Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English, 00-09-21

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

CONTENTS

[01] Headlines

[02] Talks1

[03] Talks2

[04] Verheugen

[05] Immigrants

[06] MI6

[07] Stock

[08] Money

[09] Strike

[10] Accident

[11] Weather THURSDAY 21 SEPTEMBER 2000

[01] Headlines

--- Meanwhile, UN-led proximity talks in New York continue today, with separate meetings of Mr. de Soto with President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktash.

--- Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ismail Cem, is trying to secure the exclusion of any reference to the Cyprus problem in his country's partnership with the European Union, and also a misinterpretation of the Helsinki Summit decisions.

--- The Police arrested the captain of the boat which transported the 266 illegal immigrants to Cyprus.

And

--- A "small missile" was fired at the headquarters of the MI6 foreign intelligence service in central London last night, a high-profile symbol of the establishment and one of Britain's most secure buildings.

[02] Talks1

Sources in New York said that the UN chief's Special Adviser on Cyprus, Alvaro de Soto, has already prepared detailed maps.

Mr. de Soto's plan provides for the return of about 40 villages under Greek Cypriot authority.

Meanwhile, for the first time the issue of Turkish Cypriot refugees from 1963 has been brought up and the UN are determining a ratio of Greek and Turkish Cypriot refugees to return to their homes.

CyBC's reporter in New York said that the UN and the Turks aim at including five villages in the Turkish Cypriot zone, to be known as "special areas", so as not to move more Turkish Cypriots than Greek Cypriots.

These villages are Louroutzina, Pergamos, Arsos and Melousha in the Larnaca district, and Kouklia in the Famagusta area.

It has been estimated that, according to Mr. de Soto's plan, about 60 thousand refugees would return to their homes.

However, the total number of those to return will depend on the part of Famagusta to be given back to its legal owners.

In New York, discussion have already shifted from territory to security issues.

[03] Talks2

Despite his negative statements, Mr. Denktash admitted that the talks have entered the substance of the problem.

Speaking after yesterday's meeting with Mr. de Soto, the Turkish Cypriot leader said he had not received any document from the UN mediator.

He also claimed that the Strovilia issue had been settled, as it had caused no harm to anyone.

Turkish troops have moved forward their positions in Strovilia, violating the status quo.

Mr. Denktash also said Cyprus' interstate appeal against Turkey at the European Court of Human Rights was a mistake.

Meanwhile, US Presidential Emissary for Cyprus, Alfred Moses, expressed hope that there would be interesting developments in this round of proximity talks.

He said both sides were discussing the substance of the problem and noted that "it takes two to tango".

[04] Verheugen

Mr. Cem met yesterday with EU Commissioner on the 15-nation bloc's Enlargement, Gunter Verheugen, during which he said that according to the Helsinki decisions, the only thing expected of Ankara in relation to the Cyprus problem, was to support the UN effort underway.

Mr. Verheugen expressed hope that the document on Turkey's partnership with the EU would be acceptable for Ankara, noting that the Cyprus problem did not come up in their talks.

Mr. Cem was scheduled to meet today with European Commission President, Romano Prodi.

[05] Immigrants

The captain was hiding in the hold of the boat, in which the immigrants are now being guarded.

He has been identified as Muhammad Ibrahim Farah, from Turkey, but denies he is the captain, saying he is one of the illegal immigrants himself.

Farah claims that the captain jumped overboard before the boat sank of the shores of Paphos.

Farah will be presented before the Paphos District Court tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the two Lebanese senior state officials, in Cyprus investigating whether the boat actually set sail from one of their country's harbours, met again today with Minister of the Interior, Christodoulos Christodoulou.

They did not say whether they had been convinced by the evidence that the boat left Lebanon, noting that they wished to deliberate first with their government.

Mr. Christodoulou said that according to statements and evidence gathered, it has been proven beyond any reasonable doubt that the boat which brought the illegal immigrants to Cyprus had left from a port in Lebanon.

He added that for this reason, Lebanon must accept the immigrants back, as provided for in a bilateral agreement.

[06] MI6

Police at the scene of the explosion said today that the missile had hit the upper part of the building but caused little damage. There were no reports of casualties but commuters faced morning rush hour chaos as police sealed off the area.

Alan Fry, head of the police's anti-terrorist branch, said that an examination of the exterior of the building would show some form of small missile hit the building at around the eighth floor.

He was unable to say who had fired the missile, but would not rule out renegade Northern Irish guerrilla groups opposed to the peace process in the British province.

No warning had been given and no group has claimed responsibility. But police warned the public earlier in the year to be alert to the threat of guerrilla attacks.

Mr. Fry said he did not believe the building had been hit by a mortar, as this would have caused more damage.

The futuristic green glass MI6 building on the south bank of the River Thames, less than a mile from parliament and the main government offices in Whitehall, is probably one of the most secure and closely guarded compounds in Britain.

It is surrounded by an array of video cameras, and the attack was certain to prompt questions about security.

[07] Stock

The decision was taken unanimously during a meeting of the Union, which took place this morning in Brussels.

The Cyprus Stock Exchange was represented at the meeting by its President, Paris Lenas, and its Director, Nontas Metaxas.

Sources said that the decision is very significant for Cyprus, as the country's Stock Exchange will be an equal partner in all the Union's activities.

[08] Money

The volume of transactions reached 14 million pounds, compared to 29 million yesterday.

[09] Strike

This was agreed today by the two sides at a meeting, after the intervention of the Ministry of Labour.

The meeting was called today, after the strike staged yesterday by Eurocypria's pilots, regarding promotions of Cyprus Airways pilots into Eurocypria.

Cyprus Airways President, Charis Loizides, said that the two sides would show good will during the dialogue, to settle their differences.

Meanwhile, Alecos Tasouris of the Cyprus Workers' Confederation, representing the pilots, said that his members would engage in the dialogue in a responsible manner, so as to find solutions which will safeguard labour peace in the company.

[10] Accident

Michail was riding a motorcycle when he collided with the car in front of him, driven by Salomi Sideri, from Acropolis.

He then afterwards hit a motorcycle in the opposite lane.

The rider of the second motorcycle, Ifigenia Yiannakou, was taken to the Nicosia General Hospital, where she was treated for light injuries in casualty and discharged.

[11] Weather

Winds will be northerly, generally light, three beaufort, and moderate three to four beaufort in windward areas, over moderate seas.

Temperatures will drop to 24 degrees inland and along the south and east coasts, and to 20 along the west and north coasts and over the mountains.

Tomorrow will be fine.

Winds will be northerly, light to moderate, three to four beaufort, over moderate seas.

Temperatures will reach 36 degrees inland, 34 along the coast, and 26 over the mountains.

The highest and lowest temperatures today were, in Nicosia 36 and 24 degrees, Limassol 33 and 23, Larnaca 36 and 24, Paphos 35 and 19, and Prodromos 26 and 20 degrees.

The fire hazard is extremely high in all forest areas.

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