Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English, 01-02-27

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

CONTENTS

[01] HEADLINES

[02] Prinkin

[03] Rights

[04] Parachute

[05] Stock

[06] Mozambique

[07] Bangladesh

[08] India

[09] World

[10] Weather TUESDAY 27 FEBRUARY 2001

[01] HEADLINES

--- The US State Department, in its annual report on the protection of human rights, has once again leveled the Republic of Cyprus with the Turkish occupation regime in the north.

--- Seventy-six parachutists from Greece and Cyprus participated this morning in a military exercise of the Greek Armed Forces.

--- Mozambican rescue teams began to evacuate some 200.000 people threatened by rising floodwaters today as the government appealed for equipment to bolster the relief effort and aid workers called for food donations.

--- Bangladesh authorities said today they had ruled out, at least for a few days, the use of force to rescue two Danes and a Briton kidnapped by suspected ethnic minority guerrillas.

And

--- India tested a short-range surface-to-air missile today from a launch pad in the Bay of Bengal.

[02] Prinkin

The Russian envoy also stressed that Moscow appreciates the willingness of the Greek Cypriot side to pursue the talks.

Mr. Prinkin, who was speaking after a meeting with President Glafcos Clerides, said he would be meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash later today.

The Russian official said there was no easy way out of the situation regarding the Cyprus problem and urged for patience and political will to achieve a settlement.

He also stressed that Russia was actively participating in efforts to reach a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem.

[03] Rights

In its report, the State Department refers to the Turkish Cypriot administration in the north of the island, noting that in general terms it respects human rights.

It notes that the occupation regime continues to restrict freedom of movement and has banned contacts between the two communities since December 1997.

The report adds that the police in the free areas of the Republic is under political control, while the police in the Turkish occupied areas is under military control.

It also compares the economy on the two sides, noting that the Turkish occupied areas are facing problems.

[04] Parachute

Cyprus National Guard chief, Lieutenant General Evangelos Florakis, who was the first to jump from the plane, said the exercise was necessary to maintain the soldiers' fitness.

He added that the maneuvres should continue to be held every six months.

[05] Stock

The Index closed at 200,59 units, recording losses of 1,14 percent.

Traded value was very low, reaching just 5,6 million pounds.

[06] Mozambique

At least 41 people have died and more than 77.000 have lost their homes in a deluge likely to echo, but not match, the worst floods in living memory last year, in which more than 700 people died and 500.000 were made homeless.

Mozambican authorities said last night that flooding in several valleys had put about 200.000 people at risk and they would have to be moved to higher ground.

Rain is still falling across southern Africa and the Zambezi River's two main storage reservoirs were full, forcing officials to open floodgates, feeding the flood.

[07] Bangladesh

The divisional commissioner of southeastern Bangladesh's Chittagong region, who is coordinating the rescue mission, said the authorities had decides to wait a few days for talks with the kidnappers.

The decision not to use force was made even though there had been no progress in efforts to rescue the hostages.

Danes Torben Mikkelsen and Nils Hulgaard and Briton Tim Selby were kidnapped at Guniapara in the southeastern Chittagong Hill Tracts on February 16. The kidnappers freed another Briton with a demand for a 1,6 million dollars ransom.

The government has refused to pay any ransom and has rejected the kidnappers' demand to withdraw security forces from a 30-sq-km area of remote forest where they are believed to be hiding with their captives.

The kidnappers did not show up for meetings with government negotiators on Friday and Saturday. Two intermediaries sent to deliver a message to the kidnappers yesterday have not yet returned.

The Danes and the Briton were working on a road project, under contract with Danish firm CAMPSAX, based in Copenhagen, in the thickly forested region when they were seized at gunpoint.

[08] India

Another test of the missile, named Akash, is scheduled for Thursday.

Today's missile was fired from the test site at Chandipur-on-Sea off the eastern state of Orissa.

Akash, which means sky in Hindi, has a range of 25 km and is being run through advanced trials before it is introduced into the army. The missile carries a payload of 55 kg.

The missile is part of India's ambitious programme to build a missile arsenal ranging from nuclear-capable ballistic missiles to short-range weapons.

[09] World

- - - -

Indonesia said indigenous Dayaks massacred 118 Madurese migrants trying to flee ravaged Borneo last weekend, adding that police sent to protect the refugees fled when the attack took place.

- - - -

A gunfight broke out between Indonesian police and soldiers charged with restoring peace to ravaged Borneo island where ethnic bloodshed has killed hundreds.

- - - -

Israeli Prime Minister-elect Ariel Sharon pushed ahead with plans for a broad-based government after the centre-left Labour Party voted to forge a political partnership with him.

Amid the coalition politics, Israel rejected allegations in the US State Department's annual review of human rights that it has used excessive force in response to a five-month-old Palestinian uprising.

- - - -

China hit back at critics of its human rights record, saying UN calls to scrap labour camps were ignorant and a US report saying Beijing's rights record actually worsened last year was hypocritical.

- - - -

A million North Koreans have died of starvation and related diseases since 1995 in a country where individual rights are seen as subversive to the state, the US State Department's annual human rights report said.

- - - -

Turkey has shored up crashing financial markets with decisive central bank action, but the country was searching for key officials and a new policy to plot a chart to long-term stability.

- - - -

Iraq and the United Nations may have opened a new chapter in talks aimed at ending the deadlock over 10-year old sanctions, with Secretary-General Kofi Annan hopeful Baghdad was moving to end the status quo.

Despite harsh words from Iraqi officials, Annan said he believed Baghdad's delegation today would seek ways to move forward on a series of tough negotiations before UN arms inspectors could return to Iraq, a key demand toward ending the embargoes.

- - - -

Britain's rapidly worsening foot-and-mouth crisis threatened today to torpedo Prime Minister Tony Blair's hopes of calling a general election within the next two or three months to win a second term.

- - - -

NASA has announced that scientists have found compelling new evidence of possible ancient microscopic life on Mars, derived from magnetic crystals in a meteorite that fell to Earth from the red planet.

[10] Weather

Winds will be northeasterly to southeasterly, light to moderate, three to four beaufort, over slight seas.

Tonight will be cloudy with fine mist in the early hours of the morning.

Winds will be variable, light, two to three beaufort, over slight seas.

Temperatures will drop to 10 degrees inland, to 12 along the coast, and to 7 over the mountains.

The snow on Mount Olympus is 40 centimetres deep and in Troodos Square 20.

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