Cyprus News Agency: News in English (AM), 98-06-23

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From: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org.cy>

CONTENTS

[01] Christofides' funeral on Friday

[02] Police chief resigns

[03] Cyprus objects Turkish nuclear plans

1150:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Christofides' funeral on Friday

The funeral service will take place at 1100 hours local time (0800 GMT) at the Saint John Cathedral, in Nicosia, officiated by the primate of the Cyprus Orthodox Church, Archbishop Chrysostomos.

Christofides' funeral will be on public expenditure and he will be laid to rest at the New Nicosia Cemetery.

Donations will be made to the Cyprus Multiple Sclerosis Association. Christofides suffered from multiple sclerosis.

CNA AP/GP/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1350:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Police chief resigns

Speaking after handing President Glafcos Clerides the resignation letter, Hadjiloizou said "I leave a happy man" and pledged he would always be interested in police matters.

"I will be the first to be happy as long as the police force is doing well and the first one to be saddened if it doesn't," the outgoing chief of police said.

Hadjiloizou was appointed by Clerides two years ago and has served in the force for the past 39 years.

"As long as the police have a united front and they work as a team, they have nothing to fear," he told the press.

The new chief of police will be attorney Andreas Angelides, whose name was announced some time ago.

CNA AA/MM/MCH/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1410:CYPPRESS:03

[03] Cyprus objects Turkish nuclear plans

House President, Spyros Kyprianou, sent a letter to his Mediterranean and European Union counterparts expressing Cyprus' objection to Turkey's nuclear programme.

Kyprianou pointed out to the strong reactions in Turkey itself, Cyprus, that is only 185 kilometres away from Akkuyu, and the neighbouring countries for the intended construction of the two nuclear reactors, to be ordered this year and be fully operational by the year 2006.

This is "causing a lot of uneasiness and anxiety to the people of Cyprus who have legitimate concerns about the impacts on life, health and the environment emanating from such reactors," he noted.

The House President gave in detail the health and environmental parameters taken into consideration by the Republic of Cyprus in strongly objecting this development.

"Independent studies show that the proposed area to host the reactors is located very close to the Akkuyu fault, an active seismic zone, which makes the selection of this particular area an extremely dangerous and risky option," the letter said.

Among independent studies Kyprianou cited a study conducted by the British Geological Service proving wrong Turkey's decision to choose Akkuyu and the fact that, in 1983, an American company withdrew its bid for a similar construction due to the high potential seismic activity in the proposed area.

"The operation of nuclear reactors, irrespective of the possibility of having a nuclear accident like in Chernobyl or Three-Mile Island, produces radioactivity that causes serious diseases like leukemia and brain cancer," the letter added.

It noted that the proximity of Cyprus to Akkuyu, its small size and prevailing wind patterns and sea currents "are serious parameters that will exacerbate the magnitude of the impact," in case of a major earthquake, malfunction, poor operation or even under normal operating conditions.

Kyprianou noted the strong protests by environmentalists against the proposed construction of the Akkuyu nuclear plant in Turkey itself, Cyprus, and Canada. The Canadian environmental organisations criticised the Canadian government for its decision to support a bid by the Atomic Energy of Canada (AECL) and finance the project with 1.5 billion Canadian dollars.

He also cited a study by Greenpeace-Mediterranean showing that there are alternative ways of coping with the energy needs in Turkey, such as hydro, wind and solar energy sources for the production of electricity.

He noted that the Turkish Chamber of Electrical Engineers has estimated that 30 percent of the electric energy produced there is lost during distribution from power stations and the fact that Turkey insists on acquiring nuclear reactors that will eventually cover only 4 percent of the country's energy needs.

"Cyprus strongly objects to the materialisation of the Turkish plans and asks that all possible measures are taken so that Turkey desists from going ahead with its nuclear programme," the House President's letter to his Mediterranean and EU counterparts concluded.

CNA AP/GP/1998

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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