Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English, 99-10-25

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

CONTENTS

MONDAY 25 OCTOBER 1999

[01] HEADLINES

[02] NIOTIS

[03] VIOLANTE KYPRIANOU

[04] MEDICINES FRAUD

[05] MEDICINE REFUND

[06] GREECE TURKEY

[07] RUSSIA CHECHNYA

[08] WORLD IN BRIEF

[09] STOCK EXCHANGE

[10] EDWARD

[11] PILLOW FIGHT

[12] WEATHER

[01] HEADLINES

--- Italian Parliament President, Luciano Violante, said that Cyprus has a right to join the European Union.

--- The case of overpriced medicines continues with pharmacists demanding compensation from the supplier.

--- Greco-Turkish talks continued today, focusing on low policy issues.

AND

--- Russia shelled western Chechnya last night. There were no casualties reported.

[02] NIOTIS

Speaking on his departure from the island, Mr. Niotis said that American intervention in the Cyprus problem is in effect and that the UN chief will soon call talks for a settlement.

[03] VIOLANTE KYPRIANOU

Speaking after a meeting this morning with House President, Spyros Kyprianou, Mr. Violante said that the Italian Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee has adopted a resolution which obliges the government to help Cyprus' EU accession course, regardless of whether a solution is found to the political problem or not.

He also said that he would propose a debate on the Cyprus problem in the session of European parliaments.

Mr. Violante said that this would help create uniform action on behalf of the governments and promote Cyprus' rights in the bloc.

[04] MEDICINES FRAUD

When investigations began, the price of 100 medicines dropped, but pharmacists who had stocked up on them are demanding compensation.

[05] MEDICINE REFUND

Mr. Savvides said that it is a priority to return the money to consumers, adding that the case is now in the hands of Justice.

[06] GREECE TURKEY

The working group on cultural and regional cooperation issues will meet in the context of the talks, to discuss relevant matters.

The talks will end tomorrow with a working group conference on civilian security issues.

Greek and Turkish Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Giorgos Papandreou and Ismail Cem respectively, will determine procedures at a meeting on Wednesday and Thursday in Salonica.

[07] RUSSIA CHECHNYA

The villages of Samashki, some 30 km from the regional capital of Grozny, and Bamut, around 40 km away, were hit through last night and this morning as Russia pursued its aim of crushing Moslem rebels in Chechnya.

There were no reports of casualties from the attacks.

Russian President Boris Yeltsin and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin met in the Kremlin today to discuss the offensive.

Yeltsin said that he supported the results of Putin's policy in the North Caucasus, which he called useful work.

Moscow says only rebel positions have been hit but there are many accounts of civilians dying in the attacks, which many fear will turn into a repeat of the disastrous 1994-96 Chechen war, in which tens of thousands of people died.

[08] WORLD IN BRIEF

- - - -

Argentina's centre-left Alliance put an end to 10 years of Peronist rule in elections, with president-elect Fernando de la Rua promising a "moral change" after Carlos Menem's free-market zeal.

- - - -

Israel and the Palestinians opened a route across Israel enabling safe passage for Palestinians between the West Bank and Gaza Strip, lands they hope to unite in a future state.

- - - -

The populist Swiss People's Party, riding on an anti-immigration, anti-EU ticket, posted big gains in parliamentary elections as voters followed Austria's lead and turned sharply to the right.

- - - -

Pakistan's new army ruler General Pervez Musharraf left for Saudi Arabia on his first foreign trip since seizing power in a coup on October 12.

- - - -

President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali won Tunisia's presidential election, garnering more than 99 percent of the valid votes cast in yesterday's general elections.

- - - -

Kyrgyz officials gave conflicting reports on whether four Japanese geologists and their local interpreter, kidnapped two months ago in the Central Asian state, had been freed.

- - - -

Opponents of German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's ruling Social Democrats scored strong gains in town hall elections in the southwestern state of Baden-Wuerttemberg.

- - - -

The thrill of Jakarta's first contested presidential election has started to pale on fears that discredited faces from the past might join the new government.

- - - -

Northern Ireland peace talks have limped along for months, but resume with a hint of a spring in the step of negotiators wrestling with the make-or-break issue of guerrilla disarmament.

[09] STOCK EXCHANGE

The general price index fell to 596,06 units, compared with 603,60 on Friday.

[10] EDWARD

He said Sophie was doing extremely well at promoting Britain and Britain's businesses and Britain plc.

Edward, Queen Elizabeth's youngest son, married Sophie at Windsor Castle near London in June.

The queen gave the couple the title of Count and Countess of Wessex.

Sophie came under fire for posing at the Frankfurt motor show with the latest Rover car.

Her contract with the manufacturer was reported to be worth 250,000 pounds sterling.

Tabloids reported that Queen Elizabeth was "surprised" her daughter-in-law had agreed to pose for the publicity photographs.

Edward, owner of a television production company, said there had never been any suggestion before their marriage that Sophie would give up her public relations work.

[11] PILLOW FIGHT

The men were arrested after jumping on Tracey Emin's exhibit of an unmade bed surrounded by champagne corks, used condoms and soiled underwear.

The men, who said they were performance artists trying to improve the exhibit, were later released without being charged.

Entries by the finalists vying for the Turner prize draw up to 120,000 visitors to the central London gallery each year.

Reaction to this year's exhibits has ranged from praise to outrage to the question "Is this art?"

[12] WEATHER

Winds will be northeasterly to easterly, moderate, four beaufort, and the sea will be moderate in windward areas.

Tonight will be cloudy with some rain, mainly in eastern areas.

Winds will be northerly to northeasterly, light to moderate, three to four beaufort, and the sea will be slight to moderate.

The temperature will drop to 17 degrees inland and on the coast, and to 9 over the mountains.

The fire hazard is extremely high in all forest areas.

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