Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English, 99-05-13

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

CONTENTS

_THURSDAY 13/5/99_

[01] EMBARGO KASOULIDES

[02] CHRISTOFIAS EMBARGO

[03] EMBARGO OTHERS

[04] RUSSIA YUGOSLAVIA NATO

[05] YUGOSLAVIA

[06] YUGOSLAVIA G8

[07] TURKEY GOVERNMENT

[08] KRANIDIOTIS ARRIVED

[09] CLERIDES FAIR

[10] WEATHER

[01] EMBARGO KASOULIDES

He said that these measures are being examined and that some of them may need to be regulated through legislation.

Government Spokesman, Costas Serezis, reassured that the European Union had not put any pressure on Cyprus regarding the embargo.

[02] CHRISTOFIAS EMBARGO

Speaking at a press conference, Mr Christofias said that Russia channels billions of dollars through Cyprus every year.

He also criticised the Government for insisting on adopting the EU line on the embargo.

[03] EMBARGO OTHERS

Mr Kyprianou said that the National Council should have met to discuss the issue, and urged the Government to take into consideration a warning by Russian Ambassador, Georgi Muratov, that the embargo may cause the reaction of Russians co-operating with or working in Cyprus.

Mr Lyssarides said that it would not be in the favour of the Cyprus problem to take measures that leave the island politically exposed and economically harmed.

On the other hand, Cyprus' chief negotiator in EU accession talks, Giorgos Vassiliou, said that Cyprus is obliged politically to agree to EU decisions.

Also, Finance Minister, Takis Clerides, said that it was too early to estimate that Cyprus' stance in the issue would affect economic relations with Russia.

[04] RUSSIA YUGOSLAVIA NATO

The warning by President Boris Yeltsin -- his second in two days -- came during talks on Yugoslavia in Moscow with French President Jacques Chirac.

Mr Chirac said today that his talks with Russian leaders on the Yugoslav crisis had brought some progress, and he was sure Moscow would not end its Kosovo mediation bid despite threats to do so.

The French President told a news conference after a day of talks with Mr Yeltsin, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov and Moscow's Balkan envoy Viktor Chernomyrdin, that progress had been made and that the days to come would show that they were advancing towards peace.

Russia has angrily condemned NATO air strikes against Yugoslavia, but has also been at the forefront of diplomatic efforts to mediate a peace deal between Belgrade and the alliance.

Moscow wants NATO to stop the bombings before talks between the West and Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic start.

[05] YUGOSLAVIA

The reports came after NATO, on the 51st day of air strikes, concentrated the bulk of its latest attacks on Yugoslav troops in Kosovo, while also hitting Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic's home town and targets around Belgrade and in Serbia's second city Novi Sad.

About 100 Yugoslav soldiers were seen being driven away by bus and a truck.

On Monday, the army's Supreme Command said it had ended operations against Kosovo Liberation Army rebels in Kosovo and ordered a partial withdrawal, starting from Sunday evening.

The West reacted cautiously to the news, saying it had seen no sign of any immediate pullout and that a partial withdrawal was not enough to fulfil NATO's conditions for an end to its bombing campaign, now into its eighth week.

NATO said today that it had aimed the bulk of its overnight strikes against Yugoslav troops in Kosovo but had to cancel some sorties because of bad weather.

The official news agency Tanjug reported a series of air raids on the Pristina area last night and this morning.

The intense bombardment inflicted on Tuesday and Wednesday appeared to underline NATO's determination to stay the course despite calls from China to end the bombing and a threat by Russia to pull out of the peace process if its proposals were not taken seriously.

[06] YUGOSLAVIA G8

Political directors from the Group of Eight had been due to meet in Bonn tomorrow to flesh out the principles on a settlement in Kosovo which G8 foreign ministers agreed in Bonn last week.

The ministers agreed to a common strategy for resolving the Kosovo crisis but left details of the plan to be worked out by the political directors before jointly seeking a United Nations resolution to establish peace in the province.

[07] TURKEY GOVERNMENT

Turkish newspapers say the talks between Ecevit and hardline nationalists are stalled over the divisive issue of the place of the Islamic headscarf in national life.

The arrival in parliament earlier this month of an Islamist deputy wearing her Moslem-style headscarf at the heart of the officially secular state exposed a rift between Ecevit and his potential ally, the Nationalist Action Party.

Secularist dress codes in Turkey date back to the 1920s when the influence of Islam on public life was severely cut back. The headscarf is banned in many state buildings, a restriction deeply resented by the country's powerful Islamist movement.

[08] KRANIDIOTIS ARRIVED

Mr Kranidiotis was speaking on his arrival in Cyprus this afternoon.

He is head of a multi-member delegation, which is scheduled to hold talks with the Cyprus Government.

[09] CLERIDES FAIR

The Fair, which opened earlier than other years, hosts 16 countries.

The products of another 17 countries are being exhibited through Cypriot dealers.

The Fair will remain open until May 23.

[10] WEATHER

There will be a moderate seabreeze, three to four beaufort, and the sea will be slight to moderate.

The temperature will reach 31 degrees inland, 27 on the coast, and 22 over the mountains.

The fire hazard is high in all forest areas.

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