Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English, 03-07-14

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

CONTENTS

[01] HEADLINES

[02] CHRISTOFIAS RATIFY EU

[03] NATIONAL COUNCIL

[04] IRAQ MIDEAST

[05] INDONESIA BOMB

[06] USA ANNAN

[07] MIDEAST SHARON LON

[08] CHINA BARON

[09] SALES BEGIN

[10] WEATHER Monday 14/07/2003

[01] HEADLINES

--The National Council will convene this afternoon to deal with the latest letter by Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash calling for the reopening of the Nicosia Airport based on the Confidence Building Measures prepared by the UN in 1994.

--Attackers fired rocket- propelled grenades and machine guns at U.S. soldiers in Baghdad today, killing one and wounding six.

--A bomb exploded at Indonesia's parliament today, causing minor damage in an attack that came just days after police captured a group of suspected Islamic militants and seized a huge quantity of explosives. And --As the United States moved toward a decision on whether to send troops to Liberia, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan and President George W. Bush discuss today conflicts in Africa and prospects for peace in the Middle East.

[02] CHRISTOFIAS RATIFY EU

Proclaiming the opening of the historic session, House President Demetris Christofias expressed gratitude for all who worked hard and contributed to the success of the island's accession, and paid tribute to the governments of Cyprus and Greece, their parliaments and people of Cyprus.

He also said there is still time to implemenet the primary goal which is the accession of a united Cyprus, as long as Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot leadership take the message of the times and respond to the challenge of peace.

He also said the island's accession course has already put pressure for a solution to the Cyprus problem since the accession prospect has contributed in the uprise of Turkish Cypriots who now doubt Denktash's policy.

[03] NATIONAL COUNCIL

The measures had then referred to the return of the fenced area of Famagusta, for which Mr. Denktash is making no reference in his letter to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan last week.

The government and political parties have already expressed their opposition to the return of the CBMs, noting that this latest move by Denktash is to gain recognition of his illegal regime.

[04] IRAQ MIDEAST

The attack came the day after the launch of an Iraqi Governing Council of local leaders which the United States hopes will reduce resentment towards its occupation.

U.S. forces have been attacked frequently in postwar Iraq. Officers are braced for a surge this week to coincide with several anniversaries linked to ousted Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and his Baath Party.

A convoy of military vehicles was attacked in the central al-Mansour area of Baghdad. Casualties were taken to a military hospital.

Witnesses said one vehicle was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade and another by machinegun fire.

Dozens of U.S. troops searched the area as helicopters hovered above. Soldiers searching an abandoned house in the area found a light machinegun probably used in the attack.

Thirty-two U.S. soldiers have been killed in Iraq since President George W. Bush declared major combat over on May 1.

Iraqis cooperating with the occupiers who toppled Saddam on April 9 have also been killed and wounded in attacks.

Yestereday, a bomb killed one Iraqi near a police station and a local policeman was killed when his patrol was fired on as it tried to help U.S. forces attacked at a checkpoint.

U.S. forces largely blame die-hard Saddam loyalists for the attacks, but many ordinary Iraqis have expressed frustration at what they say has been the slow pace of returning government to Iraqis and rebuilding the country.

[05] INDONESIA BOMB

The attack comes a week after parliament passed a bill paving the way for the country's first direct presidential election in 2004. Security analysts said today they feared a growing threat from political assassinations in the run-up to the poll.

The blast, in a building that is the symbolic heart of Indonesia's democracy, was the latest blow to a country grappling with Islamic militancy and separatist rebellion.

The bomb, which blasted concrete and nails over a wide area, was clearly capable of causing carnage. But parliament is in recess and police said no one was hurt.

[06] USA ANNAN

The secretary-general spends a day of talks with U.S. officials and congressional leaders at a time when Mr. Bush is set to receive reports from military teams sent to Liberia to assess what role the United States should play in the turbulent West African nation.

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said during a trip to Africa, where Mr. Bush last week was visiting five nations and Annan attended an African Union summit in Maputo, Mozambique that he had talked to the UN chief daily over the past week.

In addition to Liberia, the agenda for Mr. Annan's talks in the White House and in Congress includes the Congo conflict, Middle East peace prospects, post-war Iraq and Afghanistan, AIDS, and a U.N. quest for a 1 billion dollar loan to renovate its crumbling New York headquarters.

Mr. Bush has been insisting Liberian President Charles Taylor accept an offer of exile in Nigeria, thereby paving the way to end a civil war, which in the last decade has devastated neighboring Sierra Leone and spilled over to Guinea and the Ivory Coast.

A June 17 cease-fire between rebels and forces loyal to Taylor has been continually violated.

[07] MIDEAST SHARON LON

Mr. Sharon is visiting Britain and Norway this week to highlight new peacemaking credentials after he and Mr. Abbas affirmed an internationally-backed Middle East peace "road map" at a June 4 summit in Jordan attended by U.S. President George W. Bush.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair will host a private dinner for Mr. Sharon today, their first meeting in 13 months and a sign, Israel says, that a series of spats about peacemaking -- now overtaken by the road map -- are over.

Before seeing Mr. Blair, Mr. Sharon will meet British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw.

[08] CHINA BARON

According to his lawyer, Mr. Bin was sentenced to 18 years after being convicted on all counts.

[09] SALES BEGIN

The earlier date was set after shopkpeerers announced sales days ago, prompting the Shopkeepers' Association to make protests and take action against those who defied the law.

The sale season ends on August 31.

[10] WEATHER

The sea will be slight to rough in windward coastal areas. Temperatures will reach 38 C inland, 32 on the south coast, 30 C on the west and 29 over the mountains.

Tonight the weather will be clear but thin mist and low cloud will form locally. Winds will be south-westerly to north-westerly light, three beaufoprt and the sea slight to moderate on the south and east coast.

Temperatures will fall to 21 C inland and on the coasts and to 18 over the mountains. The fire hazard is extremely high in all forest areas.

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