Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English, 04-05-14

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

CONTENTS

[01] HEADLINES

[02] GROSSMAN

[03] LILLIKAS TRADE OCCUPIED

[04] TASSOS SIOUFAS

[05] HUNGARY CYPRUS

[06] CHRYSOSTOMIDES BOUCHER

[07] IRAQ

[08] MIDEAST

[09] GANDHI

[10] CZECH HAVEL

[11] FUEL PRICES

[12] WEATHER FRIDAY 14 MAY 2004

[01] HEADLINES

-- The occupation regime is prohibiting the movement of goods from the free areas to the occupied north, according to Commerce, Industry and Tourism Minister, George Lillikas.

-- U.S. forces intensified their war against Iraqi cleric Moqtada al-Sadr today for the first time sending tanks into Najaf's vast cemetery to blast guerrilla positions among its tombs.

And

--Sonia Gandhi, India's Italian-born prime minister-in-waiting, held talks today to secure allies for a new government to replace the Hindu nationalists routed by a rural backlash.

[02] GROSSMAN

Speaking prior to a dinner on the occasion of the 15th annual International Coordinating Committee Justice for Cyprus (PSEKA)/World Council of Hellenes (SAE) Cyprus conference, Mr, Grossman said ''there is a vision'' for Cyprus ''that can be achieved.''

He said that the vision is ''of a Cyprus that is economically successful, democratic, a key part of peace in Eastern Mediterranean.''

[03] LILLIKAS TRADE OCCUPIED

He said yesterday the occupation regime went ahead with confiscating freight which Turkish Cypriot traders had bought and were transporting to the occupied areas.

Speaking on CyBC radio, Mr. Lillikas said the European Union will be informed on the incident and expects the relevant reaction.

[04] TASSOS SIOUFAS

Commerce Industry and Tourism Minister, George Lillikas was present at the meeting.

Mr. Sioufas conveyed the support of the Greek government and the country's political forces to the government and people of Cyprus.

[05] HUNGARY CYPRUS

Hungary's Foreign Minister, Lazlo Kovac told Cyprus President's Emissary to the country, deputy Andros Kyprianou that his country will also work closely with Cyprus within the EU.

Mr. Kyprianou delivered a personal letter from President Tassos Papadopoulos to the country's Prime Minister which was received by Mr. Kovac and explained the reasons why the Greek Cypriot side said no to the Annan Plan.

[06] CHRYSOSTOMIDES BOUCHER

An official statement said during the meeting, the two reviewed the latest Cyprus developments, following the island's accession to the EU. They also exchanged views on the situation following the result of the 24 April referendum and future prospects.

[07] IRAQ

There were also clashes with Sadr's Shi'ite Mehdi Army militia in the nearby holy city of Kerbala as the United States and main U.S. ally Britain fought mounting outrage around the world over the abuse of Iraqi prisoners.

U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said the scandal would not wreck America's mission when he made a surprise visit to Baghdad's Abu Ghraib prison where U.S. troops abused and sexually humiliated Iraqi detainees.

At least three U.S. tanks moved deep into the Najaf cemetery after dawn -- a city within a city covering several square kilometres where Shi'ites from all over the world wish to be buried within sight of the city's sacred shrines.

They blasted suspected positions of Sadr's guerrillas, who have been using the sprawling graveyard to stage hit-and-run attacks on U.S. positions on the edge of the holy city. Clouds of white smoke rose as shells burst among the tombs.

Guerrillas fought back on the Muslim day of prayer with rocket-propelled grenades and mortars.

U.S. commanders have said they will try not to encroach on holy sites, including the Imam Ali shrine where Sadr has taken sanctuary.

But they said this week the "illegal militia" must be disbanded and their patience was wearing thin after more than a month of fighting across southern Iraq.

[08] MIDEAST

Mass demolition in the Rafah refugee camp was due to begin in days once troops finish retrieving remains of their comrades, blown up in the second of two ambushes that marked the worst strike against the Middle East's mightiest army in two years.

In the wake of the back-to-back attacks, opinion polls showed a deepening of already strong public support in Israel for Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's Gaza pullout plan, which has been stalled by hardliners in his own right-wing Likud party.

Political sources said that trying to counter critics who accuse the army of leaving its forces vulnerable in the flashpoint corridor in southern Gaza, the military decided to expand the nine-km long buffer zone that is now 250 metres wide in some parts.

Palestinian cabinet minister Saeb Erekat condemned the plan as a "total contradiction" to what Mr. Sharon has presented as a "disengagement" initiative to reduce points of conflict with Palestinians after three and a half years of fighting.

[09] GANDHI

Among those being wooed are left-wing groups that Mrs. Gandhi's Congress party needs to form a government. But Congress also tried to allay fears that the leftists would slow or stall the country's economic reforms, concerns which sent the main stock index tumbling over six percent and weakened the rupee.

The world's largest democracy has been stunned by the size of the upset poll win by Mrs. Gandhi's Congress over Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, who was rejected by disaffected rural poor, angry at missing out on the benefits of India's economic boom.

Mrs. Gandhi formally replaced her husband, former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, as Congress chief seven years after his 1991 assassination.

Written off by opinion polls just three weeks ago, Congress fared far better than expected and will be the largest party in the new 545-seat parliament. But Gandhi's coalition, with fewer than 220 seats, needs new partners.

The leading left-wing party, the Communist Party of India won 33 seats, more than half the leftist total, and its support will be critical to the new government.

[10] CZECH HAVEL

His office said Mr. Havel has chronic respiratory problems and had to cancel his visit of a renewed premiere of his play 'Temptation' in the National Theatre last night.

The 67-year playwright and statesman has been nominated many times for the Nobel Peace Prize.

His health suffered when he was jailed by the former Czechoslovakia's communist rulers, who repeatedly prosecuted him for opposition activities.

Mr. Havel, a strong supporter of the European Union and the NATO military alliance, became the last president of Czechoslovakia in 1989 and stood down last year after two terms as the first president of the Czech Republic.

[11] FUEL PRICES

Speaking on CyBC, he said that with today's prices of crude oil in the international market, the increase is expected to be significant.

[12] WEATHER

Tonight it will remain clear with local thin mist and low cloud. Winds will be westerly to north-westerly moderate, five beaufort. Temperatures will fall to 13 C inland, 15 C on the coasts and ten over the mountains. The fire hazard is very high in all forest areas.

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