Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English, 04-04-21

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

CONTENTS

[01] HEADLINES

[02] VERHEUGEN

[03] EUROPE

[04] AHERN CYPRUS

[05] GREY WOLVES

[06] IRAQ

[07] MIDEAST

[08] ISRAEL

[09] WEATHER WEDNESDAY 21 APRIL 2004

[01] HEADLINES

-- The European Parliament in Strasbourg will vote on a resolution calling on the people to seize the historic opportunity and reunite the island in a peaceful manner.

-- The extremist organisation Grey Wolves is spreading terror among Turkish Cypriots in the occupied north,

And

--The death toll rose to 68 in suicide car bombings at four police stations in and near Iraq's southern port city of Basra today.

[02] VERHEUGEN

He also said that personally, he feels that he has been cheated by the government of the Republic of Cyprus.

Mr. Verheugen said that for months on end he had done everything he could in good faith to make it possible for the Greek Cypriot side to accept this plan on the understanding that this is what they intended to do. Now things look very different.

"The very least we can expect is a fair and balanced information campaign about the objectives and contents of this plan," Mr. Verheugen added.

Speaking before the European Parliament in Strasbourg, he referred to the rejection of the Annan Plan by President Papadopoulos and called on him to be consistent to his promise that the Greek Cypriot side will not avert a settlement.

He also called on President Papadopoulos to guarantee the fundamental freedom of the mass media and free expression of will because it is important for everyone to have accesses to the Cypriot press to present the facts behind the Annan Plan.

Mr. Verheugen also said that whoever says no to the Anann Plan will make sure that 30 thousand Turkish troops will remain on the island for ever and the doors will open for another one hundred thousand settlers.

[03] EUROPE

During a plenary session there will be voting on the draft resolution prepared by Euro MP Jacques Poos which calls on the people of Cyprus to seize the historic opportunity and reunite the island in a peaceful manner.

European Parliament President Pat Cox, in his opening remarks before the Parliament expressed concern that the presentation of the Annan Plan to the people of Cyprus was not balanced.

He talked about the mass media preventing Enlargement Commissioner Gunter Verheugen from presenting his views.

Mr. Cox is expected to give a press conference later today.

[04] AHERN CYPRUS

At the same time, he noted that the overwhelming majority of political leaders across Europe held the view that the proposed settlement was good for both communities and for the EU.

In a written statement, he talked about a unique and historic opportunity to settle the Cyprus problem and that the people of Cyprus is aware of the European Council's strong preference to the accession of a united Cyprus in the EU as of 1st of May, noting that the EU will be ready to accomodate the terms of a settlement.

[05] GREY WOLVES

According to the Turkish Cypriot press, yesterday around 30 members of the organisation attacked five Turkish Cypriots who favour a settlement.

So called Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat called on the Turkish Cypriots to show political maturity because the world's attention is turned on the Turkish Cypriots and any undesirable situation will harm the community and Turkey.

[06] IRAQ

The city's mayor, Wael Abdel-Hafeez told reporters most of the dead were civilians, including many children. He said 99 people were wounded.

The near-simultaneous explosions hit three police stations in Basra and one in the town of Zubair, 25 km south of the mainly Shi'ite city.

The morning rush hour explosions sowed panic across Basra, which had been relatively peaceful during this month's surge of violence in other parts of central and southern Iraq.

Iraq's Coalition Provisional Authority, which in Basra is British-led, vowed to pursue those behind "these despicable attacks".

Fresh fighting violated a fragile truce in the flashpoint city of Falluja, west of Baghdad, just hours after U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said the ceasefire in the battered city of 300,000 people would not continue indefinitely.

Residents said six civilians were killed and 10 wounded in fighting between Marines and guerrillas that erupted early this morning and lasted about four hours.

Meanwhile, the Dominican Republic became the third nation this week to announce plans to withdraw its troops from Iraq. It said it would bring its 300 troops home as soon as possible.

Honduras said its 370 soldiers would return from Iraq within two months. Spain said on Monday it had begun the process of withdrawing its 1,400-strong contingent.

U.S. President George W. Bush, seeking re-election in November with Iraq high on the campaign agenda, said U.S.-led forces in the country remained strong despite the withdrawals.

[07] MIDEAST

The boom came hours after Israeli troops killed five Palestinians in a raid in the northern sector of the seaside strip. Israeli war planes flying over Gaza City caused the sonic boom.

Israel assassinated Hamas leader Abdel-Aziz al-Rantissi in a helicopter missile strike on Sunday as part of a stepped up campaign against Palestinian militants ahead of a planned withdrawal from the Gaza Strip next year.

[08] ISRAEL

Waving and flashing V-for-victory signs Mr. Vanunu stood defiantly before a bank of television cameras and proclaimed that he is proud and happy to do what he did.

The 49-year-old former nuclear technician was greeted by throngs of cheering supporters who hailed him as a "peace hero" while a similar number of counter-demonstrators branded him a traitor.

Mr. Vanunu said he had suffered "cruel and barbaric treatment" at the hands of Israel's security services but insisted he had no more state secrets to divulge.

Fearing Vanunu could reveal more classified information, the government put him under close police surveillance and slapped restrictions on his movements, including a one-year ban on travel abroad.

The Israeli leaked pictures and details of the top-secret Dimona nuclear reactor where he had worked to Britain's Sunday Times newspaper in 1986, leading independent experts to conclude that Israel had amassed from 100 to 200 nuclear warheads.

[09] WEATHER

Temperatures will be 20 C inland and on the west coast, 22 on the south and east and 12 over the mountains.

Tonight passing cloud will bring local rain and thin mist and low cloud in some areas. Winds will be westerly to north-westerly light, two to three beaufort and the sea slight. temperatures will fall to ten degrees inland, twelve on the coasts and six over the mountains.

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