Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English, 00-02-28

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

CONTENTS

MONDAY 28 FEBRUARY 2000

[01] HEADLINES

[02] SPOKESMAN CHIARINI

[03] SLOVEN STATEMENT

[04] CEM ATTITUDE REACTION

[05] COMPUTERS

[06] WORLD IN BRIEF

[07] CSE

[08] FIRE/DEATH LIMASSOL

[09] TAILER

[10] WEATHER

[01] HEADLINES

Slovenia's Prime Minister is in Cyprus on an official visit;

Nicosia and Athens are considering the possibility of Ankara slightly modifying her stance on the Cyprus Issue;

Government Services are fully compliant with tomorrow's first-for-the-21st Century once-every-four-years event;

A look at the major News stories from around the world in brief;

The Cyprus Stock Exchange is expected to enter a period of doldrums;

A Filipino working in Cyprus met with a fiery death last night;

and...

German women definitely have their way of dealing with bank robbers!

[02] SPOKESMAN CHIARINI

According to information made available to our station, Donato Chiarini recently attempted to keep open the chapter on Justice and Internal Affairs, which the European Union's Chief Negotiator, Leopold Maurer, considered closed during his visit to the island last month. The same sources further mentioned that it was deemed necessary to point out to the resident EU envoy that he should not interfere in matters beyond his authority, while the government is also displeased by the fact that Mr Chiarini is promoting separate contacts between the Union and Turkish-Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash in order to implement the European acquis communautaire.

Commenting on the situation, Government Spokesman Michalis Papapetrou strongly rejected any suggestion of separate contacts, noting that European Union negotiations are carried out only with internationally-recognised states and, specifically in the case of Cyprus, with designated representatives of the Republic.

[03] SLOVEN STATEMENT

The assessment was voiced by the Prime Minister of Slovenia, Dr Janez Drnovsek, currently in Cyprus on an official visit. Elaborating on his statement, Dr Drnovsek referred to Turkey's acceptance as an EU candidate-state, saying that this fact alone will contribute to the resolution of the Cyprus Issue. Slovenia's Prime Minister also mentioned that his country is closely aligned to the Greek-Cypriot side's positions as regards the matter, adding that the two countries enjoy a close co-operation as regards dealings with the UN Security Council.

In closing, Janez Drnovsek noted that both Cyprus and Slovenia share the common goal of acceding to the European Union, and noted that the two are destined to co-operate in the economic sector through the drafting and subsequent signing and ratification of bilateral agreements in the fields of investments, taxation and communications.

[04] CEM ATTITUDE REACTION

Noting that until very recently Turkish officials were demanding the international recognition and aknowledgment of the Denktash pseudostate in order for any progress to be even possible, both the Greek Ambassador to Nicosia and Cyprus' Government Spokesman said that the terminology now appears to have been somewhat altered, necessitating a close monitoring of Turkey's actions and moves if conclusions are to be drawn.

On a parallel tack, Government Spokesman Papapetrou also rejected all Turkish claims on a Greek-Cypriot-imposed trade embargo on the occupied areas, saying that the boycott is a direct result of European Union decisions which should be fully respected and adhered to. In closing, Mr Papapetrou observed that those seeking a lifting of the so-called embargo should look into annulling the reasons for which it was initially imposed, these being the continued occupation of the northern 37% of Cyprus.

[05] COMPUTERS

The statement was made to our station by the Director of the Republic's Information Technology Services Costas Agrotis, and follows a meeting held among all involved government services last week, during which it was ascertained that the systems currently in operation are fully compatible with the once-every-four-years event.

On the same breath however, Mr Agrotis advised islandwide computer users to avoid opening their e-mail today and tomorrow, given the possibility of viruses being active on the Internet.

[06] WORLD IN BRIEF

The Council of Europe's human rights commissioner, Spanish diplomat Alvaro Gil-Robles, was set to visit Chechnya, as Russian troops battle to crush the last main stronghold of separatist fighters in the region's southern mountains.

A Turkish court decided to release on bail three Kurdish mayors whose arrest sparked protests at home and from the European Union.

US Middle East envoy Dennis Ross was scheduled to meet with President Yasser Arafat in an attempt to get Israel and the Palestinians back to the negotiating table. Senior Palestinian negotiator Yasser Abed Rabbo however, said that prospects for a resumption of talks are slim.

Embattled German conservatives turned their attention to picking a new party chairman after suffering an election defeat in the state of Schleswig-Holstein, widely blamed on former Chancellor Helmut Kohl's campaign finance scandal.

Rescuers in helicopters resumed desperate efforts to evacuate thousands of Mozambicans trapped by fresh floods as the country braced for another wave of water from the swollen Limpopo River. Unconfirmed reports said 125 people died over the weekend in the devastated southern provinces, while a total of some one million people have been affected.

And Australia's tropical resort town of Cairns emerged battered after yesterday's direct hit by a cyclone, and floodwaters are rising in the state of Queensland. Up to 40,000 homes in the town are currently without electricity.

[07] CSE

The total volume of trading however experienced an increase of over two-million pounds today, reaching 17 million 330 thousand, to last week's close of 15 million.

All part-indices showed a drop, while brokers assess that the Cyprus Stock Exchange is about to enter a brief period of doldrums, pending the expected inclusion of more companies in the island's bourse and the announcement of the Popular Bank's statement of accounts.

[08] FIRE/DEATH LIMASSOL

As reported by our on-the-scene correspondent, the blaze which broke out at the "Romeo" night-spot last night may have been caused by a smouldering cigarette-end, given that police investigations have established the seat of the fire in the Filipino's quarters, while no traces of any flammable substance were found.

The 45-year-old Filipino is reported to have been drinking and in a bad psychological state over the last few days, following his brother's recent death due to an incurable illness.

Both Police and Fire Department investigations are continuing.

[09] TAILER

In order to do this however, we have to go to Germany, where a 77-year-old woman last week sent a bank robber packing by punching him in the neck and threatening him with her house keys. The woman was the sole customer in a bank in Frankfurt, when a masked man entered wielding a gun and what later turned out be a fake bomb.

"I got behind him and hit him in the neck with my right fist as hard as I could. The blow left him standing there as if he was about to grow roots," the septuagenarian woman, pictured sporting a sheriff's hat and holding up her clenched fist, told the newspaper Bild.

The man fled when she threatened to poke him in the eye with her house keys. She noted down the registration number on his getaway car and police later arrested him.

Nobody of course is suggesting that bank customers in Cyprus follow the same procedure, but it is a thought!

[10] WEATHER

Analytically, skies will be marked by some passing cloud this afternoon, with the possibility of scattered showers throughout the island, as well as snow over the highest mountain peaks. Winds will be moderate northeasterlies, 4BF, with gusts of up to 6BF in windward areas, on correspondingly moderate to rough seas, while temperatures are not expected to exceed 13C inland, 16C along the coasts and 3C at higher altitudes.

Passing cloud, with rainy spells throughout the island, as well as snow at higher altitudes, are once again forecast for this evening, while frost is also expected to form in areas. Winds will continue moderate northeasterlies, 4BF, on moderate to rough seas, while temperatures will drop to 3C inland, 6C in coastal regions and minus 3C on the higher reaches of the Troodos mountains.

Rain, as well as snow over the higher mountains, is also forecast for tomorrow, mainly during the afternoon.

The depth of snow on Mount Olympus is 30cm, and 25cm in Troodos Square.

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