Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English, 99-06-28

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

CONTENTS

MONDAY 28 JUNE 99

[01] HEADLINES

[02] SEREZIS

[03] CYPRUS PLAN

[04] UN RESOLUTIONS

[05] YUGO

[06] OCALAN

[07] HOUSE RIK

[08] MAKRIDES

[09] SKALI

[10] TOKAS

[11] PONDIANS

[12] WEATHER

[01] HEADLINES

-- There appear to be increasing indications of a US plan on Cyprus

--The UN security council is expected to ratify two resolutions on Cyprus--one on the secretary general's good offices and another on the UNFICYP mandate

--while the UN continues its organised return of refugees to Kosovo the Albanian national loot and burn Serb houses

--the trial of Abdullah Ocalan is expected to end tomorrow with prosecution demanding the death penalty

[02] SEREZIS

Government Spokesman Costas Serezis today repeated the government's position, in answer to reports that a confederation solution is being discussed on the sidelines.

The spokesman confirmed that if the confederation solution is placed on the table of negotiations expected to be called in September, then the Greek Cypriot side will refuse to discuss it.

The spokesman also said that the government has no American plan for a Cyprus solution before it.

The United States, he added, will have alternative plans to present at the negotiations table if some problems do arise.

Referring to the Turkish side, Serezis said he believes that in the end Rauf Denktash will come to the talks despite his negative positions to date.

[03] CYPRUS PLAN

Reports published yesterday in the Athens Newspaper Kathimerini appeared at the very same time, and nearly identical in the Turkish newspaper Aurupa.

The same reports were also carried on the Turkish NTV Channel.

The Turkish media basically reported on seven points of the Plan:

-- Equal rights for the two communities, and controlled movement between the two regions.

-- Expansion of the buffer zone and creation of a third region to be under UN control.

-- Return of lands, including Famagusta on condition that the security of the Turkish Cypriots will be guaranteed.

-- One foreign ministry and one currency.

-- Each community will have its own police force.

-- Gradual withdrawal of heavy weapons by the two sides towards disarmament and ratification of the military accords which they have signed.

-- Turkey, Greece, Britain and the United States will be the guarantor powers.

[04] UN RESOLUTIONS

One will refer to the good offices of the UN Secretary General, and the other on renewal of the mandate for UNFICYP.

The draft of both resolutions was agreed upon by the five permanent member states during private consultations.

Following sideline diplomatic efforts by the government, both resolutions included structural conclusions related to the secretary general's report.

The resolution on the secretary general's good offices incorporates the position of the Group of 8 and the four principles which will govern negotiations.

In the UNFICYP mandate resolution refers to previous UN resolutions and calls upon the two countries to respect them and to avoid actions that could influence the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of the Cyprus republic.

[05] YUGO

The first ten buses with some 400 refugees left from the Stankovic refugee camp new the Skoplje capital and crossed the border at Blace on their way to Pristina.

Another 400 refugees have already returned to Kosovo by their own means, ignoring UN warnings about the inherent dangers.//

At the same time the Multinational Force, acting on its own plan, has started disarming members of the so called Kosovo Liberation Army.

The Albanian guerrillas staged a victory party at the Grand Hotel, while the looting and torching of homes continues in the Serb villages by Albanian nationals who said they are acting in revenge for what they suffered in the hands of the Serbs.

[06] OCALAN

Ocalan has accepted political responsibility for the activities of the Kurdistan Workers party, but at the same time accused the Turkish state that with its policy it encouraged the Kurds to take up arms against it.

Meanwhile, both Ocalan as well as the Kurdish guerrillas have warned that unless their proposal for political dialogue is accepted, then the armed struggle will escalate.

If the death penalty is imposed then an appeal will be lodged with the appeals court and must then be approved by the Parliament.

Ocalan's lawyers are also expected to appeal to the European Human Right Court.

[07] HOUSE RIK

Interior Ministry spokesman Costas Hadjipavlou said in presenting the bill that during the past two years there have been positive steps towards cleansing the Corporation's finance.

CyBC Board of directors Chairman Andonis Drakos told the committee that emphasis has been placed on speeding up enforcement of the five-year action plan for cleansing the finances.

He added that the goal is to have all involved members to take a position on the improvement of the Corporations image by the end of the year.

MP's from all sides of the house all supported the need to support public radio-television to survive.

[08] MAKRIDES

Nicos Makrides was born in Limassol but lived in the now occupied Lefkoniko and took part in all national struggles since 1931.

He had been a close aide to the Late Archbishop Makarios and current President Clerides. He was elected MO for Famagusta in 1985 and had been a founding member of DISY.

The Makrides family lost two sons during the national struggles of Cyprus, Michael, a member of the annual guard units, who was killed at Mrsiniki in Famagusta District, in February 1964, and Andreas, who was wounded in 1974 during the Turkish invasion and has been missing since.

The funeral will be held tomorrow at four in the afternoon from the Church of Saint Nicholas in Larnaca.

[09] SKALI

Gerge Niccolaou chairman of the organising Committee told a news conference that apart from the spectacle, the contest will also be an opportunity to record important elements of the traditions of Cyprus.

Six dance teams chosen by the selection Committee will be competing At the final stage, which will be held on July Two at the Skali amphitheatre.

These teams will present their own special program and will compete for the awards and prizes, for the most traditional team, the best general appearance, the best traditional costumes, the best dancer of the Scythe dance and the best singer.

[10] TOKAS

He will be presenting his work "Devin Mother Maria" with Manolis Mitsias and Costas Hadjicchristodoulou as soloists.

Organisers underlined the dual message, involving both the site of the concert as well as the struggle against drugs.

Justice and Public Order Minister Nicos Koshis said, "we go to where the problem is, because areas such as Heroes Square belong to all and the struggle against drugs is not a question of option, but rather of duty."

Tokas underlined that Cyprus as a country under semi-occupation cannot have any room for drugs for its young.

[11] PONDIANS

Police told the court that one of the three asked bakery shift chief Savvas Charalambous for permission to enter the shop and speak "to a person" working there.

When he refused the three went at him beating him on various parts of the body and causing a double fracture to his left leg.

[12] WEATHER

Temperatures will drop to 21 C inland and on the South coast, to 19 C on the West coast and to 14 C over the higher mountains.

Clear conditions will continue tomorrow but local cloud will thicken in the afternoon.

Winds will be light and variable becoming South westerly to Westerly moderate in the afternoon and gusting up to strong on the South coast.

A slight sea will gradually become moderate in windward areas.

Temperatures will rise to 35 C inland, 32 C on the South coast, 30 C on the West coast and 25 C over the higher mountains.

Today's temperatures were:

Nicosia 34 C -- 19 C

Limassol 33 C -- 20 C

Larnaca 31 C -- 20 C

Paphos 29 C -- 19 C

Prodromos 22 C -- 13 C

The fire hazard remains extremely high in all forest areas.

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