[02] DE SOTO ANKARA

Alvaro de Soto was in Ankara for talks with Turkish officials aimed at pushing ahead the peace process on Cyprus.

Peace talks have made little progress since starting in January and crunch time is rapidly approaching as the European Union is due to announce at a summit in Copenhagen in December that Cyprus can join the bloc as soon as 2004.

Mr. De Soto said he believes it is possible to reach a solution before then declining to comment on whether it would still be possible to solve the problem after the Copenhagen summit on December 12-13.

He said "let's concentrate on before Copenhagen," adding that there's an opportunity there "so we hope that it will be seized." Mr De Soto was said to have travelled to Ankara because of the delay in the appointment of the representatives of the Turkish Cypriot side in the technical committees, agreed earlier this month in New York. He returns to Cyprus tomorrow via Athens.

[03] MARKIDES CYPRUS

Mr Markides said only then we will know whether the problem will have been solved or it will remain pending, waiting for the result of some other effort which will begin after the island becomes a full member of the European Union.

He also expressed the view that the UN will submit a plan for a solution to the Cyprus problem within the next weeks.

[04] FINNISH FM CHRISTOFIAS

He was also received by President of the House of Representatives, Demetris Christofias who said we must be ready for a Cyprus settlement before December 12.

He also expressed disappointment over the intransigent position of the Turkish side, and thanked Finland for supporting Cyprus' accession to the EU.

On his part, the Finnish Minister expressed hope that soon there will be a solution to the Cyprus problem. He also pointed out that a solution is not a pre-requisite for Cyprus' accession .

[05] IRAQ REFERENDUM

Official results showed today President Hussein, may God preserve him and look after him, has won 100 percent of the votes of eligible voters," said

President Saddam Hussein's top deputy Izzat Ibrahim, reading official results at a news conference in Baghdad. said all Iraqis eligible to vote had done so and every single one of them answered "Yes" for another seven-year term for Saddam, who has ruled for 23 years.

He added, the result is real, whether some like it or not.

The authorities had urged voters to turn out in force to show massive support for Saddam in the face of U.S. threats of military action and President George W. Bush's declared desire to remove him from power.

[06] IRAQ TURKEY

Mr Ecevit, almost certain to be voted from office at polls in less than three weeks, said the United States was a close ally, but Iraq was also a friend and neighbour. Alluding to frictions with Washington, he said Turkey was protecting its rights.

He said Turkey is telling the US that it cannot cannot agree to all that the US wants.

Mr. Ecevit has said repeatedly he opposes a U.S. attack on southern neighbour Iraq that many fear could shake the country's economy and spread turmoil across Iraq's frontiers into Turkey. The ultimate Turkish decision, whatever government emerges from November 3 polls, may however lie with the powerful generals.

[07] DUTCH CRISIS

The cabinet was due to resume a crisis meeting that began yesterday, in a last-ditch bid to save a three-way centre-right coalition. Collapse would make this the shortest-lived Dutch government since World War Two.

The key issue is a rift between two ministers of the Pim Fortuyn List, (LPF), the novice populist party founded by murdered maverick Fortuyn which took second place in May elections behind the conservative Christian Democrats (CDA).

[08] DISY DECISION

According to the decision, the Omirou candidacy responds to the needs of the times and the expectations of the society which wants the new president to express modern perceptions with a european perspective, to be honest and competent, to propmote changes and be ready to work with the people and political forces.

Only one person, Eleni Vrahimi, voted against the decision, while Christos Rotsas abstained from voting.

[09] SPANISH JOURNALISTS

Even "Kibrisli" nationalist newspaper wrote about the incident with the headline "Resign", noting it will affect the illegal regime since there has been international reaction.

The Spanish journalists, who are attending the seminar entitled "Spain and Cyprus: facing the challenge of an enlarged EU", taking place with the support of the Cyprus Press and Information Office, the European Commission delegation to Cyprus and the Union of Cyprus Journalists, crossed to the occupied areas on Monday to meet "non-governmental" organisations and Turkish Cypriot journalists.

"El Pais" Chief Editor, Xavier Vidal Folch said as they were meeting their T/C colleagues they were told to leave, "abandon the territory, either voluntary or we would be thrown out with the use of force".

The leader of the Communal Liberation Party, Hussein Angolemli said the incident "is another black page in the history of the Turkish Cypriots and shows that there is not a single sign of respect for human rights" in the occupied north.

"Kibrisli" writes that while the Spanish journalists were meeting their Turkish Cypriot counterparts, the latter were saying there is freedom of press in the north. At that moment, the so called "policemen" entered the meeting and ordered the journalists to leave.

[10] LYKOURGOS KLERIDES

In statements to CyBC's third radio Channel, the president of the Commission, Marios Klerides said the decision to suspend their trading is only for one day because the group's managing director, Lykourgos Kyprianou, arrested yesterday, was due to appear before court today.

He was arrested in connection with a case currently under investigation and involving conspiracy to procure funds, through false pretences.

The Cyprus Shares and Capital Commission is also looking into seven possible infringements of legislation by Mr. Kyprianou.

[11] WEATHER

Winds will be mainly north-westerly to north-easterly light, three beaufort and the sea slight. Temperatures will rise to 27 C inland and on the coast and 17 C on the mountains.

Tonight will be mainly clear. Winds will be north-westerly to north-easterly light, two to three beaufort and the sea slight. Temperatures will fall to 15 C inland, 17 C on the coasts and 10 on the mountains.

The fire hazard remains extremely high in all forest areas.

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