Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English, 05-09-08

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

CONTENTS

[01] HEADLINES

[02] COREPER DECISION

[03] IACOVOU COREPER

[04] STRAW TRIBUNE

[05] CHRISTOFIAS NYC

[06] UKRAINE

[07] KATRINA N.ORLEANS

[08] ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS OPEN

[09] WEATHER THURSDAY 8 SEPTEMBER 2005

[01] HEADLINES

--Cypriot Foreign Minister George Iacovou said that if no agreement is reached on the counterstatement during the next COREPER meeting nor at the extraordinary EU Foreign Ministers' meeting, then there will not be a counterstatement on the part of the EU against Turkey's declaration that it does not recognise the Republic of Cyprus.

-- Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko said today he was sacking the government of Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, saying it had lost its "team spirit".

And

--National Guard troops prepared to hunt today for thousands of people believed still in ruined New Orleans, as the White House sent a new wave of top officials into areas ravaged by Hurricane Katrina.

[02] COREPER DECISION

The discussion in Brussels during the COREPER-level talks was notably short, while efforts focused mainly on the bilateral meetings of the Presidency and the several delegations, including a Cypriot one, which expressed objections regarding the content of a counter statement that is expected in response to a July statement by Ankara reiterating its stance on Cyprus.

During the discussion, the permanent representatives of Cyprus, Greece and France insisted on the necessity that the EU counter statement included the issue of the recognition of the Republic of Cyprus as well as Ankara's obligation to implement the protocol extending its Customs Union to the ten new EU member states.

According to diplomatic sources, the British Presidency did not include in the latest draft text the position of many countries for a monitoring mechanism for the implementation of the Protocol. Furthermore there was no clear timetable for this implementation but rather a reference to re-examine the issue in 2006 and in case of non-compliance to send the issue to the mechanism of the Association Council, which is considered an extremely time consuming procedure.

There was also no reference to the issue of the recognition of the Republic of Cyprus by Turkey even though Greece, Cyprus and France have asked for such a statement.

The Presidency has withdrawn from the draft the reference for a ''de jure normalisation of relations'' between Turkey and all EU member states, which existed in the text at the ministerial meeting in Newport, in order to discuss it on a bilateral level and move on to a final wording, which did not happen.

Concluding, the British Presidency announced that it will continue bilateral meetings and possibly call an extraordinary COREPER meeting within the week if it seems possible to reach consensus.

[03] IACOVOU COREPER

However, he said this does not rid Turkey of its obligation to recognise the island, and reminded the opinion of the Commission's legal department.

Commenting on the deadlock last night at the COREPER meeting, he described the new british statement as a regression.

Mr. Iacovou told CyBC that Nicosia is making every effort to secure its positions as regards to Turkey's obligation to recognise Cyprus.

Referring to Turkey's negotiating framework with the EU, Mr., Iacovou said that unanimity is required, and if the Republic of Cyprus does not grant its approval, then the framework will cease to exist. However he said, efforts are underway for a mutually acceptable solution.

[04] STRAW TRIBUNE

Mr. Straw said that if the EU behaves differently, not only it will its credibility will be undermined but it might also endanger the important progress achieved with Turkey concerning harmonisation with the acquis.

Mr Straw's comments were outlined in today's edition of the 'International herald Tribune" where he added that if the 25 take a wrong decision on Turkey, there might be a crisis at the doorstep of the EU.

Wondering what the problem is concerning the start of accession negotiations with Turkey, Mr. Straw said that prt of the problem is the unresolved Cyprus problem. Noting that Britain favoured Cyprus' accession to the EU, even if the Cyprus problem had remained unresolved, he said UN efforts that were backed by the EU, to achieve progress did not succeed. However, he added, Britain still supports the UN efforts for a solution.

[05] CHRISTOFIAS NYC

According to an official press release, during the meeting, which was held at UN headquarters, the two officials referred to the good relations between their parliaments and decided to enhance and strengthen these ties, making them more specific.

Mr. Christofias noted that the people of Cyprus were also grateful to Russia for the fact that it maintained a steadfast stance, along with China and France, during the period after the referenda on a UN settlement plan, which was rejected by the Greek Cypriot community, and averted the approval of a negative for Cyprus UN report by the Security Council.

[06] UKRAINE

He said he would ask regional governor Yuri Yekhanurov to form a new cabinet.

The pro-western Yushchenko made the announcements at a news conference called amid mounting divisions within the young government and allegations of high-level corruption that led to the resignation of two top officials earlier in the day.

He said he is setting before the new team one task -- the ability to work as one, said mr. Yushchenko, who came to power in January after an "Orange Revolution" of street protests.

Mr. Yushchenko also accepted the resignation of Secretary of the National Defence and Security Council, Petro Poroshenko, a close ally.

[07] KATRINA N.ORLEANS

The New Orleans stragglers were but a fraction of the million people displaced by the Aug. 29 storm in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. Their fate in what was once one of Americas's favorite party cities was playing out in the spotlight.

Eddie Compass, the New Orleans police chief, said there were still thousands "wanting to leave" and waiting for help.

But some were staying in defiance of Mayor Ray Nagin's mandatory evacuation order.

Officials have said perhaps 10,000 people remain in the below-sea level city where water and electricity were cut off after levee breaks flooded most of what had been home to 450,000 residents.

Federal health officials said three people in the region had died from bacterial infections -- one of them an evacuee from Louisiana who died in Texas. They said tests had confirmed the floodwater in New Orleans was a witch's brew of sewage-borne bacteria.

[08] ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS OPEN

A total of fifty-seven thousand five hundred (57,500) students went to school today, the first grade ones reaching eight and a half thousand.

After the traditional church blessing, the students were assigned their classes and received their books. Education Minister Pefkios Georgiades visit the first Palouriotisa Elementary school while a delegation from the Democratic Rally went to Rizokarpasso to attend the gathering marking the beginning of the new school season at the turkish occupied village.

[09] WEATHER

Tonight the weather will remain clear with westerly to north-westerly light winds, two to three beaufort with moderate sea breezes, four beaufort. The sea will be slight. Temperatures will fall to 21 C inland, on the south and east coast, 19 on the west and 15 over the mountains. The fire hazard is extremely high in all forest areas.

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