Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English, 03-03-12

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

CONTENTS

[01] HEADLINES

[02] SPOKESMAN HAGUE

[03] DENKTASH STATEMENTS

[04] TURKISH PRESS

[05] TC PRESS HAGUE

[06] COE CYPRUS

[07] VILLIERS DENKTASH

[08] IRAQ

[09] EU IRAQ

[10] TURKEY DEMO

[11] TURKEY OCALAN

[12] PIKIS JUDGE

[13] WEATHER WEDNESDAY 12 MARCH 2003

[01] HEADLINES

-- As the Turkish Cypriot and Turkish press vehemently accused Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash for the collapse of The Hague talks, Mr. Denktash claimed the removal of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan from the talks on Cyprus will positively affect the procedure and said he wants to meet Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos.

-- Seeking crucial votes on a divided U.N. Security Council, Britain and the United States suggested Iraq could be given a few more days to prove it had disarmed.

And,

The European Court of Human Rights today criticised Turkey for its handling of the trial of Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan.

[02] SPOKESMAN HAGUE

Referring to what happened in The Hague, Mr. Chrysostomides said President of the Republic said a clear "yes" to Mr. Annan to conduct the referendum and any clarification he had sought was within the framework of the plan.

On the contrary, Mr. Denktash told the Secretary-General he was not ready for the Turkish Cypriot referendum and demanded fundamental changes to the plan.

Mr. Chrysostomides referred to Turkey's stance, noting Turkey denied to sign a committment on the issue claiming it required a consent from the Turkish National Assembly. He also pointed out the big change in Recep Tayyip Erdogan's statements, pointing out that they are now in line with Mr. Denktash's positions and with the demands of the Turkish policy, as he is on his way to becoming premier.

The Spokesman said at this stage, the government is waiting for UN Envoy Alvaro de Soto's report to the UN Security Council, and together with the National Council will promote an international campaign to inform the world public opinion on the Cyprus positions.

It will also advance a policy for issues concerning Turkish Cypriots and complete procedures to sign the Accession Treaty with the European Union.

[03] DENKTASH STATEMENTS

In statements in Constantinople, Mr. Denktash said he will send a letter to Mr. Papadopoulos outlining the changes he wants on the Annan plan, and if the President wishes so, then the two can meet next week.

Mr. Denktash said if the Republic of Cyprus accedes the European Union, then the Turkish Cypriot side will pursue direct contact with the Union.

[04] TURKISH PRESS

Radikal said the Cyprus nightmare has began and adds that everyone has lost in Cyprus, except Rauf Denktash who is rejoicing over the failure of the talks.

The newspaper notes that a miracle is necessary to bring the Greek Cypriot and Turkish sides to a compromise on the Annan plan.

Millyet newspaper talks about the consequences in the relations between Turkey and the European Union, and adds that a non-solution will create an anti-turkish climate in European countries.

[05] TC PRESS HAGUE

"Ordam" condemned Mr. Denktash for turning the Turkish army into an occupation force. "Africa" pointed out the statements by Enlargement Commissioner, Gunter Verheugen's spokesman on the enlargement whereby the European Union considers the Turkish army in Cyprus as an occupation force.

"Yeni Duzen" said Denktash and Dervis Eroglu have once again buried another plan while "Kibrisli" pointed out that Denktash will be responsible for the attacks and damage to Turkey and does not rule out the possibility that the Security Council will issue a new resoluition which will be against Ankara.

[06] COE CYPRUS

Mr. Schwimmer noted, however, that given the fact that the UN plan for a Cyprus settlement was still on the table, it was important to pursue political dialogue ''taking into account both the concerns of the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities.''

[07] VILLIERS DENKTASH

Speaking before the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Mrs. Villiers said the people of Cyprus should have been given the chance to decide for the island's future.

[08] IRAQ

But there were signs of strain between the two allies today after U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld suggested Washington was ready to go it alone with or without British support.

Both countries said Iraq could, at best, expect only the narrowest reprieve as diplomatic manoeuvring at the United Nations entered its final phase.

With more than 250,000 U.S. and British troops ready for war, U.S. officials said Iraqi President Saddam Hussein had "days, not weeks" to prove he had complied with U.N. orders and had given up all weapons of mass destruction.

Demonstrating the military power backing up the ultimatum, the U.S. Air Force tested the most powerful conventional bomb in its arsenal, a nine thousand, four hundred and fifty kg (9,450) killer which sent a huge mushroom cloud into the sky over a Florida weapons range.

[09] EU IRAQ

EU External Relations Commissioner Chris Patten told the European Parliament that launching military action without proper U.N. backing would do enormous damage to the United Nations, NATO and transatlantic relations.

He warned Washington that democracy could not be imposed at the barrel of a gun and said an Iraq war would be likely to fan terrorism, especially if the United States failed to work harder for Israeli-Palestinian peace.

[10] TURKEY DEMO

The vast majority of Turks oppose a war on their neighbour and fellow Muslim country Iraq, but the government is under severe economic and political pressure to grant U.S. requests to allow troops to attack Iraq from Turkey, a NATO ally.

Around 150 Turkish members of a small communist party tried to force their way through the gates of Iskenderun port on the Mediterranean coast.

Ships have been unloading tonnes of U.S. military equipment at Iskenderun for weeks under an interim agreement with the Turkish government allowing the United States to upgrade bases and ports here.

[11] TURKEY OCALAN

The court said the trial was unfair because a military judge was present for some of the hearings and because Abdullah Ocalan was given only restricted access to his lawyers.

The ruling means Turkey should in theory be obliged to try the Kurdish leader again, but it is not binding.

Turkey blames him for 30,000 deaths in a 16-year Kurdish separatist campaign by the Kurdish Workers Party for a Kuridsh homeland in southeast Turkey.

Abdullah Ocalan was given a death sentence by a Turkish court in 1999. The aim of his original appeal was to lift the death sentence, but it was reduced to life imprisonment in October 2002 after Turkey abolished the death penalty last August.

[12] PIKIS JUDGE

Foreign Minister George Iakovou represented the Republic of Cyprus at the Inaugural Ceremony of the ICC at The Hague, accompanied by the Permanent Secretary of the Justice and Public Order Ministry Lazaros Savvides and Cyprus Ambassador to The Hague Evripides Evriviades.

[13] WEATHER

Tonight, the weather will be clear with passing cloud. Winds will be westerly to north-westerly light, three beaufort and the sea moderate in windward areas. Temperatures will fall to six degrees inland, nine on the coasts and one over the mountains where frost will form.

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

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