Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English, 05-02-25

Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

CONTENTS

[01] Headlines

[02] Athens-Cyprus

[03] Stephanopoulos-Cyprus

[04] US-arms

[05] Diko candidacies

[06] Keravnos-EU contributions

[07] counterfeit euro

[08] Yeri-animals

[09] Lillikas-Politis

[10] T/C poverty

[11] Talat-Denktash

[12] Weather FRIDAY 25 FEBRUARY 2005

[01] Headlines

Washington is casting doubt on the recent transfer of US-made arms to the occupied north,

President Papadopoulos announces his candidacy for re-election as Diko leader,

Three men are due in court this afternoon for allegedly distributing counterfeit euro notes made in the occupied north,

And Commerce Minister George Lillikas denied a report that he help a local company clinch tourism promotion contracts.

[02] Athens-Cyprus

Greek Foreign Ministry spokesman George Koumoutsakos said the involvement of Greece and Turkey in Cyprus begins and ends at security and guarantee issues.

He stressed a five-way conference does not find Athens in agreement.

Referring to the UK's House of Commons report on Cyprus, Mr. Koumoutsakos said that is currently being evaluated.

He said the report contains positive assessments, but also a significant number of negative ones.

[03] Stephanopoulos-Cyprus

This from outgoing Greek President Costis Stephanopoulos speaking at a dinner hosted in honour of his South African counterpart Tambo Mbeki.

Mr. Mbeki is conducting an official visit to Athens.

Referring to Greek-Turkish relations, Mr. Stephanopoulos expressed the hope that the positive dynamic underlying bilateral relations, as well as Turkey's EU prospects, will help transform Ankara's foreign policy into one that is more suited to friendly neighbours.

[04] US-arms

In a written reply to CyBC reports of the transfer, a State Department spokesman said there is no independent confirmation on the information.

The spokesman said Washington's steadfast policy is to oppose an arms-build up on the island.

He said an overall solution based on the Annan plan would solve the issue, including security concerns.

[05] Diko candidacies

President Tassos Papadopoulos will again throw his hat in the race for re-election as party leader.

The President's son, Nicolas Papadopoulos appears to be walking in his father's footsteps as he is challenging for a spot in the party's executive office.

Outspoken MP Nicos Pittokopitis will vie colleague Antigone Papadopoulou for the party's vice-presidency.

Diko General Secretary Vassilis Palmas told CyBC radio that he expects many more candidacy submissions and reveals that he is seeking re-election to his current post.

Nicos Cleanthous and Andreas Angelides are expected to contest the post of alternate president.

[06] Keravnos-EU contributions

Finance Minister Makis Keravnos unveiled a public information campaign on the bloc's enlargement funds.

He said as things stand today, Cyprus will begin contributing to the EU starting next year.

Mr. Keravnos said Nicosia is trying to convince Brussels that it should reduce its contributions.

Regarding 207 million euros the Republic is entitled to for the period covering 2004 to 2006, the Finance Minister urged businesses to take advantage of the opportunity wisely.

He said the aim is to vault Cyprus as one of the leading countries that fully absorb funds.

[07] counterfeit euro

Eighty-too fake 500 euro bills and a pistol were found in the suspects' possession.

The suspects have been identified as Paphos businessman Andreas Christodoulou, special police constable Costas Kontakkis from Argaka and Paphos baker Michalakis Papaioannou.

Police are looking for a fourth suspect, a Turkish Cypriot man who is a policeman at the Dhekelia British Base.

Assistant Police Chief Charalambos Koulentis said it's not the first time that counterfeit euros have been found in the government-controlled areas.

He said all evidence indicates that the notes were brought over from the occupied north.

Mr. Koulentis said police are focusing their investigation on those who forged and distributed the bills.

He said the pistol found on the suspects was also brought over from the north.

According to police, two suspects smuggled the bills from the north while the third acted as the middleman to sell them in the free areas.

The case unravelled after the suspects tried to sell the notes to an undercover officer for the sum of 12,000 pounds.

[08] Yeri-animals

The issue was debated this morning in the House Environment Committee with members urging the government to take residents' concerns into account.

Deputies charged that the incinirator would emmit toxic, cancer-causing gases and noted that the area is already overburdened by industrial plants.

Representatives from the villages of Yeri, Dhali and Latsia said the incinirator would poison their homes.

A company official said similar incinirators are found only metres away from residential areas without any problems.

He said the plant would emmit gasses 100 times lower than EU safety limits allow.

[09] Lillikas-Politis

The paper alleged that Mr. Lillikas intervened to help the company Sport Team get the contracts outside a tenders process.

Speaking on CyBC radio, Mr. Lillikas said he has tasked lawyers to look into the matter.

He said the paper reported selectively on things he said in Parliament to deliberately give the wrong impression.

Mr. Lillikas said Sport Team had applied to his ministry for the contract which he said had some merit.

He then notified other ministries and semi-state organisations that might express an interest in the contract.

In the end however, the offer was deemed to expensive and was dropped.

The minister said he had learned that the company made a separate application to the Cyprus Tourism Organisation which will tell all in Parliament.

[10] T/C poverty

According to Kibris newspaper, settlers live in makeshift tents, under trees or abandoned homes.

The paper said settlers can't even raise money to return back to the Turkish mainland.

So-called mayor of occupied Nicosia Kutlay Erk and leading party chief in the ruling Turkish Republican party admitted that the number of settlers has increased drastically in the last few months.

Mr. Erk said he had asked regime officials to curb the influx of settlers.

[11] Talat-Denktash

Speaking at a lecture in Izmir, Mr. Denktash claimed that his mandate has led Turkish Cypriots out of colonialism and into the present.

He suggested that Mr. Talat owes his position today to his leadership.

Mr. Denktash repeated his appeals to Mr. Talat to safeguard the occupation regime's independence and to spurn the empty promises of others.

[12] Weather

Northeastwerly to northwesterly winds will be light to moderate, force 3 to 4, but will be out of the southeast on the coasts.

Seas will be slight with temperatures reaching 21 degrees inland and the coasts and 10 in the highest mountains.

Mainly clear tonight with some high cloud.

Light winds will be out of the northwest with calm to slight seas.

Temperatures will drop to 9 degrees inland and the coasts and 3 in the highest mountains.

Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article