EvripidouOUTGOING Commerce Minister Nicos Rolandis yesterday urged
the new government to spend more on advertising for Cyprus tourism in the
event of a war in Iraq. Speaking at the 25th annual Hotel Management
seminar yesterday, Rolandis highlighted that his ministry had increased the
tourism advertising budget to £17 million to deal with the worldwide
downturn after the September 11 attacks in 2001. “The demand for tourism
started to freeze up in Europe. This was strengthened by the war in
Afghanistan, and will be even more with the upcoming war in Iraq,” said
Rolandis. He said Cyprus was the first to suffer in case of war because of
its location in the eastern Mediterranean, its position as an “expensive
destination”, and the fact that tourists look towards holidays by car
during times of trouble.His ministry decided to spend £17 million on the
promotion of tourism as a result. He highlighted that a new war in the Gulf
would intensify the need for increased spending on advertising, and urged
the new government to take heed. President of the Cyprus Hotel Association,
Avgerinos Nikita, told delegates that the upcoming months would be crucial
for tourism, given the new government's efforts to reunify the island, the
signing of the EU Accession Treaty on April 16 and the uncertainty building
up in Europe, tourism's main market, from the possible outbreak of war in
Iraq.“As past experience of the 1991 Gulf War has shown us, tourism, being
the most sensitive sector of economic activity, will be the first victim.
Eastern Mediterranean destinations suffer the most, while the western
Mediterranean tends to profit from it,” said Nikita.Summer holiday bookings
taken last month are already showing the effects of a looming crisis, he
added, saying that all the signs showed that the new tourist season was
going to be a particularly difficult one. Head of the Cyprus Tourism
Organisation, Chrysis Prentzas, noted that the Iraq crisis was creating a
climate of uncertainty, making it very difficult to predict what the
consequences would be. He said the CTO was working intensively to minimise
the losses if such a war broke out, but reiterated a lot depended on the
developments of the next month.Over 150 representatives from the tourism
industry gathered at the Hilton Park in Nicosia to partake in a seminar run
by PricewaterhouseCoopers and the University of Cyprus, covering topics on
the new competitive environment, buy-outs and mergers, new quality shelters
and the productivity and quality of the Cyprus tourism package.
Copyright Cyprus Mail 2003
|
