Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English, 01-04-05

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

CONTENTS

[01] HEADLINES

[02] Casoulides

[03] Papandreou Ankara

[04] Pangalos Cyprus

[05] Sezer Cyprus

[06] Dirioz Cyprus

[07] Crash China

[08] Mideast wrap

[09] Shops Timetable

[10] More Gypsies!

[11] Cse today

[12] Tailer

[13] Weather THURSDAY 5 APRIL 2001

[01] HEADLINES

The Cyprus problem is not likely to be solved any time soon, is the assessment offered today by the turkish foreign press spokesman, Hussein Dirioz,

China welcomed as a "step in the right direction" U.S. statements of regret over a Chinese pilot missing since a collision with an American spy plane, but repeated a demand for a full apology, and

A sicilian pizza-maker fends off foreign competition to win the international pizza-making competition held in the northern Italian city of Trento.

[02] Casoulides

Mr Casoulides, on an official visit to Washington, yesterday held back-to-back talks with members of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

He analysed Greek-cypriot positions on Cyprus and briefed the American officials on current developments in efforts to solve the Cyprus problem and Cyprus' bid to join the EU.

Today, Mr Casoulides will hold a working lunch with members of the Bush administration, at the Cyprus embassy in Washington.

He will also address a conference, with the subject "Cyprus, re-unification and Entry in the EU" and is expected to meet with officials of Jewish-American organisations.

[03] Papandreou Ankara

During his two-day visit, Mr Papandreou will meet turkish prime-minister Bulent Ecevit, vice-president Mesut Yilmaz and his counterpart Ismail Cem.

The Cyprus problem, Greco-turkish and Euro-turkish relations, will be at the forefront of discussions.

The Greek foreign ministers' visit is part of a programme of regular contacts, with his turkish counterpart, designed to strengthen rapprochement and cooperation between the two countries.

[04] Pangalos Cyprus

Mr Pangalos criticisized those who speak of a conferederal solution in Cyprus, claiming that it will aid Cyprus' entry to the European Union.

He said that a confederation will be the destruction of the Greek population of Cyprus and the ultimate act of treason.

Speaking last night in Paphos, Mr Pangalos sent a clear message to the turkish-cypriots that they will benefit from Cyprus' entry to the union, since the island will join as one unified state, with its official government, irrespective of its problem.

He gave the example of West Germany,that was a member of the European and Germans living in the East, enjoyed all the benefits.

[05] Sezer Cyprus

Therefore, he called on the European Union to take this into consideration, in entry negotiations with the Cyprus government.

He said that Turkey supports the UN chief's goodwill mission to achieve a solution.

Referring to Greco-turkish relations, he stressed that Turkey has the necessary political will to solve the problems between the two countries.

Mr Sezer added that Turkey has taken on a multiplicity of roles in the Eastern Mediterrenean, a fact, he noted, that raises the confidence of Turkish people.

The turkish president was speaking in the Dutch parliament, during an official visit to The Netherlands.

[06] Dirioz Cyprus

Dirioz was commenting on statements by Greek foreign minister Yiorgos Papandreou, regarding the need for a demilitarisation of the island.

He said it's too early for such an action.

[07] Crash China

A Foreign Ministry spokesman also said China would consider allowing a second meeting between U.S. officials and the 24 crew of the U.S. aircraft, which made an emergency landing on Hainan Island after Sunday's mid-air collision.

The letter contained statements of regret over the pilot of the F-8 fighter missing and feared dead after his plane crashed into the South China Sea.

U.S. officials made their first contact with the crew on Tuesday night on southern Hainan island.

The U.S. service personnel have been otherwise incommunicado since shortly after their spy plane landed at a military air base.

U.S. President George Bush has demanded the immediate return of the crew.

Washington says the mid-air tangle was an accident and has bluntly ruled out an apology.

But by expressing sympathy and concern for the pilot, analysts said Powell may have found a possible approach to ending a diplomatic standoff over the fate of the U.S. crew and the top-secret EP-3 surveillance plane.

[08] Mideast wrap

The army said the soldiers fired in response to shots fired from a jeep in the convoy. The Palestinians denied firing any shots and said the soldiers deliberately targeted the cars.

Two Palestinian bodyguards in the convoy were slightly injured by shrapnel and treated in hospital.

The row further undermined trust between the two sides, which yesterday held their first high-level talks since Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon took office a month ago.

The shooting at the Erez crossing between Gaza Strip and Israel erupted just after the two sides' officials agreed at a late-night, four-hour meeting to try to reduce the level of violence after six months of bloodshed.

[09] Shops Timetable

After long-running negotiations, the parliamentary labour committee agreed on a compromise solution over the issue, that was a cause of serious friction between employees and shop owners.

The bill is expected to be voted this afternoon, by the house plenum.

President of the labour parliamentary committee, AKEL deputy Avraam Antoniou said that all parties agreed to a gradual decrease of working hours to 38 a week.

Shops will close at eight thirty in the evening during the summer period and seven during the winter period.

On Saturdays, the summer closing time will be five in the afternoon, and three in the winter.

Midday siesta starts on the 15th of June till the end of August, during which time shops will close at two and re-open at five.

However the timetable issue remains unresolved, regarding shops in tourist areas.

The timetable will be set by the Interior Minister.

[10] More Gypsies!

Another 18, including 4 women and 5 children, crossed over and are being held at the Peristerona Police Station.

Since the beginning of March, 213 gypsies have crossed over, while another 300 turkish-cypriots are living in the free areas.

[11] Cse today

After continuous tumbles in the last weeks, the All Shares Price Index, today closed on 169 units, up by one point nineteen percent.

The volume of trading remained low, reaching a mere five point seven million pounds.

[12] Tailer

So it was with pride that Sicilian pizza-maker Giuseppe Paolini fended off foreign competition at the international pizza-making contest in northern Italy.

Beating 350 contestants from 17 countries, Paolini won the 10th World Pizza Championship, keeping at home the title which last year was clinched by Maurizio Gaccione, a Neapolitan who works in a pizzeria in the north Italian city of Trento.

The competition was divided into several categories: classic pizza, pizza in a baking tray, fastest pizza, largest pizza and, yes, even freestyle pizza acrobatics.

After eating quite well for three days, judges awarded all titles to Italians except for the more adventurous freestyle, which was won by Tony Gemignani from California.

[13] Weather

Winds will be moderate southwesterly, four beaufort, over moderate seas.

Tonight it will be mainly clear, with the possibility of showers in the east and on the mountains.

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

Temperatures will fall to 10 degrees inland, 12 on the coast and 4 on the mountains.

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