Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English, 00-11-06

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

CONTENTS

[01] HEADLINES

[02] GENEVA TALKS

[03] TALKS ASS'T

[04] RADIOMARATHON

[05] MIDEAST

[06] US ELECTIONS

[07] ROMANIAN REMAND

[08] CSE

[09] WEATHER MONDAY 6 NOVEMBER 2000

[01] HEADLINES

Radiomarathon 2000, in aid of children with special needs, kicked off this morning;

Israelis and Palestinians exchange fire overnight in both the West Bank and the Gaza Strip;

One day before the US presidential elections, and the two main contenders are still in a dead heat;

A Romanian working in Cyprus faces a murder charge;

and...

Activity at the Cyprus Stock Exchange remains at roughly the same levels as last week.

[02] GENEVA TALKS

As reported by our on-the-scene correspondent, the meeting was arranged at the insistence of the UN official in an attempt to smooth out the situation created on Friday, when President Clerides refused to accept a non-paper concerning the powers to be granted to a central Cyprus government in the event of a settlement.

Following the working breakfast, Mr deSoto avoided confirming or denying information that UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, expected to meet with President Clerides and Turkish-Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash on Wednesday, will be submitting certain negotiable proposals on which a Cyprus settlement could be based.

Our correspondent also reported that during the meeting, Cyprus' President handed to Mr deSoto an unofficial document analysing the positions of the Greek-Cypriot side on the four basic chapters constituting being discussed during the proximity talks.

A second meeting today between Cyprus' President and the UN official is currently under way.

[03] TALKS ASS'T

The same circles also consider the European Union's involvement in the entire procedure as an extremely significant factor which, moving in parallel with the peace process, will urge both sides to re-evaluate some of their fixed positions at the time of Cyprus' EU-accession.

In statements to the Cyprus News Agency's correspondent in Geneva, a foreign diplomat who asked to retain his anonymity said that the solution-seeking process cannot continue indefinitely, and that all indications are that on arriving in the Swiss city, the UN Secretary-General will present the two sides an outline of the matters discussed to date in relation to the four main chapters constituting the Cyprus Issue, adding that this will form the basis for the long-sought-after comprehensive solution.

In closing, the same source also expressed the assessment that the current process could lead to a solution in the near future, bearing in mind that the United Nations intends to submit a comprehensive settlement proposal to be negotiated by the two sides by June 2001.

[04] RADIOMARATHON

The 42-hour continuous broadcast, featuring live link-ups and transmissions from all over the world, is the pet project of CyBC's Third Radio Programme, which along with the Cyprus Popular Bank, is organising the fund-raiser for the eleventh consecutive year.

In addition to pledges made through the special programme and deposits entered directly into the Popular Bank's Radiomarathon account, kiosks staffed by volunteers accepting donations have been set up in all of the island's cities, while mobile piggy-banks are already plying the countryside, along with fund-raising drives held by cyclists, runners and blood donors.

Within the scope of the event, CyBC's Second Television Channel will carry special programmes at 9:30 tonight and tomorrow evening, including an auction of works produced by Cypriot artists.

Radiomarathon 2000 is being further bolstered by parallel fund-raising activities in Greece, as well as by the expatriate Greek and Cypriot communities in many countries of Europe, Australia, the United States, Canada and South Africa.

[05] MIDEAST

The Israeli army counted at least four shootouts between its forces and Palestinian gunmen before dawn today, and said two explosive devices blew up near military positions. There were no reports of casualties in those incidents, but an Israeli man and woman were wounded after nightfall when their car came under fire near a Jewish settlement in the West Bank.

The White House announced yesterday that President Bill Clinton will be meeting Palestinian President Yasser Arafat on Thursday, two days after the US presidential election, and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak on Sunday. Arafat and Barak are expected to meet Clinton separately.

The new US initiative was announced against the backdrop of Israeli statements acknowledging that Arafat had ordered Palestinians to stop shooting following a truce brokered on Thursday by former Prime Minister Shimon Peres.

Yesterday meanwhile, Israeli soldiers shot dead two more Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, after two days without fatalities. At least 173 people, almost all Palestinians, have been killed since the unrest began on September 28th.

[06] US ELECTIONS

The latest Reuters/MSNBC tracking poll issued last night found Bush, the governor of Texas, leading the vice president by 47 to 46%. Green Party candidate Ralph Nader continued to hurt Gore, polling 5%.

The poll showed six key battleground states, including Florida and Pennsylvania, as remaining too close to call. In Florida, Gore led by three points and in Pennsylvania by two, while Bush led by four points in Gore's home state of Tennessee and by two points in Wisconsin.

[07] ROMANIAN REMAND

According to Braceanu's deposition, on Saturday night he and the victim entered an argument over whether they would be watching television or a video, when Isaac grabbed a knife and started threatening the accused. Purportedly acting in self-defence, Braceanu wrested the knife from Isaac and managed to deliver six blows against his compatriot.

Investigations are continuing.

[08] CSE

At the same time, the overall volume of trading posted a marked drop, barely reaching 12.3 million pounds, some 3 million less than Friday.

[09] WEATHER

Generally fair conditions are also forecast for this evening, even though skies will be marked by some light high cloud. Winds will continue light northerlies, 3BF, on slight seas, while temperatures will drop to 14C inland and in coastal regions, and 8C on the higher reaches of the Troodos mountains.

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