Cyprus Mail: News Articles in English, 03-07-10

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From: The Cyprus Mail at <http://www.cyprus-mail.com/>

Thursday, July 10, 2003

CONTENTS

[01] UK rapper quizzed after Napa stabbing

[02] Orphaned children return from tragic holiday

[03] Rewriting the history books: government denies knowledge of European initiative

[04] Anastassiades blasts plan for coup and invasion anniversary rally

[05] Blair vows new bid for Cyprus deal

[06] CyBC editor fined for indecent assault

[01] UK rapper quizzed after Napa stabbing

POLICE YESTERDAY issued an arrest warrant for two British men wanted in connection with the stabbing of British garage star Dizzee Rascal in Ayia Napa.

The 18-year-old rising star, whose real name is Dylan Mills, was reportedly stabbed on Monday afternoon, while on the island with his band Roll Deep Crew.

Mills, who was due to perform at Ayia Napa’s Gas Club, underwent surgery for multiple stab wounds at the Olympic Napa Clinic but was discharged the next day, a source at the clinic revealed.

Famagusta CID confirmed a 25-year-old British musician was taken in for questioning by police on Tuesday, but released without charge the same day.

There was speculation yesterday about the possible involvement of members of controversial chart act So Solid Crew in the stabbing.

Wednesday’s Politis newspaper reported 25-year-old, Dwayne Vincent, had been arrested by police for questioning and his name placed on a police stop-list of those unable to leave the island.

So Solid Crew’s publicist confirmed in a statement yesterday that Vincent, known as Megaman, was interviewed by police in Ayia Napa in connection with the stabbing: “There were reports from Cyprus that the police had issued a warrant for the arrest of Megaman in connection with this incident.

“Megaman has fully cooperated with the police, who have now eliminated him from their enquiries.”

But a man working at the holiday town told the Cyprus Mail the stabbing had actually happened on Sunday: “It happened on Sunday not on Monday as the police say. And it happened on the road to Nissi Beach – it was not outside a club. There was probably a bit of rivalry going on, because Dizzy Rascal has become very famous in the last six months.

“There’s only one crew here that cause trouble here,” he added. “They cause trouble in the UK and in Ayia Napa. It’s a shame because Ayia Napa clubs get a bad name because of it.”

A police source could not confirm reports that the two British suspects, who are in their twenties, had fled the island.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2003

Thursday, July 10, 2003

[02] Orphaned children return from tragic holiday

TWO BRITISH children orphaned when their parents drowned in a holiday boating tragedy were due to fly home from Cyprus last night.

The Paphos police chief said nine-year-old Callum Rainey - who had been taken to the town’s general hospital following yesterday’s accident - had been discharged earlier yesterday.

He and his sister Catriona, six, from Dollar, near Stirling, were due to fly out from Cyprus last night in the company of another Scottish family - Tim and Kim Allan - who were on holiday with the Raineys.

Spyros Koniotis, divisional police commander with Paphos Police, said: “Callum was released from hospital and both children are now with Mr and Mrs Allan, the friends who they had travelled here with.

The children’s father, Peter Rainey, died after he plunged into rough waters off a beach in Ayios Georgios when the inflatable dinghy carrying his wife Alison, 41, and son Callum capsized out at sea.

Rainey, a helicopter test pilot, managed to right the boat and haul his family back aboard but the dinghy capsized again about 100 yards from the beach, throwing all three into the water.

Holidaymakers and local people rushed to their aid but despite their efforts, the couple were pronounced dead on arrival at hospital.

Callum was also taken to hospital in Paphos where he was admitted to intensive care. He was discharged today.

His sister was not in the boat when the accident happened.

A senior official at the Cyprus Tourism Organisation said yesterday the seas in the area had been extremely rough on the day of the tragedy.

“There were force five to force six winds that day,” said Glafcos Kariolou. “We have to respect the sea on days like that. I cannot understand how they went out with such a tiny, little boat.

“Unfortunately there are no lifeguards in that area because it’s not a public beach. There’s nothing there,” he said.

Lifeguards would have been responsible for establishing whether the sea was safe for swimming. “They decide what flags to put up over their tower according to what the sea is like,” he said.

Paphos marine police yesterday confirmed the beach where the tragedy occurred was not a designated bathing area and therefore did not have a lifeguard, or any red flag warning of dangerous seas.

Kariolou added the area was actually a fishing shelter. “It is prohibited to swim at the entrance of fishing shelters, ports, marinas or commercial harbours,” he added.

The family had been holidaying near Paphos with the Allan family, who live in Muckhart, Clackmannanshire.

Koniotis said post-mortem examinations had been completed on the couple and the results showed they had drowned.

The police chief said their bodies were expected to be flown home within the next few days.

He said the police investigation into the incident was now closed and added: “This was a tragic accident, there are many eye-witnesses who saw what happened and there is no doubt that it was an accident.

“The sea is very rough in the area where it happened and they were sailing in a small dinghy with no life-jackets.”

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2003

Thursday, July 10, 2003

[03] Rewriting the history books: government denies knowledge of European initiative

THE government yesterday said it had not been officially briefed on the visit of a Council of Europe official to review history books on both sides of the divide.

On Tuesday, Uwe Mueller, and official from the CoE’s Directorate of Political Affairs, told the Cyprus News Agency that he would have meetings with Greek and Turkish Cypriot education groups concerning the mutual review of history books and prospects for taking out inaccuracies and references to hatred between the two communities.

“It looks like Mr. Mueller is here,” Government Spokesman Kypros Chrysostomides said yesterday; “but the Foreign Ministry has neither been briefed nor knows about his visit.”

Chrysostomides said the government did not give the visit any significance, adding it was either his own decision to visit or that of the Council of Europe, which had failed formally to brief the government.

The spokesman said the government was not upset at not being informed, but added, “normally he was obliged to inform of his mission through the diplomatic route”.

The spokesman was echoed by Education Minister Pefkios Georgiades, who said there was no political decision concerning the European initiative.

He said that he had no official information on Mueller’s trip, adding, however, that his ministry was ready to start a dialogue.

“We are not afraid to tackle such an issue because history is history and reality,” Georgiades said.

The ministry’s Permanent Secretary Petros Kareklas said the problems was not so much that historical facts were twisted, but how they were presented.

Kareklas said the books used were continuously reviewed in line with contemporary perceptions.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2003

Thursday, July 10, 2003

[04] Anastassiades blasts plan for coup and invasion anniversary rally

DIKO yesterday defended the decision to organise a rally to condemn the 1974 coup and Turkish invasion, while opposition DISY questioned the benefits of such a function at a time when the two communities were trying to rebuild trust in one another.

DIKO deputy chief Nicos Cleanthous, whose idea it was to organise the July 17 rally, claimed the aim was for all parties to hold a common function that “seals the unity among us and does not divide us, and is positive in the sense that we become more convincing that we leave the past behind only to remember it and to learn its lessons.”

Cleanthous said his idea had been embraced by all the parties in government.

Fringe right-wing party New Horizons yesterday said they were also participating in the rally.

Cleanthous insisted said it was a good thing to do and rejected criticism that it was not the right time for such a function.

“Didn’t the Turkish Cypriots indirectly target the invasion when they protested in their thousands?” Cleanthous asked.

He added: “Don’t they realise that they are also victimised by the invasion?”

But DISY chief Nicos Anastassiades, whose party disagreed with the organisation of such an event, maintained the rally could not possibly achieve unity.

“We should work to create the conditions for unity,” he said.

Anastassiades said that in the past such events had caused trouble among party supporters because of the slogans being chanted, adding his party had been isolated because it refused to participate.

DISY has always been accused of giving political shelter to people who played instrumental roles in the July 15 1974 coup against President Makarios.

The DISY chief also warned that the current climate of rapprochement could be hurt by the rally, which would remind people of terrible events.

“Functions like these which end up looking like fairs are of no benefit and cannot be used to remind us of horrible events, especially in this climate, ” he said.

He added such a rally would reawaken memories in both communities of events that had taken place between the two sides.

“Rallies cannot show an image of unity; if they held a rally in support of a particular solution (of the Cyprus problem) it would be understandable; but what are they going to shout about?

“What are they going to talk about in their speeches?” Anastassiades asked.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2003

Thursday, July 10, 2003

[05] Blair vows new bid for Cyprus deal

BRITAIN will continue to make efforts to restart talks over the future of Cyprus, Prime Minister Tony Blair vowed yesterday.

He told the House of Commons he hoped the international community would be able to mount a “constructive attempt” to get the sides back around the table.

Talks over a UN-promoted reunification plan collapsed in March after the proposals were rejected by Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash.

The issue was raised at question time by MP Tom Cox, chair of the all-party parliamentary group on Cyprus.

He said there had been “a dramatic change of attitude” in the Turkish Cypriot community, who said they no longer backed Denktash's leadership.

“They no longer want the isolation they have had for so long and they now want to be part of the European Union.

“Against that background will you, when you next meet the Turkish Prime Minister, make very clear to him that he and his government really should start to enter into constructive dialogue in seeking a settlement for the benefit of both Greek and Turkish Cypriots who now very, very clearly want to associate together?”

Blair told him there was a “strong feeling” among Turkish Cypriots that they wanted to enjoy the benefits of EU membership.

“Of course we will continue our discussions with both the Greek and the Turkish government to see how we can bring about a settlement.

“Kofi Annan has recently made it clear that the UN proposals that we strongly supported are still on the table.

“So I hope very much we are able to mount a constructive attempt to get the parties back talking so we can get a settlement of this issue that would be beneficial for all the people on the island of Cyprus.”

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2003

Thursday, July 10, 2003

[06] CyBC editor fined for indecent assault

CYPRUS Broadcasting Corporation editor Spyros Kettiros was fined £1,000 yesterday after a Nicosia court last week found him guilty of indecent assault and actual bodily harm.

He had been accused by a female co-worker, who told the court he had indecently assaulted her, grabbed her by the neck and bitten her ear.

The incident took place on March 24 last year, when the plaintiff went to his office to wish him a happy birthday and occurred as they were shaking hands. The court also heard Kettiros had acted indecently towards the young woman in the past by way of verbal harassment and surprise pinches on her waist.

The penalty for indecent assault is two years imprisonment and/or a fine of up to £1,500, while actual bodily harm carries a penalty of three years imprisonment and/or a fine.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2003

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