Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English, 03-02-14

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

CONTENTS

[01] HEADLINES

[02] ANNAN

[03] CLERIDES ANNAN

[04] MARKIDES ANNAN

[05] KOUTSOU ANNAN

[06] EU DONORS CONFERENCE

[07] IRAQ

[08] IRAQ AUSTRALIA

[09] ARAFAT

[10] BRITAIN TERRORISM

[11] POLICE ROADS

[12] WEATHER FRIDAY 14 FEBRUARY 2003

[01] HEADLINES

-- Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides announced last night that UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan will be in Cyprus from 26-28 February, after being informed by UN Secretary-General's Special Adviser, Alvaro de Soto.

-- The European Union supports the UN proposal for an International Donors' Conference to be held soon after the signing of a political agreement and the reunification of Cyprus.

-- Top U.N. arms inspectors are likely to tell the Security Council today that Iraq has not fully cooperated with disarmament demands but refrain from saying it has failed to comply as the United States wants. And, --Palestinian President Yasser Arafat said today he had decided to appoint a prime minister at the urging of international peace brokers

[02] ANNAN

UN Spokesman, Fred Eckhard in a statement told reporters that Annan's Special Adviser on Cyprus, Alvaro de Soto, telephoned President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash and informed them about Mr. Annan's intention to visit Cyprus at the end of February, after his visits to Ankara and Athens.

He said the SG's trip to the region would be with the view to bringing the search for a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem to a decisive conclusion, by the 28th of February, as foreseen in his revised proposal at the end of December.

Mr. Eckhard also said the UN Secretary-General will visit Ankara on 24 February and Athens on 25 February.

According to CNA sources Mr. Annan will be in Cyprus from 26-28 February.

[03] CLERIDES ANNAN

Speaking in Nicosia, President Clerides said that Mr. Annan's visit to Cyprus would be preceded by the Secretary-General's visits to Ankara on 24 February, and Athens on 25 February.

President Clerides stressed that Kofi Annan is not visiting Cyprus for holidays but to negotiate a solution. He pointed out that despite the dramatic developments in Iraq, Mr. Annan considers the Cyprus problem just as important.

Presidential candidate Tassos Papadopoulos said that in the event he is elected President he would be ready to meet the Secretary-General and negotiate within the framework of the decisions of the National Council.

[04] MARKIDES ANNAN

Speaking during a visit to the Police headquarters, Mr. Markides said the visit is a last effort to implement the UN Security Council decision and the EU's wish to find a solution by the end of February.

He also said it is evident that a second revised plan would have the form of a "take it or leave it" and it would not be to our advantage.

[05] KOUTSOU ANNAN

In statements to CyBC, Mr. Koutsou said that the first choice will be to solve the Cyprus problem based on the Annan plan which will commit us for decades, recycle the past while the second choice is to solve the Cyprus problem through our accession to the European Union as the Republic of Cyprus, incorporating the acquis communautaire and the european principles, and by integrating Turkish Cypriots in a united Cyprus, without settlers or army.

He welcomed Kofi Annan's visit to the island, and called on voters to give him the power to meet the Secretary-General and put before him his views.

[06] EU DONORS CONFERENCE

In a Declaration by the Greek Presidency on behalf of the European Union regarding a Donors's Conference for Cyprus it is also noted that ''the European Commission has already announced its readiness to organise the conference in question, after the signature of the Political Agreement''.

It underlines that ''the European Union has noted that the issue of the substantial economic funds required for the implementation of the comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem, on the basis of the UN Secretary General's proposals and the deadlines for agreement making part of that plan, is of great significance to all Cypriots, thus deserving strong political and material support from the international community.''

[07] IRAQ

The language used by chief inspector Hans Blix and his colleague in charge of nuclear arms, Mohamed ElBaradei, will be key in determining if wavering council members call for more inspections or back U.S.-British plans for possible war.

Mr. ElBaradei told Reuters he believed inspections should continue for a few more months providing Iraq cooperates. Mr. Blix, responsible for Iraq's chemical, biological and missile programs, has refrained from giving any time estimate.

[08] IRAQ AUSTRALIA

Organisers expect millions to turn out around the world in the next two days in one of the biggest anti-war protests ever, with rallies planned in over 600 towns and cities.

Today's protest in Melbourne came as the world waited for a crucial report on Iraq by weapons inspectors to the United Nations amid deepening rifts within the U.N., NATO and the European Union.

The anti-war rally was the biggest in Australia's second-largest city since the Vietnam protests of the 1960s.

Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets at dusk.

London is expecting at least 500,000 marchers tomorrow in what the organisers say will be a major blow to Prime Minister Tony Blair -- Mr. Bush's strongest supporter in his campaign to force Iraqi disarmament.

Organisers in Rome are also expecting more than 500,000 people to march through the city and a series of demonstrations are planned in Russia for tomorrow.

Organisers of a peace march in San Francisco say they expect more than 100,000 to converge on the city on Sunday.

Even in traditionally neutral Switzerland a series of protests are planned under the slogan "No to war in Iraq -- No blood for oil!"

[09] ARAFAT

Mr. Arafat did not disclose whom he would name to the post or when the appointment would be made.

Mr Arafat said he would convene the Palestinian legislature and central council "to get their consent to take the necessary steps" to name a prime minister. He did not say when the two institutions would meet.

[10] BRITAIN TERRORISM

Police said the quartet were arrested west of London directly under the flight path into Heathrow airport. They are being held under the country's anti-terrorism legislation.

Britain's busiest airport has been ringed by police and troops for the past four days amid intelligence-led fears that al Qaeda extremists may target London and Washington.

Seven people have now been arrested in England since the security crackdown began.

A Venezuelan man was arrested yesterday after flying into London's Gatwick airport with a live grenade in his luggage. His arrest sparked travel chaos at Britain's second busiest airport.

[11] POLICE ROADS

Thick fog has covered the Troodos areas and drivers are advised to be careful.

[12] WEATHER

Temperatures will reach 13 C inland and on the east coast, 15 C on the south and west and three over the mountains.

Tonight, the weather will be clear but local cloud will develop. Winds will be westerly moderate, three to four beaufort and the sea rough. Temperatures will fall to four degrees inland, seven on the east coast, nine over the south and west and minus one over the mountains.

The depth of snow on Mt. Olympus is 40 cm and 30 on Troodos Square.

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