Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English, 99-05-05

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From: The Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation at <http://www.cybc.com.cy/>

CONTENTS

WEDNESDAY 5 MAY 1999

[01] HEADLINES

[02] YUGO GREECE CONVOY

[03] YUGO FYROM REFUGEES

[04] CLERIDES COE

[05] YUGO RUSSIA

[06] OCALAN TURKEY

[07] CLINTON YUGO

[08] CYPRUS GREECE OLYMPICS

[09] STATE FAIR PRESSER

[10] LARNACA FIRE

[11] CLERIDES/KYPRIANOU/VASS

[12] WEATHER

[01] HEADLINES

-- The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, struggling to cope with 200,000 Kosovo refugees, today warned that it might close its borders.

-- Lawyers for captured Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan today said they would withdraw from the case unless conditions were improved for them and their client.

-- The US, Britain and Russia are working together with an aim to achieve resumption of the stalled Cyprus peace process.

And,

-- The 24th International State Fair will open its gates on May 14 with the participation of 368 exhibitors.

[02] YUGO GREECE CONVOY

A spokeswoman for the group said a doctor leading the mission had said that they were being attacked but later the group received information from Pristina that the convoy had arrived safely.

The convoy was made up of four trucks loaded with medical and other supplies.

It was not clear who had attacked the convoy, which was organised by the charity's Athens office and led by Greek doctor Lakis Nikolaou.

Medecins du Monde, believed to be the only foreign aid agency working in Kosovo since NATO started air strikes on Yugoslavia on March 24, has sent several missions to the war-torn region.

[03] YUGO FYROM REFUGEES

In a number of statements, the government said it could not take any more refugees and that they were threatening the country's economy and stability.

The United Nations refugee agency said the FYROM had agreed to expand three of its teeming refugee camps and that Albania was preparing to accept as many as 60,000 people who have flooded its eastern neighbour from Kosovo.

Thousands of refugees arrived again on trains from Kosovo at Blace, the main border crossing with Kosovo, while the first few hundred refugees were airlifted to the United States.

[04] CLERIDES COE

Addressing a ceremony in Nicosia to mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Council of Europe, President Clerides also expressed gratitude for the Council's positions on the Cyprus problem.

Speaking at the ceremony attended by Cypriot leaders, House of Representatives President, Spyros Kyprianou praised the significant work of the Council, and particularly that of the Parliamentary Assembly, on the Cyprus problem.

He emphasised the need for restoring human rights in Cyprus, which were grossly violated by Turkey.

[05] YUGO RUSSIA

Mr Chernomyrdin, said that the United States and Russia were moving closer together on the issue of how to resolve the crisis, which has badly strained their ties.

During his meeting with the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, Mr Chernomyrdin called for a UN role in solving the Kosovo crisis and said a key issue was a force to protect returning refugees in the Yugoslav province.

On his part, Mr Annan said he planned to send a U.N. mission to assess humanitarian needs in Yugoslavia, beginning with Kosovo, but had not yet received approval from Belgrade.

[06] OCALAN TURKEY

Their withdrawal could leave Abdullah Ocalan, if he rejects any state-appointed alternatives, to conduct his own defence on treason charges that carry the death penalty.

The trial is due to begin on Imrali island, where Abdullah Ocalan is the sole inmate, on May 31.

[07] CLINTON YUGO

Mr Clinton told U.S. pilots at the Spangdahlem airbase in Germany that they would be needed until the alliance had defeated Belgrade's attempt to rid the Serbian province of its majority ethnic Albanians.

The US President arrived at the base after a stopover at NATO headquarters in Brussels to discuss the Kosovo crisis with alliance Secretary-General Javier Solana and military chiefs.

The start of his two-day trip was marked by news of the death of two Apache helicopter pilots in Albania, reportedly the first U.S. fatalities of NATO's six-week-old air campaign.

Meanwhile newly arrived refugees in Albania gave about gave Reuters detailed accounts of what they said were new massacres by Serbs.

[08] CYPRUS GREECE OLYMPICS

During a press conference today, the Cyprus Olympic Committee said a campaign will begin to inform the public over the 2004 Athens Olympiad. A special programme will also be prepared where volunteers will be able to offer their services during the Athens Olympic Games.

The committee will also create an Olympic park at the site of its offices and will promote sports programmes for the youth and sports tourism.

[09] STATE FAIR PRESSER

President Glafcos Clerides will inaugurate the fair which will remain open until May 23.

The President of the State Fair Authorities, Demetris Ioannou today said the fair a top event of major significance of the economic life of Cyprus.

A total of 16 countries are participating with Nicaragua taking part for the first time. Seventeen countries are also representing their products through their Cypriot agents.

[10] LARNACA FIRE

Savvas Savvides, 53, from Larnaca and his son George, 20, are being treated at the Intensive Care Unit of the Larnaca General Hospital with burns.

The fire was caused by an explosion in one of the kernel oil refinery machines.

It also caused extensive damage to the factory.

[11] CLERIDES/KYPRIANOU/VASS

The President said this was not exactly right. He said there are some problems which the government will overcome as negotiations progress.

House President, Spyros Kyprianou said that as far as he is concerned, the governments of Greece and Cyprus have made representations over the issue.

He said if the reports are true, then it is unacceptable.

The head of the Cyprus negotiating team in the EU accession talks, George Vassiliou, said things are not correctly portrayed by the press.

He said it does not serve the Cyprus cause to exaggerate things.

[12] WEATHER

The sea will be slight. Temperatures will rise to 32 C inland, 27 C on the south and east coasts and 24 over the west and mountainous areas.

Join us again tomorrow for more news

GOODNIGHT

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