Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English, 05-08-30

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

CONTENTS

[01] headlines

[02] invest team arrival

[03] tsolakis thrassou

[04] barroso eu turkey

[05] tymbou baku

[06] britain crime

[07] katrina

[08] weather TUESDAY 30 AUGUST 2005

[01] headlines

The European Commission's president points out that no EU member-state has signalled a desire to delay the start of Turkey's accession talks;

Turkish-Cypriot newspapers describe yesterday's "direct" flight from the illegally-operating airport of Tymbou to the Azeri capital of Baku as "a fiasco".

Two London teenagers are charged by British police with murder;

and...

Hurricane Katrina sweeps across the US Gulf Coast, killing at least 50 people in the state of Mississippi alone.

[02] invest team arrival

Speaking on arrival, team-leader Akrivos Tsolakis was reported by Reuters as telling journalists that he and his staff will "cover all aspects of inquiry and reap as much as possible from the Cyprus inquiries," so that they may be able to collate the results with findings from Greece and, as he said, "reach a conclusion by no later than six months from now."

Prior to the team's arrival meanwhile, President of the Republic Tassos Papadopoulos said that his administration would take full responsibility if it's found that Cypriot aviation authorities were to blame. Specifically, and in a 12-page written statement, he noted that "Should there be any political responsibilities, it burdens this government as a whole and myself personally, and these will be assumed when and if that is estabished."

The statement, as could possibly have been expected, was greeted with full satisfaction from all government partners, while the opposition Democratic Rally appeared adamant in its position that gaps continue to exist vis-a-vis the investigation of disciplinary and other responsibilities, even after the issuing of the president's statement.

[03] tsolakis thrassou

Speaking after his team's meeting with the minister of state, Akrivos Tsolakis sought to give the assurance that the air-tragedy will be fully investigated and that the souls of the victims, as well as the relatives themselves, will be vindicated. He further voiced both his and his staff's support and compassion to the relatives of those killed, noting that he himself lost his son a year ago and appreciates their pain.

For his part, Charis Thrassou offered Mr Tsolakis the assurance that all departments of both his and other ministries are at the total disposal of the Greek investigating team, which will be extended full access to any and all requested documents and data.

The Minister of Communications and Works further noted that the team-members' professionalism constitutes a guarantee that all questions will be answered, and that the causes which led to the airplane's crash will be established beyond any doubt, with responsibilities then to be ascribed accordingly.

Commenting on criticism voiced against his person by the island's media as regards the adequacy of the Civil Aviation Department, Mr Thrassou said that the charges will be investigated in depth, adding however that "no-one is guilty prior to being proven so according to the Law."

[04] barroso eu turkey

According to the Gazeta Wyborska, "So far no country has signalled to me that it wants to delay the start of talks." Jose Manuel Barroso was further quoted as saying that "The European Commission prepared a project of negotiations with Turkey. It is up to the countries in the EU to decide to back it or not."

Also today however, French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy raised pressure on Turkey over Cyprus, telling a conference of French ambassadors that it's hardly conceivable for a country seeking to enter the EU not to extend recognition to all of the bloc's members.

In a parallel development meanwhile, German conservative leader Angela Merkel, tipped to win her country's general elections next month, has written to EU leaders seeking support for her proposal of offering Turkey a status short of full membership if talks fail.

Turkey is due to start accession talks on October 3rd but faces strong public opposition in some EU member states, notably France, even though French president Jacques Chirac backed the bloc's December decision to invite the candidate-state to start entry talks.

[05] tymbou baku

Specifically, the Turkish-Cypriot papers term the flight "a show of force" by the Denktash family, since it was held without the participation of what were described as "state officials".

They further note that the reception extended was not of the expected standard, while the visit itself does not include meetings with the Azeri president and government officials, as was originally announced.

In conclusion, the occupied areas' press seeks to point out that by no stretch of the imagination can the flight be described as "direct", since this would have had to have offered the possibility for members of the public to procure tickets.

Illegal statelet foreign minister Serdar Denktash meanwhile, who along with his father Rauf is participating in the so-called "official" delegation, described the visit as "important" in relation to the lifting of the alleged economic isolation experienced by the Turkish-Cypriots.

[06] britain crime

According to the police spokesman who made the announcement just this morning, the two youths, aged 14 and 16, were later today due to appear before magistrates in east London and be charged with the murder of Zainab Kalokoh, 33.

The two, whose identities cannot be disclosed because of their age, also stand accused of robbery, while two others arrested in connection with the case have been released on bail pending further inquiries.

Kalokoh was shot as she celebrated with family members at a community hall in Peckham, east London, late on Saturday night. Detectives said she was holding a baby at the time but the child escaped injury. A post-mortem examination showed she was killed by a gunshot wound to the head. No one else was hurt in the incident.

[07] katrina

The killer storm inflicted widespread, catastrophic damage along the coast as it slammed into Louisiana with 140 mile per hour or 224 kph winds, then swept across Mississippi, Alabama and western Florida.

Throughout the region, shattered buildings sat among flooded streets and fields, broken boats and cars lay strewn about the landscape, and debris and toppled trees were everywhere.

Katrina also knocked out electricity to about 1.3 million people, in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.

By this morning however, Katrina had moved inland to northeastern Mississippi, with the National Hurricane Center in Miami saying that the hurricane had been downgraded to a tropical storm with 60 mph or 96 kph winds.

[08] weather

Generally fair conditions are also forecast for this evening, even though mist and low cloud may form in areas. Winds will abate to light northwesterlies, 2-3BF, on slight seas, with temperatures dropping to 22C inland and in coastal regions, and 19C on the higher reaches of the Troodos mountains.

And of course a reminder that the fire hazard remains extremely high in all forest areas.

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