Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English, 99-12-02

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

CONTENTS

THURSDAY 2 DECEMBER 1999

[01] HEADLINES

[02] NEW YORK TALKS

[03] CLERIDES NEW YORK

[04] HASIKOS MOSCOW

[05] LYNTZERAKOS S300

[06] UN REPORT

[07] ABDUCTION

[08] KYPRIANOU OUT

[09] RUSSIA CHECHNYA

[10] WORLD IN BRIEF

[11] VATICAN RUINS

[12] RUSSIA PETS

[13] WEATHER

[01] HEADLINES

--- President Glafcos Clerides said he was attending talks in good will, and hoped Turkish Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktash, was too.

--- Greek airforce chief said that the S-300 missiles would be used for Cyprus' defence if necessary.

--- UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, has requested that the UNFICYP mandate on the island be renewed for another six months.

--- Chechen fighters put up stiff resistance to Russian forces trying to capture the town of Argun.

And

--- Russia's State Duma has passed an animal rights bill prohibiting people from eating their pets.

[02] NEW YORK TALKS

This afternoon, the UN-chief's special representative, Alvaro de Soto, will brief the Security Council on the talks, and will later hold a press conference.

Meanwhile, President of the Republic, Glafcos Clerides, is expected to have separate meetings with British envoy, Sir David Hannay, US Presidential Emissary, Alfred Moses, and US State Department Special Coordinator for Cyprus, Thomas Weston.

[03] CLERIDES NEW YORK

He also expressed hope that the other side will act accordingly.

President Clerides said that Britain and other European countries, as well as the United States, are showing special interest in finding a settlement.

The President did not answer any questions, respecting UN requests for a moratorium on statements.

[04] HASIKOS MOSCOW

Speaking on his departure, Mr. Hasikos dismissed press reports that he is going to Moscow to visit war material industries or to discuss military equipment issues.

Mr. Hasikos said that his visit was aimed at further strengthening ties between Cyprus and Russia, and to become acquainted with the Russian Defence Ministry.

During his stay, Mr. Hasikos will also renew a cooperation protocol, which came into effect in 1996.

[05] LYNTZERAKOS S300

Speaking during a visit to the National Guard General Staff, the Lieutenant General said that Greek warplanes fully cover Cyprus' operational needs.

[06] UN REPORT

Mr. Annan adds that UNFICYP has noted some changes regarding the Famagusta status quo, including the construction and operation of a supermarket, the shifting of the barbed wire to allow public access, and various changes on property.

The UN continue to hold Turkey responsible for the Famagusta status quo.

In his report, Mr. Annan explains that the presence of UNFICYP on the island is necessary, and requests that its mandate be renewed for another six months.

[07] ABDUCTION

The man has been identified as 65-year-old Argyris Roussou, from Aglantzia.

The Police said that Roussou, who had been reported missing two days ago, entered the Turkish-occupied areas in his car, from the Lympia area.

The authorities, in cooperation with the United Nations, are trying to obtain his release.

An illegal court ordered that Roussou be held for three days.

UNFICYP spokeswoman, Sarah Russel, said that UN representatives would visit Roussou and that he would be examined by a UN doctor.

[08] KYPRIANOU OUT

He had bee admitted to the intensive care unit on November 21 with asthmatic bronchitis.

The Director of the Cardiology Department, Costas Zambartas, told the Cyprus News Agency that Mr. Kyprianou would go home, after tests on his respiratory system were complete.

Mr. Zambartas added that Mr. Kyprianou is much better.

Mr. Kyprianou will continue to take medication and will be advised to stay home for a week.

[09] RUSSIA CHECHNYA

There have also been reports that the rebels have turned Grozny itself into a virtual fortress to ward off any possible storming of the city.

About 5,000 guerrillas are based in Grozny, where they are mining roads and buildings. Their armoury includes 10 armoured vehicles, two tanks, a multiple-rocket launcher and about 15 anti-aircraft guns.

The Chechen rebels' Internet web site reported renewed Russian aerial and artillery bombardment of Grozny, Argun and the town of Urus-Martan, which lies 25 km south of the capital.

Yesterday, Russian Minister of Defence, Igor Sergeyev, said Argun had been sealed off and would likely fall to Russian forces in two to three days "with the help of residents".

Moscow, now into the third month of its Chechen campaign, is hoping the residents of Argun and Grozny will help expel the rebel fighters and let in the Russian forces, as has happened in several other Chechen towns.

Moscow accuses the Chechen fighters of trying to destabilise the North Caucasus region and of complicity in several bomb blasts in Russian cities.

[10] WORLD IN BRIEF

- - - -

Trade ministers managed to make some progress toward a global trade liberalisation deal after protesters were cleared from the Seattle city centre by riot police enforcing another night of curfew.

Police temporarily sealed off a downtown hotel with President Bill Clinton inside as clashes erupted nearby yesterday, the second day of protests against a meeting of World Trade Organisation ministers.

- - - -

Britain's Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Mandelson said he was confident that the IRA would scrap its guns but warned the province's new home rule government would be suspended if there was no disarmament.

- - - -

An Australian commuter train slammed into the back of another passenger train outside Sydney today, killing at least five people.

Another seven were feared dead and up to 65 people were injured, eight seriously, in the morning peak-hour collision at the foot of the Blue Mountains.

- - - -

Britain indicated that it would be prepared to back a bid to put the Franco-German Eurocorps in charge of NATO's Kosovo peace mission next year, significantly increasing the chances of it being approved.

- - - -

Ready or not, the United States want the Security Council to vote this month on future UN policy toward Iraq, even if this means a veto by Russia or China.

- - - -

The UN General Assembly called on Israel to resume peace talks with Syria and Lebanon and withdraw completely from the Golan Heights, captured from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war.

[11] VATICAN RUINS

Items spotted at the dump include pieces of mosaic, painted plaster and ceramics.

The police will now investigate whether valuable items were secretly removed from a Vatican-owned site where a car park is being constructed for the influx of pilgrims expected during the year 2000.

Archeologists have accused the Vatican and Rome city council of trying to conceal the importance of ruins uncovered during construction so that the project would not be delayed.

[12] RUSSIA PETS

The bill, 22 pages long with amendments, forbids a whole range of activities considered cruel to animals, including using household pets for "meat or fur".

Among other practices banned are performing operations on pets without a medical reason, or deliberately wounding them to photograph them for films or television programmes.

Visitors to the country are often surprised by the number of exotic breeds of dogs that parade down even the poorest streets.

[13] WEATHER

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

The temperature will drop to 6 degrees inland, to 8 along the coast, and to 3 over the mountains.

The fire hazard is moderate in all forest areas.

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