|
|
|
Cyprus Mail: News Articles in English, 03-02-26
Wednesday, February 26, 2003
CONTENTS
[01] Bases offer: proof they no longer need the land?
[02] Man held after Palestinian stabbed in Limassol brawl
[03] Weather causes mayhem across the country
[04] Cut off from the world
[05] Anastassiades: side-by-side with government at critical time
[06] Cassoulides to challenge for DISY leadership
[07] Among the highest paid teachers in Europe
[08] Heavy blow as bank profits slump
[09] Greek bank sees decline in 2002 profits
[10] Cabinet holds farewell meeting
[01] Bases offer: proof they no longer need the land?
By Jean ChristouBRITAIN on Monday offered to hand back almost half of its
98 square-mile territory as part of a Cyprus solution: why now, and - if
the land is of no military value - why not sooner?According to the proposal,
presented by British special envoy Lord David Hannay, Britain would give up
some 45 square miles in the event of a solution to the Cyprus
problem.Britain currently retains 98 square miles, or three per cent, of
Cypriot territory. Approximately 3,500 British forces are stationed at
Dhekelia and Akrotiri, which is the largest RAF facility outside Britain
and served as a key supply post during the 1991 Gulf War.Ninety per cent of
the territory returned would come under Greek Cypriot control, the rest
would go to the Turkish Cypriot community.The offer is valid only if a
Cyprus solution based on the UN plan is agreed by both sides in separate
referenda. If either community rejected the peace settlement, the British
offer would be void.However, according to Appendix P of the 1960 Treaty of
Establishment, under which the two sovereign base areas were created: “In
the event that the government of the United Kingdom, in view of changes in
their military requirements, should at any time decide to divest themselves
of the aforesaid sovereignty or effective control over the Sovereign Base
Areas, or any part thereof, it is understood that such sovereignty or
control shall be transferred to the Republic of Cyprus.”The fact that
Britain is prepared to give up territory in the event of a Cyprus solution
has raised the question of why it was not done sooner, in line with the
provisions of Appendix P.Britain admits that the areas in question are no
longer necessary for their military operations on the island, but it is
believed they have not been handed back sooner for fear of entering a
political minefield with the Turkish Cypriots, many of whom live within
bases territory. This is believed to have been the key consideration to
holding on to territory Britain no longer needs.Including the extra land in
the context of a Cyprus settlement removes any problems in that regard.From
a legal point of view, the Treaty of Establishment refers to the Republic
of Cyprus as created in 1960 with Turkish Cypriot participation. Britain is
concerned at handing the land back to the Republic without a settlement for
fear of upsetting the Turks, even though it only recognises the
Republic.DIKO deputy and anti-bases campaigner Marios Matsakis said that by
offering back the land as part of a Cyprus solution, Britain had shown it
didn't really need it in the first place.“If they don't need it, they
should give it back immediately and it shouldn't be part of a solution,” he
told the Cyprus Mail. “It has nothing to do with a solution.”Commenting
on Britain's reasons for not giving the land back sooner, he said there was
no reason why it should have upset Turkish Cypriots because the land would
have been given back to the Republic of Cyprus.“The treaty of establishment
talks quite clearly about the Republic of Cyprus and this is the
internationally recognised Republic of Cyprus,” he said.“They will not be
taking anything from the Turkish Cypriots. They will be giving back some
land to the Republic of Cyprus.”Matsakis said that even if there was no
Cyprus solution, he would strongly support the idea that civilian areas
outside British military installations be given back to the Republic.“This
stance of the British government has proved what I've been saying all
along: that the civilian areas outside the installations are not of
military importance to Britain so they have proved this and therefore they
should give it back,” he said.Following a similar line, the Green Party
said yesterday it would not rest until the bases were completely removed
from Cyprus.Outgoing government spokesman Michalis Papapetrou said it was
too early to be thinking about whether Britain should return the land
irrespective of a solution. “It's a sacrifice they are undertaking to
facilitate a solution,” he said. “That's what they say. Let's wait and see
whether there will be a solution and we shall see.”Outgoing Attorney-
general, Alecos Markides, who has been retained on Tassos Papadopoulos'
negotiating said it didn't follow that Britain should give the land back in
any case. “They want to make a gesture for the purpose of facilitating a
solution to the Cyprus problem,” he said. “The bottom line is they want to
make a gesture, nothing less, nothing more.”He did not want to comment on
Appendix P and said it was a matter for the government.House President
Demetris Christofias warned the Cypriot people should not be blinded by the
bases offer and should focus on the issue at hand -- “a solution to the
Cyprus problem.”Papadopoulos said yesterday the British offer was “an
encouraging development, which we must welcome. Let's hope that gradually,
all the Bases' territory will be returned either to the Republic of Cyprus
or the new state which will ensue,” he said.
Copyright Cyprus Mail 2003
Tuesday, February 25, 2003
[02] Man held after Palestinian stabbed in Limassol brawl
By a Staff ReporterA 24-YEAR-old Limassol man was yesterday remanded in
custody for eights days in connection with the attempted murder of a
Palestinian man outside a nightclub in the early hours of Sunday.Mohamed
Soto, 21, was yesterday in critical condition after he was stabbed in the
throat during a fray outside a Yermasoyia nightclub.Police told the court
that the suspect, along with three accomplices, assaulted three
Palestinians with knives and broken bottles.The three Palestinians had just
come out of a club and were walking to their car when they met the suspects
who were also in a car.Police said the Palestinians waved at the suspects
whom they reportedly knew, but, instead of waving back, got out of the car
and attacked them.All three Palestinians were wounded, with Soto sustaining
the most serious injury.He was rushed to a private clinic and his condition
was still critical yesterday.His two friends were treated and subsequently
discharged.The suspect said he did not know the Palestinians, who claim
they knew their attackers and blamed the incident on a misunderstanding.Nicolaides
was remanded in custody for eight days. His three suspected accomplices are
sought by police.
Copyright Cyprus Mail 2003
Wednesday, February 26, 2003
[03] Weather causes mayhem across the country
By Stefanos EvripidouCYPRIOTS battled against the elements yesterday as
heavy snow continued to fall, backed by wind, rain, hail and frost, closing
tens of schools, blowing down trees and causing 36 road accidents, while
cutting off 19 villages across the island from the outside world.According
to traffic police chief Andreas Papas, over 36 road accidents occurred in
the Nicosia district alone due to slippery roads, with five pile-ups in the
greater Nicosia region, one of them involving a 1,000 car tailback on the
Nicosia-Limassol highway. He warned motorists to drive slower and keep
greater distances from each other, warning that the frosty weather
conditions and slippery roads were the perfect recipe for disaster. After
yesterday's numbers were released, police called on the public to take
greater precaution on the road and observe the multitude of police warnings
to avoid more smash-ups. The Nicosia-Limassol highway played host to three
pile-ups while two more occurred in the Nicosia district yesterday,
including a 10-car accident on the Nicosia-Kokkinotrimithia highway. Nobody
was seriously injured in the accidents. Motorists driving to the capital
got stuck in a 1,000-car traffic jam on the Nicosia-Limassol highway after
slippery roads caused another pile-up. “There are about 100 cars per minute
on the Limassol highway coming into Nicosia every morning. When traffic
stops for ten minutes, 1,000 cars come to a standstill,” said Papas.All
roads to Troodos were closed to traffic and many more restricted to cars
with four-wheel drive or snow chains due to heavy snowfall. Around 19
villages throughout Cyprus, including Kannavia and Spilia, were snowed in
and had to have supplies of milk and bread delivered by police forces. The
road next to Chrisorroyiatissa monastery was blocked by a fallen tree while
police made efforts to reopen the route.The measure of snow reached one
metre on Mount Olympus and 85 centimetres in Troodos Square. Providing a
majestic view to many in the capital, a blanket of snow also covered the
occupied Pentadaktylos mountain range.The Civil Defence issued warnings to
people not to travel unnecessarily under bad weather conditions. They
released public guidelines to deal with bad weather, reminding people that
if their car gets stranded by floods, they should abandon the vehicle and
find refuge in a safe place. The Education Ministry announced that foul
weather conditions caused the closing of 30 kindergartens, 46 primary
schools, two technical schools and 11 high schools in the Nicosia, Limassol,
Larnaca and Paphos districts. According to Turkish Cypriot press, schools
in the occupied north were also closed due to bad weather conditions. The
Water Department revealed that rainfall had reached 143.5mm for February,
surpassing average rainfall for the month by 76 per cent. The winter season
rainfall, from October to February, reached 106 per cent of normal rainfall
for that period, hitting 398mm.Last night's temperatures dropped to minus
six degrees on the mountains, below zero inland and two degrees on the
coast, with plenty of frost forecast overnight. Today's forecast predicts
finer weather interjected with clouds and a gradual rise in temperature to
11 degrees inland, 13 on the coast and zero on the mountains. Sporadic
clouds and rain and snow will continue tomorrow with the weather shaping up
a little for the weekend; expect a temperature rise coupled with scattered
showers.
Copyright Cyprus Mail 2003
Wednesday, February 26, 2003
[04] Cut off from the world
By Alexia SaoulliNINETEEN mountain villages in the Nicosia, Limassol and
Paphos districts were snowed in yesterday. Children were kept home from
school, with driving conditions deemed very dangerous and motorists
cautioned to use chains or four-wheel drive vehicles around Troodos. All
roads leading to the square were closed to all vehicles, police said. By
lunchtime there was one metre of snow on Mount Olympus and 85 centimetres
in Troodos Square. In the Nicosia district, Spilia and Kannavia villages
were cut off; in Limassol it was the villages of Foini, Palaiomylos, Ayios
Demetris, Treis Elies, Kaminaria, Pachna and Lemithou; and in the Paphos
district Salamiou, Mesana, Arminou, Kidasi, Kedares, Ayios Ioannis,
Pretorio, Ayios Nicolaos, Archimandrita and Kouklia villages were snowed
in. Kakopetria village, just five kilometres from Spilia, was also coated
in a thick blanket of snow. Most shops remained closed and only one or two
residents could be seen clutching umbrellas as they hurried along the empty
streets to get indoors. “Why stay open an entire day waiting for one
shopper,” said 65-year-old Andreas Gerasimos. “It's better to stay indoors
until the weather clears.”A 91-year-old woman greeted passers-by from her
door, unable to venture out further for fear of slipping on the icy roads.
From her roof, a huge slab of snow crashed to the ground, barely missing
her daughter below. “It's like this every year,” said Anastasia
Chrysanthou. “You can't go anywhere or do anything. It's too cold outside
so I can't go to the fields, and indoors my hands ache from the cold so I
can't get any chores done.” She gets through the winter by keeping on the
gas heaters and wood-burning stoves. Unable to read and not interested in
television, Chrysanthou heads for bed at around 9pm, after being forced to
spend yet another winter day cooped up at home. “It'll only get worse in
days to come,” she warned. “We've not seen anything yet.”Newsagent owner,
Pantelis Kyriacou, 39, said the government had supplied families with bread
and milk the night before because they had thought Kakopetria would be
snowed in. Everyone had central heating in Kakopetria so winters were
bearable, he said. “But if there's a power cut you have to get to bed to
warm up. It could last 12 hours.”Yesterday he had walked to work. “My car
was snowed in, so I walked here, although the main village road is clear.
The local primary school and gymnasium are closed, but that's because kids
from surrounding villages can't get to school. You can hardly open a school
for just 15 students from this village,” said Kyriacou. Restaurants along
the road towards Spilia from Kakopetria also remained closed. Snow weighed
down the pine trees and the silence was only broken by the sound of the car
chains breaking through the ice. One resident told the Cyprus Mail a
digger had broken down and could not clear the Kakopetria-Karvana-Spilia
road. The road was covered in thick, freshly fallen, powder snow, painting
a fairytale picture, as an abandoned white car lay parked by the
mountainside, almost hidden from view. Spilia itself was a ghost village.
Shutters were closed, doors shut and not a person stirred. Most homes were
unreachable because of the heavy snow blocking their entrances, and one
resident could be seen shovelling snow from his garage so he could move his
car. The village church was dressed in white, as piles of snow-covered logs,
waiting to be used for firewood, lay strewn outside, too wet to use.
Seventy-four-year-old Eftychia Ploutarchou clutched to the railing as she
gingerly ventured down her snow covered stairs with a grin on her face. The
sprightly grandmother said she used electric blankets and hot water bottles
to keep warm at night. She also used about four tonnes of wood in a winter
this cold. Each ton was £110, said Ploutarchou. “It's getting on my nerves,
but I have to keep cheerful, because I can't exactly break down and cry.
It's simply freezing and today I can't get to my sister's house. I think
I'm going to get a walking stick and make my way there slowly,” she said,
pointing up the mountain.The village shop and supermarket were both closed.
Two drenched cats struggled to jump over a pile of snow without getting wet,
and failed. Once onto the road they raced off helplessly looking for some
warm, dry shelter.The only place humming with activity was the local coffee
shop. Six or seven men sat around joking and laughing, and one pair played
cards. A couple of men wore Wellington boots and explained they had had to
wade through the thick snow to reach the coffee shop for their daily stint
of pilotta (a card game).“Very few people come out in this weather,” said
owner, Ioannis Tsoutis. “Business has really dropped. They stay at home and
drink zivania to keep warm.”But Pambos Pepes said it didn't bother any of
the residents too much. “We're used to being closed in and it's only for
three or four days. Besides if it doesn't snow it will affect our crops in
the summer,” he said, pointing to a number of walnut trees. Most villagers
usually spent their time in the fields, not the coffee shop, 69-year-old
Andreas Theodotou hastened to point out.But the major problem for most
people in Spilia residents was that they did not have central heating.
Pepes said: “I keep applying for electricity and am told the power lines
are too weak so my application is rejected. I'm going to apply again this
year because sometimes my kitchen is four degrees, which I've been told is
even too cold for a fridge to work.”While the men played cards, the wives
stayed at home cooking and cleaning, said Menelaos Andreades, 79. But, 82-
year-old Ioannis Ioannides interjected: “We don't stay here that long. Only
one or two hours for a card game and then go home. When there's nothing to
do there, we come back.”
Copyright Cyprus Mail 2003
Wednesday, February 26, 2003
[05] Anastassiades: side-by-side with government at critical time
By a Staff ReporterDISY leader Nicos Anastassiades said yesterday his party
would stand side by side with president elect Tassos Papadopoulos in his
efforts to reach a settlement on the Cyprus question. Anastassiades was
speaking after a visit to AKEL headquarters, where he met with party leader
Demitris Christofias. He stressed this was a time for unity and not for
party differences. “In this historic period, there should not be any
separation between government and opposition parties,” Anastassiades
said.“We would like to assure President Papadopoulos and Mr Christofias
that as a responsible political party we are ready to co-operate in full so
all of us can carry the burden of a necessary yes or no.“By exchanging our
views we can build a basis in order to face any developments,” he
added.Anastassiades said the third version of the plan would be discussed
today at the National Council, which would be briefed on its
details.“Historic responsibilities should be taken in critical times by
both the government and the opposition,” he said.“We are talking about the
future of our country and not the fate of a political proposal that will
not have consequences on the island.”
Copyright Cyprus Mail 2003
Wednesday, February 26, 2003
[06] Cassoulides to challenge for DISY leadership
By a Staff ReporterOUTGOING Foreign Minister Yiannakis Cassoulides
yesterday announced he would run for the DISY Presidency, challenging
current leader Nicos Anastassiades for leadership of the party.The
announcement comes in the run-up to party elections on March 23, at a time
when internal party splits are still raw following DISY's defeat in the
Presidential elections.Speaking at a news conference yesterday, Cassoulides
said that as a DISY leadership candidate he would take it upon himself to
lead the party, with the aim of broadening and enlarging DISY to embrace
the centre of the political spectrum.Cassoulides stressed that DISY needed
a leader with “political purpose… and not an inward-looking party
leader.”“The politics of belligerence and raised voices has failed,” he
said, adding that DISY needed to return to its roots and define itself
through a plurality of views.A poll conducted by SRI Ltd between February
22 and 23 suggests that Cassoulides is the favourite to take over the party
leadership.The findings of the poll, based on the responses of 633 people,
show that 43 per cent of party members would vote for Casoulides, and 35
per cent for current leader Nicos Anastassiades. The remaining 22 per cent
were not sure.Asked which candidate was most likely to secure the unity of
the party, a resounding 63 per cent said Casoulides, and just 24 per cent
chose Anastassiades. Fourteen per cent were unsure.Last Sunday,
Anastassiades urged an end to the bickering over DISY's electoral defeat,
but said he would step down if it would bring unity to the party.
Copyright Cyprus Mail 2003
Wednesday, February 26, 2003
[07] Among the highest paid teachers in Europe
By a Staff ReporterSTATE schoolteachers in Cyprus are among the best paid
in Europe, according to figures released by Eurostat.The figures show that
based on Cyprus' GNP per capita, Cypriot teachers are the third highest in
a list of EU and candidate countries.The starting salary for teachers in
Cyprus is currently £911 per month. Head Masters can receive a monthly
salary of up to £2,350 in primary schools and as much as £2,449 per month
in secondary schools. The above salaries compare well with those received
in Greece -- where teachers start on £473 per month -- but not as
favourably as those received in Luxembourg, where salaries start at £1,592,
rising to £3,292 a month for the more experienced teacher. Cyprus also
ranks highly in the list of countries where private education institutions
are most popular.According to a study by Constantinos Therianos, private
education institutions are abundant in Greece, Cyprus, Italy, Spain and
Portugal.His study, recently published in a Greek newspaper, concludes that
private institutions flourish in the above countries due to the very high
competition for university places.Therianos also maintains that in
countries like Greece and Cyprus, the belief remains that education, and
more specifically higher education, is the key to financial security,
therefore persuading many parents and students to invest in extra lessons
at private institutions.
Copyright Cyprus Mail 2003
Wednesday, February 26, 2003
[08] Heavy blow as bank profits slump
By a Staff ReporterTHE ISLAND'S two biggest banks, both anchors of the
Cyprus Stock Exchange, yesterday announced painful annual results for
2002.Bank of Cyprus reported a 70.1 per cent slump in pre-tax profit to
£17.5 million due to higher provisions and investment write-downs, the bank
said.Laiki revealed a £48.1 million pre-tax loss for the year, down from a
profit in 2001 of £2.09 million; the loss was down to the slump in the
stock market and an increase in its bad-debt provision, the bank said.Bank
of Cyprus said its “core” profits, before provisions for bad debts, write-
downs and before a one-off charge for retirement benefits, reached £97.6
million for the year, a 6.6 per cent increase over 2001. The bank said it
had transferred £23.6 million, which reflected unrealised losses on equity
investments, onto the profit and loss account and said it would not be
paying a dividend to shareholders for 2002. Bad debt provisioning for the
period rose 142 per cent to £80.1 million. “The year 2002 was a very
difficult year for the banking sector in Cyprus as well as internationally,
” a statement from BoC said. “Despite these adverse conditions, the Group's
core profit was improved and will continue to improve during 2003.” Earlier
this month, Fitch Ratings, the international rating agency, downgraded
BoC's Long-term rating to 'A-' from 'A'. The rating action reflected
concerns over BoC's high costs, its asset quality indicators and loan loss
reserve coverage levels as well as uncertainty regarding the economic
outlook.Laiki also said 2002 had been a “particularly difficult year” for
the sector, but said underlying operational profits had grown 7.3 per cent
to £64.9 million during the year.Reports from Athens said the unit of Bank
of Cyprus operating in Greece announced that its net profit in 2002 grew
4.5 per cent to €20.1 million without including a one-off gain from the
sale of its stake in ABC Factors. The Bank of Cyprus subsidiary said it
expanded its network in Greece to 75 branches last year from 60 in 2001,
and contributed 34.1 per cent of the group's total operational profit in
2002. Greek operations accounted for 33 per cent of the Cypriot banking
group's total loans and made up 27 per cent of deposits. Net interest
income from the group's operations in Greece rose 30.3 per cent to €96.5
million with the net interest margin improving to 2.57 per cent in the last
quarter of 2002 from 2.28 per cent in the first. “The objective of the
group in Greece is to increase its market share to about 5.0 per cent by
2007 and continue to grow profitably,” Bank of Cyprus-Greece said in a
statement. The Bank of Cyprus, with a current market value of €988 million,
is listed on the Athens and Cyprus stock exchanges.
Copyright Cyprus Mail 2003
Wednesday, February 26, 2003
[09] Greek bank sees decline in 2002 profits
By a Staff ReporterTHE NATIONAL Bank of Greece, which had 31 branches in
Cyprus in the last quarter of 2001, released the results of the Group and
the parent company for the financial year ending December 31, 2002. The
Group reported a decline in the profit before tax and minority interests
with 349.8 million euros for 2002, down 49.9 per cent compared with 2001.
This is due to the substantial decline in trading gains, which during 2002
dropped to 83.2 million compared with 390.2 million in 2001. The 2002
result was further burdened by the one-off cost of the voluntary early
retirement programme for NBG and ETEBA staff, which totaled 28.5 million.
The decline in profits before taking into account this exceptional item is
contained to 45.8 per cent. Due to the same reasons, the profit before tax
of the parent Bank amounted to 296.7 million euros, compared with 647.5
million euros in 2001. The Cyprus Stock Exchange (CSE) accepted the listing
application of the Cypriot branch of National Bank of Greece, the CSE board
said last week. The shares of the National Bank of Greece (Cyprus) have
been traded on the stock exchange since January 20.
Copyright Cyprus Mail 2003
Tuesday, February 25, 2003
[10] Cabinet holds farewell meeting
By a Staff ReporterTHE outgoing cabinet yesterday held its last meeting
under the presidency of Glafcos Clerides, who wrapped up the session with a
farewell lunch to his ministers.Before the meeting, ministers expressed
their gratitude to Clerides for the esteem and trust he showed them during
their term.Health Minister Frixos Savvides said he had mixed feelings,
adding everything had a beginning and an end.“The people will evaluate each
member of the Council of Ministers in the area they worked,” Savvides
said.He thanked the media for their co-operation, noting that he was now
returning to his job as an accountant, and his family.Communications
Minister Averoff Neophytou suggested more could have been done concerning
traffic and public transport.He said he felt good because he had done did
his best, though the people had decided they wanted change.The longest
serving minister, Andreas Moushiouttas, said he felt the cabinet was a
family that was going to be scattered.Moushiouttas, who served as Labour
Minister for 10 years - across both of Clerides' terms - said his
conscience was clear because he had done his duty to the full.He thanked
Clerides for entrusting him the ministry for 10 years, adding that the
outgoing President was a man who fully understood his associates' views.
Clerides' term ends on February 28, the day the new president, Tassos
Papadopoulos is inaugurated.Papadopoulos is expected to announce his new
cabinet on March 1.
Copyright Cyprus Mail 2003
|
