Cyprus Mail: Press Review in English, 98-09-23

Cyprus Mail: Press Review in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: The Cyprus Mail at <http://www.cynews.com/>

Wednesday, September 23, 1998

World leaders back Clinton

PRESIDENT Clinton's Grand Jury testimony, a recording of which hit TV screens on Monday was deemed important enough to be the lead story in two of yesterday's papers.

Simerini said that after the broadcasting of the testimony about the Monica Lewinsky affair, the procedure for the removal of Clinton from office had been set into motion. Shocked Republican Congressmen together with the media were calling for Clinton's removal from office, the paper said.

The paper said that Clinton had found moral support, quite unexpectedly, from the 53rd meeting of the UN General Assembly. Heads of state and members of all delegations gave the president a one-minute standing ovation before he made his speech.

Alithia said that the international support for Clinton, as witnessed at the UN General Assembly, was unprecedented. The world was outraged by the treatment of Clinton by his countrymen.

Chancellor Kohl feared that the "most important post in the world has been debunked" and described the video tapes as nauseating. French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin said that Clinton deserved some respect, and condemned the excessive reaction in the US.

Phileleftheros predicted that the Auditor-general's investigation into corruption allegations, which is set to begin in the next few days, would affect other people apart from Minister of Interior Dinos Michaelides. Christos Pourgourides, who made the allegations, said that an investigation would implicate others, and called for the appointment of a criminal investigator.

Close associates of Michaelides have let it be known that the minister possessed a lot of information about the dubious activities of other politicians and was considering making them public.

Haravghi quoted two members of the Attorney-general's office - deputy Attorney-general Loucis Loucaides and Senior Counsel Akis Papasavvas - calling for Michaelides' resignation. They also questioned the procedure followed by President Clerides, which was to ask the Auditor-general to investigate.

Loucaides maintained that as the allegations referred to criminal offences, a criminal investigator should have been appointed to look at the case. The minister should also leave his post, from which he could influence proceedings, until the investigation was completed.

Machi led with a report about a Nicosia ring allegedly sexually exploiting minors. It said police were investigating allegations by a woman who claimed that in the last six months her son had been forced to dress in woman's clothes and take hormone treatment in order to grow breasts.

The ring was allegedly operating in a Nicosia discotheque, the paper said.

© Copyright Cyprus Mail 1998

Cyprus Mail: Press Review in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article