Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English, 03-05-16

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

CONTENTS

[01] HEADLINES

[02] SPOKESMAN

[03] DENKTASH RECOGNITION

[04] IACOVOU

[05] COX CYPRUS

[06] EREKAT RESIGNS

[07] TERROR ALERT

[08] POWELL GERMANY

[09] SARS

[10] SARS CYPRUS

[11] WEATHER FRIDAY 16 MAY 2003

[01] HEADLINES

-- The Cyprus government rejected a report by Anadolu that the Foreign ministers of Greece and Turkey discussed in Brussels the lifting of sanctions which, according to Anadolu, were imposed in Cyprus.

-- Senior Palestinian negotiator and cabinet member Saeb Erekat has resigned.

And, * Terror alerts spread around the world today with Australia and New Zealand warning their nationals to be on their guard in Southeast Asia, a region still haunted by last year's Bali bombings.

[02] SPOKESMAN

Invited by CNA to comment on yesterday's statements by Turkey's Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul for recognition of the so called realities and the existence of two peoples' on the island, the spokesman said that today's international scene is demanding that Turkey changes its position as soon as possible.

[03] DENKTASH RECOGNITION

In statements, he called on President Tassos Papadopoulos to realistically, as he said, approach the three freedoms, because, if he said, if they are implemented, Cyprus will be led to a situation similar to that before 1974.

He also claimed that in Cyprus it has been proven that there are "two peoples and two states" and that it was the illegal regime which decided to ease the restrictions in the freedom of movement.

Mr. Denktash further claimed that with compensation and exchange of property, the issue will be settled.

[04] IACOVOU

Mr. Iacovou ruled out such a possibility, based on his discussions with his Greek counterpart in the last days.

[05] COX CYPRUS

Asked by CNA in Strasbourg to comment on the expectations of the Cyprus people for a European initiative to solve the Cyprus problem, Mr. Cox said further said that we need to be careful about multiple initiatives respectful of the necessity for the two communities to come together.

[06] EREKAT RESIGNS

A Palestinian official said today Mr. Erekat, 48, a prominent figure in Palestinian national politics since 1996, tendered his resignation to Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas yesterday.

Further details were not immediately available.

Mr. Erekat was one of the top members of the Palestinian cabinet formed last month by Abbas, a reformist who took office in a power-sharing move with President Yasser Arafat ahead of the introduction of a U.S.-led "road map" to Middle East peace.

There was no immediate reaction from Israeli officials.

[07] TERROR ALERT

As Saudi, FBI and CIA agents hunted for the masterminds of this week's suicide bomb attacks in Riyadh, the U.S. State Department said it feared an imminent attack by Islamic militants in another Saudi city, Jeddah.

Lebanon said it had smashed a plot to attack the U.S. embassy in Beirut, while Britain banned flights to Kenya, where past terror attacks have killed hundreds.

In Pakistan, a U.S. ally in the war on terror, nearly two dozen small bombs exploded at Western-branded petrol stations.

Governments around the world believe al Qaeda, the network of Saudi-born Osama bin Laden blamed for the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, and its allies are planning more assaults on Western targets.

The Australian foreign office said Australians should be extremely cautious in Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, the Philippines, East Timor and Brunei.

U.S. sources said a decision to renew a travel warning to Americans visiting Malaysia was not driven by any fresh information of a terrorist threat in the mostly Muslim country.

The Riyadh bombings were the first big attack on U.S. interests since the ousting of Saddam Hussein in Iraq, portrayed by Washington as an integral part of its war on terror.

[08] POWELL GERMANY

Mr. Powell holds talks with Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer today, expected to start mending relations soured by disagreement over the U.S.-led Iraq war as long as Germany supports the United States on post-war Iraq.

The United States is looking for support for a U.N. Security Council resolution that would lift blocks on Iraqi oil exports and Mr.Powell made it clear he hoped for backing from Germany, one of the non-permanent members on the council.

The United States wants the resolution because it would allow it and its allies to start exporting and selling Iraqi oil.

But the proposal, backed by Britain and Spain, has run into opposition from France and Russia, partly because it gives the United States the right to sell Iraqi oil with minimal international supervision.

[09] SARS

The Health Ministry said 28 of the latest cases were in Beijing, marking the second lowest daily toll in the hardest hit place in the world since April 20, when the government admitted it had been covering up the scale of the outbreak.

The low numbers continue a falling trend since the beginning of the month that has health experts cautiously optimistic the flu-like disease may be slowly coming under control.

Today's nationwide figure of 39 also marked the seventh day running that the number has been below 100. China's death toll is now 275 and the number of cases 5,191.

Despite the declining trend in new cases, however, experts say it is too early to state that the spread of the epidemic has stabilised, especially in hard-hit Beijing.

[10] SARS CYPRUS

A hospital spokesman said most probably, the patient has a cold and not the SARs virus, but more tests will be carried out. He said there is no need for panic.

[11] WEATHER

Temperatures will fall 34 C inland, 32 C on the coasts and 24 over the mountains.

Tonight, the weather will be generally clear. Winds will be north-westerly to north-easterly light, two to three beaufort and the sea slight. Temperatures will fall to 16 C inland and on the west coast, 18 C on the south and east cost and to 16 on the mountains.

The fire hazard remains extremely high in all forest areas.

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