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Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English, 99-11-30Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation at <http://www.cybc.com.cy/>CONTENTS
TUESDAY 30 NOVEMBER 1999 [01] HEADLINESPresident of the Republic Glafkos Clerides leave for New York via Zurich in order to attend the UN-sponsored New York proximity talks;The US State Department last night issued an official statement supporting current efforts towards a Cyprus settlement; Greece is still keeping its EU-partners in the dark over its position regarding Turkey's candidacy bid, while also strongly promoting Cyprus' unhindered accession to the 15-nation bloc; Cypriot, Greek and Turkish environmentalists join hands in protesting the planned construction of a nuclear reactor on Turkey's southern coast; Nearly 1800 Greek-Cypriots are on a pilgrimage to the occupied Karpass monastery of Apostolos Andreas; Tensions rose but trading continued at today's session of the Cyprus Stock Exchange; and... If you thought koalas were cute and cuddly, think again! [02] CLERIDES DEPARTPresident of the Republic Glafkos Clerides is leaving for New York via Zurich this afternoon, in order to attend the UN-sponsored proximity talks on the Cyprus Issue, scheduled to commence this Friday.Yesterday, President Clerides chaired a meeting of the National Council, during which the latest developments in the Cyprus Issue were discussed, after which the Greek-Cypriot side's positions were codified. Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides, who left Cyprus for London and Brussels yesterday, will also attend the New York talks. During his stay in the British capital, Mr Kasoulides will meet with Britain's Special Representative for Cyprus Sir David Hannay, while on his arrival in Brussels he will attend a meeting of delegates from the twelve EU candidate-states. President of the Republic Glafkos Clerides is being accompanied by Government Spokesman Michalis Papapetrou, Undersecretary to the President Pantelis Kouros, Attorney-General Alecos Markides and other state functionaries, as well as constitutional expert Claire Paley. [03] USA CYThe United States strongly support the holding of substantive talks in New York, a position reiterated last night by State Department Spokesman James Rubin.Mr Rubin stressed that the scheduled talks will revolve around all significant matters pertaining to Cyprus, such as the security, administration and territorial issues. He did add, however, that the talks are not expected to confine themselves to these matters, since each side has the right to raise for discussion any issue it so desires. In closing, and expressing his country's satisfaction over the imminent commencement of the UN-sponsored talks, the US State Department Spokesman noted that these are aimed at preparing the ground for substantive negotiations which will, eventually, lead to a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus Problem. [04] PAP TOURGreece is prepared to answer either with a "yes" or with a "no" to Turkey's proposed candidacy to the European Union. The statement was made yesterday by Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou, during a joint press conference given with his Finnish counterpart Daria Hallonen. Foreign Minister Papandreou further emphasised that Greece intends to drive a hard bargain, because what is being sought is a substantial candidacy and not a virtual one, as certain countries wish. He also stressed that no third country should be allowed to veto Cyprus' accession to the EU, and also placed himself for the disassociation of the island's accession from a Cyprus settlement, citing as an example the case of Germany and noting that the accession of the island would contribute in a positive manner to the safeguarding of the rights of the Turkish-Cypriots.On her part, Foreign Minister Hallonen said that the upgrading of Turkey to an EU candidate-state is merely the beginning of a lengthy process, and conceded that the aspiring country's road to accession will be much harder than that of many other countries. Referring to the Cyprus Issue, Mrs Hallonen confined herself to saying that it must be resolved one way or the other, and expressed the hope that the New York talks will bear fruit. Today, Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou continues his tour of European capitals with a two-day visit to Moscow, where he is expected to discuss with his Russian counterpart both the Cyprus Issue and the situation in Kosovo. [05] AKKUYU PROTESTThe Cyprus Ecologists-Environmentalists Movement announced today that an anti-nuclear demonstration will be held this Saturday, outside the Canadian Embassy in Athens.This will be the first time ever that Cypriot, Greek and Turkish environmentalists are joining efforts to protest the construction of a nuclear power plant in the southern Turkish region of Akkuyu. The protest is being held outside the Canadian Embassy, because of the north american country's expressed intention of supplying Turkey with the necessary technology for the construction of the nuclear reactor. In its announcement, the Cyprus Ecologists-Environmentalists Movement also mentions that similar protest demonstrations are being planned in other countries in the region. [06] PILGRIMAGENearly 1,800 Greek-Cypriot pilgrims crossed over into the occupied area of the Republic this morning, on a three-hour bus journey to the Karpass peninsula monastery of Apostolos Andreas, in order to observe today's feast of St Andrew.A total of one thousand 726 pilgrims of all ages holding large candles and plastic containers to collect holy water filed through the Ledra Palace checkpoint, escorted by United Nations peacekeeping troops. The pilgrimage is one of several arranged by humanitarian authorities in the past four years, in an attempt to thaw relations between the Greek- and Turkish-Cypriot communities. The pilgrims are expected to return to the government-controlled area of the Republic late this afternoon. The monastery itself stands on the spot where, according to folkore, Andrew, Christ's first disciple, ran aground in choppy seas on a missionary journey to Rome. [07] CYPRUS STOCK EXCHANGEThe Cyprus Stock Exchange showed a marginal drop of the general price index today, closing at 848 units to yesterday's 849. A decrease was also observed in the volume of trading, which, after almost three thousand transactions, barely exceeded 20 million pounds, as compared to 33 million yesterday.Today saw the return to the floor of the Cyprus Airways, Minerva and Salamis Tours companies, while the main upward swing was experienced by the investment and insurance sectors. Today's session could not, however, be described as smooth, with tensions rising when eight brokerage firms were barred from trading from the outset, leading to the Brokers' Association Chairman requesting a suspension of activities. The request was turned down by the Stock Exchange authorities, and trading continued, albeit in a tense climate. [08] CYAIR SHARESCyprus Airways have announced that they plan to issue 8-million pounds worth of new shares, each with a nominal value of 50 cents.Half of the new shares will be made available to the general public following the submission of the relevant applications, while the other half will be allocated to existing shareholders. Cyprus Airways Press Spokesman, Tasos Angeli, said that the move is being realised so that the company can remain open for trading on the Stock Exchange floor. [09] TAILERToday's tailer comes to us (to use a newspaper term) hot off the press, with an Australian pensioner being attacked by a dazed and injured koala just this morning, after he accidentally ran over the cuddly marsupial with his car.Jack Higgs, 78, received leg wounds as he was trying to rescue the normally docile animal he hit on a highway in the southern Australian state of Victoria. "He fooled me completely, because just as I approached him and went to grab his back legs to sort of drag him off the road, he turned around and got stuck into me," said Higgs, who was recovering in hospital. The koala itself, recovering from a ruptured lung at a local veterinary clinic, had nothing to say. It will probably be returned to the wild following a week at a wildlife sanctuary. It seems then that, like humans, even the furry and cuddly Australian marsupial loved by soft toy manufacturers can turn nasty when provoked or hurt. [10] WEATHERThe weather will be generally fair this afternoon, with skies being marked by passing cloud. Winds will be moderate north-to-northeasterlies, 4BF, gusting locally to strong, 5-6BF. Seas will be generally moderate, rising to rough in windward areas, while temperatures are not expected to exceed 17C inland, 19C along the coasts and 6C at higher altitudes.Generally fair conditions are also forecast for tonight, with skies once again being marked by passing cloud. Winds will turn to moderate northeast-to-northwesterlies, 4BF, with gusts of up to 6BF along the east coast, giving rise to moderate to rough seas. Temperatures will drop to 6C inland, 9C in coastal regions, and 2C on the higher reaches of the Troodos mountains. Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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