Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English, 01-09-03

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

CONTENTS

[01] HEADLINES

[02] desoto monday

[03] ecu patriarch

[04] liopetri

[05] water

[06] mideast

[07] fyrom

[08] tailer beer

[09] weather MONDAY 3 SEPTEMBER 2001

[01] HEADLINES

The Ecumenical Patriarch charges Turkey of violating international agreements;

Incidents between motorcyclists and police break out in a Famagusta-district village;

No water-restrictions are being planned for the near future;

The left-wing Palestinian PFLP organisation sets off four bombs in Jerusalem;

FYROM's parliament was today set to resume debating a Western-backed peace plan following a two-day adjournment;

and...

Researchers discover a 5,000-year-old pub in the Orkneys, even though the ale brewed there may not be to the average beer-drinker's liking!

[02] desoto monday

The Clerides-deSoto meeting was held early this morning and lasted approximately 45 minutes, and in keeping with the news blackout imposed upon the process, no statements were made either before or after.

Following his meeting with the President of the Republic, Mr deSoto crossed over into the occupied areas for a parallel meeting with the Turkish-Cypriot leader, once again with no statements being made.

More contacts are scheduled for tomorrow, while the UN Chief's Special Advisor will hold a lunchtime press conference on his one-week stay on Wednesday, just prior to his leaving the island that same afternoon.

[03] ecu patriarch

Speaking in Constantinople at the inauguration of the Seminary's refurbished church, Patriarch Vartholomeos specifically cited the Treaty of Lausanne and Turkey's constitution, both of which, he said, fully justify a demand for the theological school's resumption of operations.

The Ecumenical Patriarch further noted that Turkye should be particularly careful as regards minority rights in the country, especially now, given her desire to become a member of the European family.

[04] liopetri

Speaking on our Third Radio Channel this morning, Famagusta Police Chief Christos Katsikides described the incidents as "totally unacceptable", given that the policemen were merely acting in the line of duty. Specifically, a 12-member squad on patrol of the area had originally booked four young motorcyclists without anything untoward occuring, and it was only on their return to the central square of the village that they were beset.

Chief Katsikides further mentioned that a number of young motorcyclists in the area are consistently acting in an arbitrary and illegal manner, riding motorcycles with no registration plates and with parts purloined from other vehicles, a practice rampant in the area.

In closing, the Famagusta Police Chief stressed that the force has both the obligation and duty to continue patrolling the area.

[05] water

Speaking at a press conference on the completion of the high-demand summer season, Mr Themistokleous noted that in comparison to last year's 70%, this year saw a 100% coverage of potable water needs islandwide, while an increased coverage was also effected as regards agricultural needs.

In relation to the quality of the water supplied for human consumption, Mr Themistokleous gave the assurance that there is absolutely no problem and that checks and controls are being held on a frequent and regular basis.

[06] mideast

Responsibility for the explosions was claimed by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, whose leader was assassinated in a missile strike by Israel last week.

Three of the bombs went off in Jerusalem's French Hill area, parts of which were occupied by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war. One exploded in a car, injuring two passersby, another exploded near an apartment building and a third under a truck. The fourth bomb exploded under a truck in the settlement of Gilo, injuring three people.

In other violence, two Israelis were wounded in separate shooting incidents near the West Bank city of Hebron.

On the political front meanwhile, Foreign Minister Peres said in a radio interview that he might still meet Arafat on the sidelines of a three-day business conference in Italy on Friday, in efforts to arrange a ceasefire after nearly a year of violence.

European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana is also due to meet Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian President Arafat separately to try to pave the way for the truce talks.

[07] fyrom

The debate was suspended for two days by parliament's nationalist speaker Stojan Andov, who alleged that ethnic Albanian guerrillas were harassing civilians, and asked for guarantees that all displaced Slavs would be able to return home quickly and under safe conditions.

As regards NATO's Operation Essential Harvest, aimed at collecting weapons from the ethnic Albanians, last week's first phase saw the guerrillas handing in more than 1,200 weapons from their declared arsenal of 3,300. At the same time however, rebel commanders made clear that they would surrender nothing more until parliament pushes ahead with the reforms.

[08] tailer beer

Merryn Dineley, a Manchester University historian and chief brewer of the ancient liquor according to the residues found, said that the research team made the discovery after examining stone-lined drains running under houses in the neolithic village of Skara Brae and finding evidence of a kiln for malting grain, as well as traces of a cereal-based fermented alcohol. Dinely was also quoted by yesterday's "Observer" as saying that the ale, prepared in clay pots containing traces of baked animal droppings, was "quite delicious".

Given the brew's "interesting" ingredients however, we'd understand even the keenest beer-drinker hesitating before sampling the appropriately-dubbed "Stone Age" beer which, incidentally, is already on sale in the Orkneys!

[09] weather

Generally fair conditions are also forecast for this evening, even though mist and low cloud is expected to form in areas by the early hours of tomorrow morning. Winds will be light to moderate west to northwesterlies, 3BF, on correspondingly slight to moderate seas, while temperatures will drop to 20C inland, 21C in coastal regions, and 18C on the higher reaches of the Troodos mountains.

The fire hazard is extremely high in all forest areas.

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