Cyprus Mail: Press Review in English, 99-03-27

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

Saturday, March 27, 1999

The guns are talking in the Balkans

YESTERDAY's papers all devoted their front pages to the Nato raids on Yugoslavia, with little front-page room for local news.

Under the headline, "The Balkans are threatening to become a bloodbath," Phileleftheros said "the Serbs are not backing down and the Americans are continuing." The paper noted fears that military action would spread beyond Yugoslavia and that the government on Athens was trying to promote a cease-fire and further attempts at a diplomatic solution.

On local matters, the paper said that "poverty line salaries" were under negotiation. Phileleftheros said that discussions over a new minimum wage were expected to cause havoc in labour relations. According to the paper, the minimum wage in Cyprus currently starts at £248 per month, rising to £268 after six months.

Alithia headlined: "They are talking with guns, both sides refuse to budge." The paper said that despite Thursday night's strikes against the Serbs, both sides seemed set to continue, "on the one hand calling for more strikes and on the other raising the dangers of the struggle continuing on the ground."

Alithia also reported on a break in operations involving National Guard land-mine sites following Wednesday's tragic death of a high-ranking soldier trying to disarm one of the explosives during a routine exercise. The paper said that Defence Minister Yiannakis Chrysostomos also noted that alternative methods for clearing landmines would be considered.

Machi had Nato "scattering death" in its headline. The paper continued that 70 people had been killed, 55 of them civilians, and that 220 people had been injured.

The paper also quoted Foreign Minister Yiannakis Cassoulides as saying that the government was not happy with the developments in Kosovo.

Simerini said that "a dramatic proposal for peace was made at a quarter to one this morning from Belgrade." The paper quoted Yugoslav vice- president Vuk Draskovic as saying: "Stop bombing us and we will stop all operations against those people, those terrorists, who caused the air- attacks against Serbia." The paper said that Draskovic had made the announcement on Britain's Sky television. Simerini continued that, by 1.20 am, no answer had been given.

Apogevmatini's headline ran: "A rain of missiles against military airports." The paper said eye-witnesses had reported that there was considerable damage to several large military bases, an airport and an ammunition factory.

Several papers did not appear due to March 25 public holiday.

© Copyright Cyprus Mail 1999

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