Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English, 03-08-29

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

CONTENTS

[01] Headlines

[02] Phones

[03] Disy1

[04] Markides

[05] Chrysostomides

[06] Denktash

[07] Blair

[08] Mideast

[09] North Korea

[10] Rizokarpaso

[11] Diaspora

[12] weather FRIDAY 29/08/03

[01] Headlines

Making local calls from landline to mobile phones will cost you more as of this Monday,

The Disy chief said his party's proposed bill making dealings with the occupation regime illegal is designed to avert "unpleasant" developments,

A new poll shows that less than a quarter of Britons now trust Tony Blair,

And Palestinian gunmen killed a Jewish settler this morning, hours after Israel killed a senior Hamas militant.

[02] Phones

Cyprus Telecommunications Authority Spokesman Paris Menelaou said rates will go up from 1.8 cents per minute to 2.2 cents.

The good news is that rates on international landline calls to 21 countries will mark a decrease by up to 65 percent with the exception of Greece, Britain and Germany where rates will remain the same.

Meanwhile, rates on calls to mobile phones in 21 countries - including Greece, Britain Germany and Russia will - decrease by up to 68 percent.

On the down side, the same rates on calls to mobiles in all other countries will jump by as much as 40 percent.

Mr. Menelaou said the rate changes don't need Parliamentary approval because they concern services.

He added that local call rates are the lowest in all of Europe.

[03] Disy1

Speaking on CyBC radio, Mr. Anastasiades said the bill's primary goal is to protect the common good and to counter Rauf Denktash's actions who is trying to scupper UN-lead peace efforts.

Mr. Anastasiades said although the Republic's constitution does contain provisions regarding the issue, the criminal code does not.

The Disy chief said society can't be a passive observer to development and must take pro-active action.

[04] Markides

Also speaking on CyBC radio, Mr. Markides said he expressed his reservations to the Disy chief who remained unconvinced and will push ahead with tabling the bill to Parliament for a September 18 vote.

However, Mr. Markides disagreed with government-coalition parties which argued that the Constitution provides the legal tools to take action against those who have dealings with the occupation regime.

Mr. Markides insisted that the possible passing of the bill would be a bad move, since Turkey is already gaining ground in Strasbourg.

He suggested instead a diplomatic offensive abroad to demonstrate that Rauf Denktash's actions aim to torpedo the Annan Plan.

[05] Chrysostomides

This, from Government Spokesman Kypros Chrysostomides who said the Greek Cypriot side's positions are clear and what's needed for progress to be made is a shift in Ankara's policy line.

Noting that Rauf Denktash's influence in Ankara is well known, Mr. Chrysostomides said its possible for a Turkish shift on Cyprus if the Turkish Cypriot opposition wins the elections.

Mr. Chrysostomides attributed Rauf Denktash's claims that the government wants to keep the Turkish Cypriot community a minority to nerves the Turkish Cypriot leader is having over recent polls which show his government's support to be dwindling.

[06] Denktash

A new opinion poll conducted on behalf of the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce shows that almost two thirds of Turkish Cypriots consider the Denktash regime a failure.

As many Turkish Cypriots believe December's so-called parliamentary elections in the north are of vital importance for their future.

A full three quarters of respondents said the Cyprus issue must be solved before Cyprus formally joins the European Union on May first of next year.

66-percent said that they approve of the UN settlement blueprint.

The poll was carried out between August 13 to the 23rd using a sample of 893 people.

[07] Blair

Just 22 per cent of those polled by the Daily Telegraph said the government had been honest and trustworthy. The same poll showed opposition Conservatives two points ahead of Labour.

In the British media, Mr. Blair was given top marks for a polished performance at a judicial inquiry into Dr. Kelly's suicide, but The Independent said it "left many contradictions and questions unanswered".

Those doubts were echoed in the United States.

The New York Times, reflecting on how Blair's government used intelligence material to justify the war, said he was "spirited but unconvincing."

While no smoking gun has emerged to support the claim by a BBC reporter that the government "sexed up" a dossier justifying the case for a war most Britons opposed, the inquiry has exposed the workings of Mr. Blair's inner circle in unprecedented fashion.

[08] Mideast

The attack occurred near the Jewish settlement of Shvut Rachel, east of the Palestinian city of Ramallah.

The army, confirming the casualties, called the ambush a "terrorist shooting", which it said caused the vehicle to overturn.

The attack came hours after Israel killed a senior Hamas militant with a helicopter missile strike on a donkey cart he was riding.

The killing was in responce to a Hamas rocket fired at the Israeli city of Ashkelon for the first time.

Israel suggested the attack crossed a "red line" threshold for escalating an offensive against Palestinian militant groups who called off a truce last week.

[09] North Korea

Frustrations had bubbled to the surface during the three days of meetings at a secluded state guesthouse in Beijing amid signs the world's most reclusive communist state had told its U.S. foes it would prove its nuclear credentials by carrying out a test.

The only concrete result came when host China said all six countries -- the two Koreas, Japan, Russia, the United States and China -- were in agreement to work towards a Korean peninsula free of nuclear arms and would meet again within two months.

It set no place or date and predicted future talks to end a nuclear standoff that erupted 10 months ago would not be easy.

Underscoring the urgency of the standoff, head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog Mohamed ElBaradei said North Korea had been guilty of nuclear "blackmail" and could not be trusted.

[10] Rizokarpaso

In a letter, Mr. Anastasiades asks the Party to raise the issue with European Union officials and to support the right of children to free and unfettered access to education.

Mr. Anastasiades also condemns Rauf Denktash's stance which aptly demonstrates once again his regime's continued violation of human rights.

[11] Diaspora

Officials told a news conference that greater efforts must be made to solve the Cyprus issue and bring the two communities closer together.

PSEKA leader Philip Christopher and POMAK President Haris Sophoclides pledged that they will continue to promote the Cyprus cause in their adoptive countries.

They also stressed the need for the withdrawal of Turkish occupation troops from the island and for the repatriation of illegal Turkish settlers so that both communities can live in their common homeland in peace.

[12] weather

Moderate sea breezes, force 4 to 5, with slight to moderate seas.

Temperatures will reach 36 degrees inland, 32 on the coasts and 29 in the highest mountains.

More fine conditions tonight with the chance of fog and low cloud developing in coastal areas.

Westerly to northwesterly winds, force 2 to 3 with calm to slight seas.

Temperatures will drop to 21 degrees inland and the coasts and 19 in the mountains.

A reminder that the fire hazard is extremely high in all forest areas.

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