Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English, 03-01-10

Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

CONTENTS

[01] Headlines

[02] Markides

[03] Anastasiades

[04] Denktash

[05] Denktash2

[06] Christofias

[07] North Korea

[08] Iraq

[09] Greece

[10] weather FRIDAY 10 JANUARY 2003

[01] Headlines

Disy party cadres will only vote on Glafcos Clerides candidacy in a crucial meeting tomorrow,

Rauf Denktash's support has sunk to its lowest-ever levels,

The government spokesman accused House speaker Demetris Christofias of spilling the beans over confidential discussions at last month's EU summit,

North Korea has withdrawn from the global treaty to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons,

AND Javier Solana said war on Iraq would be hard to justify without proof of clandestine weapons programmes.

[02] Markides

Mr. Markides made the remark after briefing President Clerides on progress made thus far by the technical committees tasked with forging the legal structure of a future reunified Cyprus.

Mr. Markides dismissed the possibility that he would drop out of the presidential race even after the arrival to the island of UN Cyprus envoy Alvaro de Soto.

He said he will not back down because in the event a settlement is reached, a transitional period of at least two-and-a-half years would be needed.

Mr. Markides said that even though he has little time to hit the campaign trail, he would prefer to take part in televised debate with rival candidates.

[03] Anastasiades

Disy's political office has already thrown its support behind Glafcos Clerides' candidacy after overwhelmingly voting in favour of his re-election bid last week.

Mr. Anastasiades said the party's constitution clearly states that senior members have no right to make any other motion and will be asked only to approve or reject Glafcos Clerides' candidacy.

The Disy leader hinted that party members could make another motion to support Alecos Markides' run at the presidency if Glafcos Clerides' candicacy is rejected.

He added that tomorrow's crucial meeting will be open to reporters and that party members will be free to express their views and opinions.

But he noted that once a collective decision is taken, members must respect the decision of the party apparatus.

Voting will be carried out by a show of hands, as per Disy's constitution.

[04] Denktash

A poll commissioned by the largest-circulation Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris shows that only 27 percent of respondents approve of Rauf Denktash.

Daily Yeni Duzen reported that in a November, 1997 poll, support for Denktash hovered around 76 percent, while that number dropped by two thirds in this month's poll.

[05] Denktash2

In a reply letter to Kibris which yesterday had called on the Turkish Cypriot leader to reach a settlement by the February 28 target date, Rauf Denktash said any positive elements contained in the UN blueprint are owed to his long struggles.

He also questioned why a delegation of his detractors didn't opt to pay him a personal visit to ask for his resignation instead of protesting outside his home yesterday.

Mr. Dentkash will meet for the fourth time with Turkish Cypriot party leaders, minus Communal Liberation party President Hussein Angolemli to discuss the latest developments on the Cyprus issue.

Mr. Angolemli again called on Mr. Denktash to either adopt the views of the majority, or to tender his resignation.

The Patriotic Unity Movement, through its mouthpiece, Yeni Chag, also urged Mr. Denktash to sign the Annan plan or get out of the way.

The party also called on Turkish Cypriots to take part in a rally scheduled for January 14.

[06] Christofias

Prompted by an interview Mr. Christofias granted last night to a private television station, Mr. Papapetrou said that the Cyprus issue has once again been sacrificed at the altar of party politics.

Mr. Christofias revealed that in the first days of the EU summit, the government spokesman had argued that the Greek Cypriot side should seriously consider signing the Annan plan if the Turkish Cypriot side did so.

Mr. Christofias also said that the government spokesman had claimed he had advised President Clerides to do as he wished and that he would not say either yes or no.

Striking back, Mr. Papapetrou hinted that the House Speaker had earlier instisted that the Greek Cypriot side not enter into negotiations.

The government spokesman added that Mr. Christofias stance explains why Akel backs Diko leader Tassos Papadopoulos on the mistaken impression that there would be no progress on the Cyprus issue.

[07] North Korea

The announcement by the reclusive communist state sparked alarm and condemnation worldwide, but Pyongyang said it had no intention of developing nuclear weapons and offered Washington a way out of the standoff.

South Korea, technically still at war with the North, said the withdrawal was "a serious threat to peace" and urged Pyongyang to reverse the decision.

U.S. Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security John Bolton said it came as no surprise.

However, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, visiting Russia, demanded that North Korea reverse its decision. Moscow, one of North Korea's few remaining friends, also voiced alarm.

Australia said it would send a delegation to Pyongyang next week. France said the U.N. Security Council should take a view.

[08] Iraq

Mr. Solana was quoted in the French newspaper Le Monde that the legitimacy of a war against Iraq will be determined by the UN Security Council.

He added that he would find it "very difficult to act" if UN arms inspectors find no definite proof that Iraq is harbouring weapons of mass destruction.

His comments come as U.N. arms officials told the U.N. Security Council yesterday that Iraq's arms declaration submitted a month ago left open many questions but said they had uncovered no "smoking guns" pointing to such programmes.

Inspectors Hans Blix and Mohamed ElBaradei told the U.N. Security Council Iraq had "failed to answer a great many questions" in its 12,000-page declaration submitted a month ago.

But the inability of the inspectors to obtain concrete evidence of new weapons activities is seen complicating Washington's drive to convince sceptical international opinion of the need to overthrow Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

[09] Greece

Also on the Greek Presidency's priority list are combatting economic stagnancy, the issue of illegal migrants washing up on European shores, and dealing with the possible war against Iraq.

European Commission President Romano Prodi met this morning with Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis and Greek President Costis Stephanopoulos.

[10] weather

Temperatures will reach 19 degrees inland, 20 on the coasts and 15 in the highest mountains.

Fog patches are expected tonight, with light, northwesterly to northeasterly winds, force 2 to 3 and with slight seas.

Temperatures will drop to 8 degrees inland, 11 on the coasts and 5 in the highest mountains.

More fine conditions are forecast for tomorrow, while Sunday will see some cloudy periods.

Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article