Cyprus Mail: News Articles in English, 98-05-01

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From: The Cyprus Mail at <http://www.cynews.com/>

Friday, May 1, 1998

CONTENTS

[01] Chrysostomos names Meraklis as 'Aids priest'

[02] Denktash hints at climbdown

[03] New phone lines to the north next week

[04] Missing issue makes little progress

[05] House fury at deportation of Kurds

[06] Police hunt Athalassa dog poisoner

[07] Cyprus to fight unlikely adversary in offshore battle

[08] Man jailed for Christmas patricide

[09] Domestic violence is a growing problem

[10] Concert postponed because star 'exhausted'

[11] Loopholes remain over bouncing cheques

[12] Famagusta district appeals for better infrastructure

[13] Defence Ministry seeks prosecution over faulty tank fuel

[14] Tetraplegics appeal for cash help

[15] Turks come tumbling down the wall

[16] Motorcyclists killed

[17] Anorthosis and Omonia in mother of all clashes

[18] Title contenders step up war of words

[01] Chrysostomos names Meraklis as 'Aids priest'

ARCHBISHOP Chrysostomos yesterday confirmed that the priest at the centre of an Aids row is Archimandrite Pancratios Meraklis, whose supporters rioted in Nicosia in March 1996 when the Archbishop rejected him as a candidate for Bishop of Morphou.

At the time Chrysostomos implied that Meraklis was unfit for the position because he was a homosexual.

In an interview on CyBC radio the Archbishop was asked whether the Aids stories referred to the Archimandrite.

"Yes, that has been revealed," he replied.

Although the church is almost certain Meraklis has Aids, Chrysostomos said no action will be taken until he receives medical proof.

"However, he cannot continue as a cleric and he will certainly be de- frocked," the archbishop said.

He argued that Meraklis could no longer serve the church because the Orthodox faithful would be frightened to go to church knowing he had Aids.

The Archbishop said the church was not without compassion for one of its flock: "We are saddened that a cleric, by some means, has become an Aids sufferer. Certainly we are saddened - it is not a cause for joy."

"But we can take no other course of action than to enforce the laws of the church," he added.

Bishop Chrysanthou of Limassol said on CyBC TV yesterday afternoon that the priest (whose name he did not mention) had contracted Aids through homosexual relations.

Earlier, Health Minister Christos Solomis held a news conference to slam the media over its coverage of the 'Aids priest'.

Solomis accused the media of misinforming the public about how Aids is transmitted and of persecuting an individual who had not been officially confirmed as suffering from the disease.

"We must allow the patient a right to privacy and find out what he has or hasn't got before we start passing judgment," the minister said.

He said the media hype implicating a popular priest as being HIV positive had "taken us all one year back in our fight against Aids because of misinformation as to how the virus is transmitted."

Solomis did not criticise Archbishop Chrysostomos who expressed the fears of churchgoers catching Aids from taking Holy Communion.

It emerged yesterday that it was Meraklis himself who told Simerini newspaper that he might have contracted the virus because of his work with drug addicts.

But Solomis was giving nothing away when he confirmed that the ministry had received the results of the first test at 3.30pm on Wednesday.

"We have the results of the first test but I'm saying nothing about it. There are a few more stages to go through yet, but this is the concern of the patient only."

The minister said he would investigate whether there were grounds for disciplinary action against any health official who might have leaked the story to the press.

"No one has the right to give names or mention Aids before the patient has been informed officially."

[02] Denktash hints at climbdown

THE GOVERNMENT hopes the arrival today of US envoy Richard Holbrooke will help kick-start the flagging peace process.

"The government considers the visit by Richard Holbrooke as very important, and hopes this will lead to the restart of the dialogue on the basis of UN resolutions," Government Spokesman Christos Stylianides said yesterday.

Holbrooke's previous visit ended without success, but there is growing optimism he could achieve the all-important breakthrough this time round.

And Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash seems be softening his hard line approach to give Holbrooke room to manoeuvre.

Asked whether he expected the US to recognise his regime, he told the Turkish Cypriot news agency (TAK):

"It must be accepted that Turkish Cypriots are of equal status with Greek Cypriots. There is a difference between acceptance of a reality and recognising the TRNC."

Days earlier, in an exclusive interview with the Cyprus Mail, Denktash had suggested that talks could only begin once the Turkish Cypriots were recognised as a separate state.

Meanwhile in Beijing, US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright again raised her concern over the planned deployment of Russian-made S-300 missiles in Cyprus.

Urging Russia to defer the sale, she said: "Obviously, from our perspective, it is not useful, and it exacerbates the situation on the island."

[03] New phone lines to the north next week

NEW AUTOMATED phone lines linking the Greek and Turkish Cypriot sides of the island are expected to be up and running next week, Unficyp said yesterday.

The lines were initially expected to be installed by the end of March, but work was slightly delayed for technical reasons. However, it is believed US emissary Richard Holbrooke, due on the island today, put the pressure on to have the work completed in time for his visit.

The updated phone system is part of the US envoy's pet project to improve relations between the two sides in the business arena, in line with an agreement reached in Brussels last November under Holbrooke's direction.

According to Unficyp spokesman Waldemar Rokoszewski, Holbrooke has "put his weight" behind the project, which is being paid for with American money channelled via the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR).

"For a number of years, Unficyp provided the only lines between the north and the south of the island," Rokoszewski said. "But the existing system is overburdened and unable to cope with the increasing demand."

Until now, there have been only three manually operated lines between the two sides, capable of taking just 100,000 calls a year. Rokoszewski said the 20 new automated lines, available on a 24-hour basis, would be able to handle some 750,000 "while avoiding the existing logjam".

"Unficyp is still working on the technical aspects, and expects the lines to be available some time next week," he said.

Telephone, fax lines and e-mail are at the moment the only means of communication between the two sides, since Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash banned all bi-communal meetings in the wake of the EU's decision to open accession talks with the Cyprus government.

Denktash told the Cyprus Mail this week that such activities could only be resumed once the world told the Greek Cypriot side it was not the government of the Turkish Cypriots.

[04] Missing issue makes little progress

LITTLE progress was made at yesterday's Ledra Palace meeting on the missing between representatives from the Greek and Turkish Cypriot sides, according to Humanitarian Affairs Commissioner Takis Christopoulos.

Christopoulos met Turkish Cypriot representative Rustem Tatar for 90 minutes in the presence of UN Permanent Representative Gustave Feissel.

No statements were made after the meeting, though Feissel hinted there might be a written statement either today or tomorrow.

However, Christopoulos later told the Cyprus Mail they had hoped the two sides could proceed with the UN-brokered agreement reached last year on the exchange of information on missing persons.

"We talked about procedural aspects, but there were no definite conclusions, " he said. "We were hoping there might be, but there wasn't enough time."

Christopoulos said he had hoped some deadlines might have been set for the work, leading to the conclusion of the 1997 agreement with the opening of graves and the matching of remains with missing persons.

He expected Feissel would call them to another meeting soon.

Under the agreement, the two men exchanged information on each other's missing at the Ledra Palace in January. The Turkish side handed over files relating to the whereabouts of some 400 of the 1,619 Greek Cypriot missing since 1974, while the Greek Cypriot side gave information on some 250 of the 803 Turkish Cypriots missing between 1963 and 1974, the years of the intercommunal troubles leading up to the Turkish invasion.

[05] House fury at deportation of Kurds

THE HOUSE Human Rights committee has condemned the deportation of two Kurds without the authorisation of the appropriate government authority.

The two were deported yesterday after being arrested in Paphos on April 22, apparently having lived and worked legitimately on the island for the last 10 years.

House Human Rights committee president Yiannakis Agapiou denounced their deportation, saying the Interior Minister had not been informed about the Kurds' expulsion from the island.

When their arrest was "brought to the House committee's attention, I wrote a letter to Interior Minister Dinos Michaelides on April 28, to find out why they were in police custody," said Agapiou.

In the letter, Agapiou said he expressed the hope that the arrest was in no way connected to the hawking of Kurdish separatist magazines -- as had been the reason for the arrest of another Kurd, whose case is currently before the committee.

"I was expecting a reply from the Interior Minster that they (the two Kurds) had been arrested for reasons concerning the safety of the state, or for any other lawful reason," Agapiou said.

"But today I contacted Michaelides directly, not having received a reply to my letter, and he informed me he had 'no idea' about the case," said the House committee president.

"If they (the Kurds) have been deported without my authorising signature - which I haven't given - their deportation is unlawful," Agapiou quoted the minister as saying.

Agapiou said he had later called the Paphos police authority, who told him the Kurds' deportation papers had been signed by Immigration department officials.

"At the moment, the two men are in Athens, most likely bound for Turkey," said Agapiou.

He described the whole affair as "worse than we had thought", and promised that the House committee would take action.

[06] Police hunt Athalassa dog poisoner

POLICE are hunting a serial dog killer who has already poisoned at least 20 canine victims at a Nicosia park.

The fact the animals were all killed in the space of three weeks in an area specifically designated for walking dogs has caused consternation among the capital's pet owners.

With little hope that the deaths will cease, the only practical advice the authorities can give is for owners to muzzle their dogs when out walking.

"We know there are cases of poisoning and we are working with the police to find the people who are doing this," said Veterinary Department Director Pavlos Economides.

"This is a violation of the law and we are working to find these people."

In the meantime, Economides said dog owners should either muzzle their pets when out walking in the park specially designated for dogs near the Athalassa area, or be careful not to let their dogs touch anything in the park.

"But a muzzle would be best," he said. "I know it's cruel and it would be ideal if the dogs could be left free, but it's preventative measure against poisoning."

Zacharias Evangelou, a vet who operates a clinic near the Athalassa, told the Cyprus Mail, that in the three days April 21 to 23 five dogs were brought him after eating poison in the park.

Evangelou, who reported the matter to the authorities, said that, in addition to this, he had heard that at least another 15 dogs taken to walk there had died over the past few weeks.

"There is a law, but it appears difficult to enforce and the police are not able to do anything except to suggest to the owners that they don't take their dogs there," Evangelou said. "But this will just mean the murderer has won."

George Papaioannou, one of the dog owners who brought his stricken pet to Evangelou minutes after realising she had been poisoned while out walking on April 21, said she died after five days.

"I had never seen anything like it in my life," he said, describing the first moments his three-year-old showed symptoms of poisoning.

"She was foaming and trembling with terrible spasms," he said. "I was shocked and distressed and I still am."

Papaioannou said he knew "lots of people" who had lost their pets in the same way.

The Attorney-general's office is investigating Papaioannou's case and another recent case of poisoning in Limassol that was also highlighted in the Cyprus Mail.

The senior counsel dealing with the criminal aspect of the two cases said there was little that could be done to regulate the over-the-counter sale of poison.

She said it would not be feasible to set criteria on who could and who could not buy poisons, even by licence, although laying poison in a public place is a criminal offence punishable by a fine of £5,000.

The Attorney-general has instructed police to investigate both cases where the owners have complained, with a view to finding the culprits.

The counsel admitted that owners complaining to police in these type of cases were usually fobbed off or paid little heed. "The subject is new for the police," she said. "We are trying our best. When we have a complaint it is investigated."

The second complainant, who lost a dog after it ate poisoned meat off a Limassol street on Easter Sunday, said pet owners in Cyprus were under siege.

The woman said that either dogs had to be muzzled when going for a walk, or owners would have to carry a poison antidote with them.

She said she knew of at least 40 people who had lost their dogs in Cyprus through poisoning.

"For £2.30 you can buy enough poison to eradicate an entire village," she said. "You are not advised about the hazards and no log is kept. There is absolutely no control."

[07] Cyprus to fight unlikely adversary in offshore battle

MORE THAN two decades after setting out on the path to becoming a regional offshore centre, Cyprus now has a fight on its hands to keep reaping its fruits.

Ironically, the adversary in the battle to retain the offshore business is the European Union - the very organisation in which membership for Cyprus has been a major foreign policy target and national aspiration.

The government has hired foreign consultants to help it put together an argument in favour of keeping the sector after EU accession, and it has repeatedly assured offshore businessmen in the past few months that it remains determined to do its utmost to keep the sector intact.

One way of doing this, according to Central Bank Offshore Enterprises Officer George Georgiou, will be to request a generous grace-period before a change in offshore regulations comes into force.

"But no one really knows what will happen for sure - there is, as yet, only speculation," he said.

Phidias K. Pilides, a partner in Coopers &amp; Lybrand in Cyprus, provides a more reassuring note about the future of the sector. He says that relevant provisions in the Income Tax Law which benefit offshore businesses were renewed for 10 years in 1997.

"It is in no one's interest to abolish offshore and other tax incentive centres within the EU, because this would only lead to the transfer of offshore activities to centres outside the EU, resulting in the loss for the EU of significant sources of revenue," he says.

It was back in the mid-1970s when Cyprus introduced tax breaks and other perks to lure foreign businesses to come and set up shop on the island, whose prime geographical location, skilled workforce and reliable telecommunications added to the attraction.

It was a time when Cyprus was desperately looking for ways to rebuild an economy devastated by the 1974 Turkish invasion and the resultant loss of the richer part of the land.

Many years later, there are now about 30,000 offshore companies registered in Cyprus, of which more than a 1,000 maintain fully fledged offices employing thousands of Cypriots and foreigners.

The sector also allowed the evolution of a shipping business that made Cyprus-flagged ships the world's fifth largest registry in terms of tonnage.

Throughout these years, the island's offshore sector has received major boosts from the arrival of funds and businessmen fleeing turmoil and strife elsewhere. First it was the 1975-1990 civil war in nearby Lebanon, then the break-up of the Soviet Union and the painful and chaotic shift to a market economy, and finally the bloody division of the former Yugoslavia.

The sector enriched the economy last year by £169 million in invisible receipts, but the actual benefits enjoyed by the economy from the presence of offshore businesses are virtually impossible to quantify - e.g. employment opportunities, use of utilities such as electricity and telephone services, renting and buying residential properties, training local personnel, attracting relatives and friends to visit, paying road tax, school fees and life's day-to-day expenses.

But alarm bells began to ring as the March 31 date for the start of accession talks with the EU drew closer. Anxiety rose during that month when a local study showed that a quarter of the offshore companies will seriously consider leaving the island upon accession to the EU, something which is not expected to happen before 2002 at the earliest.

To meet the challenge of EU membership, several associations representing offshore businesses on the island, including the Russian Businessmen's Association and the Cyprus Shipping Council, agreed to set up a committee to share information and co-ordinate efforts to maintain offshore perks, according to Bob McClure, managing director of the Financial Management Associates (International) Ltd and head of ASCOFC (the Association of Cyprus Offshore Financial Services Companies).

"From a personal point of view, I shall stay here and if present facilities continue to be available, I don't see why offshore enterprises should leave, " he told the Cyprus Mail.

A less optimistic view comes from Michael Shadrach, finance director of Omnilife Insurance and head of the Cyprus Offshore Enterprises Association.

"Right now, we don't know what the effect will be on Cyprus, but we suspect the EU will impose changes to tax laws, because when you become a member of the club, you've got to abide by the rules," he said.

"But there have been derogations from such (competition-preserving) EU policy," said Shadrach. "Ireland and Luxembourg are the two best-known examples." The EU's objective was to assist the financial service industries in both countries "to reach a critical mass and stabilise" in view of their considerable contribution to the Luxembourg and Irish economies, he explained.

"Think about it: the manufacturing and agricultural industries are in decline; tourism has reached saturation point. In my view, the most substantial form of growth which has not placed too great a strain on (Cyprus) resources is the offshore sector - particularly the offshore finance services sector," Shadrach added.

[08] Man jailed for Christmas patricide

THE 27-YEAR-OLD musician who killed his father and stabbed his mother on Christmas Day was yesterday sentenced to eight years in prison by a criminal court.

Athos Neocleous received eight years for killing his father Archimides, and five years for attempting to murder his mother Despina.

Both sentences run concurrently.

The three-judge bench, sitting in Larnaca, took into account the fact that the accused admitted he had taken a knife to his parents' home with the intention of killing them.

The length of the sentence was also determined by medical reports that concluded that Neocleous was suffering psychological problems caused by a drug habit picked up while studying in America.

State doctors also certified that the accused was susceptible to a persecution complex.

Athos Neocleous had told the court that the people he attacked were not his real parents but a couple of impostors sent to replace them.

The accused claimed that his real parents had been murdered in England years earlier.

The court expressed the concern that there was no secure psychiatric institute to treat Neocleous while he served his term, and decided his therapy should continue at Nicosia's Central prison.

[09] Domestic violence is a growing problem

A SENIOR Welfare officer said yesterday an increasing number of cases of domestic violence were coming to her department's attention, though levels still remained lower in Cyprus than abroad.

The warning came as a 13-year-old boy was recovering in Nicosia hospital with fractures to his foot and back after his father allegedly beat him for disobedience.

Nicosia District Welfare office director Dimitra Papantoniou told the Cyprus Mail that the office was now receiving more calls than ever.

"More cases are coming to the surface because people are becoming increasingly sensitive to violence in the home," she said.

Police, meanwhile, were yesterday searching for the father of the injured boy, who disappeared after his son reported the incident to the authorities on Tuesday.

According to Papantoniou, the child will be placed in child-care as soon as "doctors deem him well enough to be moved".

According to Welfare office sources, such a move is justified as the boy's mother also played an indirect role in the abuse, having apparently made no attempt to obstruct the father from beating the child.

"Child-care provides protection for such children, between the ages of five and 13," Papantoniou said, though she added that the Welfare services also provided for infants and children above the age of 13.

From care, two courses of action are available to the Welfare services: putting the child permanently into a care institution until he comes of age, or rehousing him with a suitable foster family.

"Such a family might include other relatives," explained Papantoniou.

She said the Welfare services were always prepared to step in in such instances, adding that in cases of domestic violence, social workers and counsellors often mediated between family members to try to restore a healthy environment.

Whether the hospitalised 13-year-old will eventually be returned to his family will depend on whether such an environment can be achieved, the Welfare official said.

[10] Concert postponed because star 'exhausted'

At a press conference, the company said the concert, which has already been postponed once before, would take place on May 22. Tickets for today's event will still be valid. Alternatively, they can be cashed in for a full refund at the place they were purchased from.

The company said that no action would be taken against Andre or his management over the postponement, as all concerned wanted the concert to go ahead.

Apparently the technical problems concerned overhead lighting and sound equipment, which could not be set up in the way Andre wanted in time.

[11] Loopholes remain over bouncing cheques

DEPUTIES have still to gain the upper hand in the battle to find an effective formula to stamp out bounced cheques.

A stricter 1997 law has loopholes that need to be closed. And deputies are divided on a radical suggestion to oblige banks to pay up if found to have issued cheque books to repeat offenders.

The whole debate came up before the House Legal Affairs Committee again yesterday, with the only firm conclusion a decision to refer a set of questions to parliamentary groups for further consideration.

The committee also heard that Central Bank figures showed that 2.75 per cent of the value of cheques cleared annually bounce. In contrast France, which has a tough law that Akel's George Lillikas wants to see adopted locally, has a rate that is 100 times lower.

There is agreement that anyone who signs a same-day cheque without collateral is committing a crime and should face the full force of the law. Proving a case with post-dated cheques has been more difficult and there is disagreement among deputies on what role the state should play in any dispute.

To tighten up loopholes to facilitate prosecution, Attorney-general Alecos Markides suggested banks stamp any cheque which could not be cashed. This could then constitute evidence in court, eliminating the need for bank employees having to testify in court.

The tougher law was the result of pressure from public opinion and businessmen for measures that would oblige those who signed bounced cheques to pay up, he added.

Few cases were actually tried in court, he said. With the risk of prison hanging over them, the cheque is more often than not made good and the plaintiff then tells the Attorney-general's office to "leave the poor man alone." Prosecution is called off and the state loses out, having to cover its costs and lose the fine.

Most of yesterday's debate was dominated by radically different opinions on what to do when post-dated cheques bounce.

For Diko parliamentary spokesman Tassos Papadopoulos, the state has no business acting as money collector. If businessmen were so keen to sell that they were prepared to accept post-dated cheques, then they, and not the state, should look after their interests.

But Lillikas took a different view. He said he did not want to involve the state in private transactions. But on the other hand, just as banks already had a series of obligations and responsibilities, they could also be held responsible for issuing cheque books to repeat offenders.

Lillikas has tabled a bill that would establish a black list of repeat offenders. A working group set up under the Central Bank to tackle the problem of bounced cheques has accepted the proposal. But Markides said yesterday that inclusion on a black list should normally follow a conviction by a court. Circulation of such a black list could clash with a law on confidentiality of criminal records, he added.

A more controversial suggestion by Lillikas would oblige banks to pay up if a repeat offender has used one of their cheques. Banks are opposed to the proposal, while the Attorney-general said the legal ramifications would have to be examined.

[12] Famagusta district appeals for better infrastructure

This clear warning was delivered yesterday by Demetris Syllouris, a Disy deputy and chairman of the House Committee on Commerce, Industry and Tourism.

Syllouris did not elaborate on what changes the House wanted, though he did signal that a provision giving the minister exclusive authority to set marina rates was unacceptable.

But he said the committee was nevertheless keen to approve the government bill, speedily and unanimously.

"I will be meeting the minister (of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, Nicos Rolandis) and will be telling him this myself. But it is good to send the message. The government must take into consideration the views of the House, otherwise the regulations will not be approved," he said.

The issue arose during yesterday's committee debate on the tourism infrastructure required in the free Famagusta area. To calls for the need for two marinas, officials said the government was ready to invite the private sector to bid to build marinas in Ayia Napa and Paralimni, as well as elsewhere in Cyprus. To do so, the House had first to approve an amendment to existing regulations, allowing the private sector to lease state land.

Deputies were anxious to clarify yesterday that any delay was no fault of theirs. Diko's Nicos Kleanthous said the government's master plan for marinas had been approved in 1994, yet the proposed amendment only was brought to the House in 1997.

And Akel's Kikis Kazamias noted that the government itself was unclear about aspects of the proposal, and particularly whether it should apply to fishing ports.

On other proposed infrastructural works, officials said that, heeding calls from the House Environment Committee, they had decided to look for an alternative site for a golf course. The initial site was on state forest land.

Meanwhile, Communication Ministry officials said the new Famagusta highway would be completed by 2000. The first section to Xylotymbou would be ready by May next year.

The CTO said that a series of infrastructural projects, including the highway had been included in a three-year plan of action, but the time schedule had not been adhered to.

The issue was brought to the committee by Disy deputy Lefteris Christoforou, who said the area needed basic infrastructural projects if it was to hold its own as a leading tourist destination. Unfortunately so far, only the private sector and municipalities have been prepared to do something about it.

[13] Defence Ministry seeks prosecution over faulty tank fuel

The revelation was made yesterday by Defence Minister Yiannakis Omirou to a House Watchdog Committee probe into the case.

Omirou assured deputies that specialist tests had shown the tanks were not damaged in any way.

The issue was brought to the committee by Akel's Doros Christodoulides, who said any damage to Cypriot defence systems -- whether as a result of negligence or a desire to profiteer -- was a crime.

The fuel supplied for the tanks is understood to have had a much higher sulphur content than that set by the manufacturers.

[14] Tetraplegics appeal for cash help

The alternative, they warn, is to abandon efforts to integrate into society and to resort to living in institutions.

Welfare workers acknowledged there was a problem, but said the issue had gone to the Labour Ministry for a decision. Satisfying the tetraplegics' demands would require an amendment to existing regulations.

Tetraplegics said they rely on live-in home help -- invariably foreign since no Cypriot will work for the money available. This means they face monthly costs of £348 to cover the help's salary and living expenses.

If tetraplegic are classified as needy, then the Department of Social Security pays £198. The rest must be paid out of their own pockets. But if they are not classified as needy, then they must pay the full £348 themselves.

For tetraplegics, this means they are being penalised for going out to work. Instead they want the law changed so that subsidies would cover home help's living expenses and be paid to all tetraplegics, irrespective of whether they work or not.

[15] Turks come tumbling down the wall

Sevik Fedourik Veli, a 41-year-old driver from Turkey, was sentenced yesterday to one month's imprisonment for illegal entry through occupied Famagusta port on March 9.

Father-of-two Veli was taken in for police questioning after being picked up in Paralimni on April 29.

He confessed to crossing to the free areas in the hope of finding work, adding he had fled his creditors in Turkey after running up a huge debt.

In a separate incident, two men believed to be mainland Turks were arrested yesterday after leaping from the Roccas bastion near Paphos gate. After running from a Cyprus police patrol, one of the men collapsed, having suffered an injury to his foot.

An ambulance took him to hospital where he was treated. Both men were later taken to the Paphos Gate police station for questioning and were expected to be remanded in custody for four days.

Unficyp spokesman Waldemar Rokoszewski said yesterday the UN was trying to make arrangements to visit the Turks while they were in custody.

[16] Motorcyclists killed

Andreas Kyriakou, 66, from Tsiakkilero near Larnaca died after slamming his motorcycle into an electricity pylon.

The accident occurred at around 7am as Kyriakou was riding along the Kalo Chorio to Larnaca airport coastal road.

He hit an electricity pylon while riding on the hard-shoulder of the road and was hurled 10 metres, bleeding to death before an ambulance could rush him to hospital. He was not wearing a helmet.

Kyriakou leaves behind four children.

In a separate accident, Petros Mouradian, 77, from Nicosia was killed yesterday at around 7.50 am after losing control of his moped, which overturned and crashed on the Drama road in Nicosia.

[17] Anorthosis and Omonia in mother of all clashes

THE MOTHER of all league clashes takes place at the Makarios stadium tomorrow night as Omonia and Anorthosis meet in a game that should decide the championship title.

With just two points separating league leaders Anorthosis from second- placed Omonia, the defending champions are in the driving seat as a draw will be more than adequate. The following week they face Evagoras at home in the last game of the season, a match they should win easily.

If Anorthosis win tonight they will not even have to turn up for the Evagoras game as they will already be champions, having built up a five- point difference at the top. The pressure will be on Omonia, who need to win.

On the up side, Omonia have home advantage. They will be urged on by some 12,000 supporters, in familiar surroundings and playing on a surface they know very well.

Then again, Anorthosis are undefeated away from home this season. One of the two defeats they suffered at home was inflicted by Omonia, who were fortunate to win 1-0 as Anorthosis had most of the play. All this is history now.

For the Saturday game, both coaches are optimistic, their morale boosted by the simultaneous vote of confidence they received from their respective club boards. Anorthosis announced that coach Dusan Mitosevic's contract will be renewed, while Omonia said that Andreas Michaelides will be at the helm again next season.

Mitosevic sounded the more confident of the two this week. He said there was no way Anorthosis would play for a draw because "we always play to win". He also admitted that "playing for the point would be a big mistake".

"If my players show the commitment they displayed in other difficult games I am certain we will win."

Michaelides sounded a more cautious note, in an attempt to taake a bit of pressure off his players. He said: "We are under no pressure because our objective of securing a place in European competition has been achieved."

This was a bit disingenuous considering his side are only a win away from their first championship since 1993. Then, as now, the title was decided in the last game of the season between the two contenders, Apollonas and Omonia; the latter won 2-0.

The Omonia coach remained optimistic about the chances of winning tomorrow. His players were in excellent shape and Omonia boasted an impressive league record - they are undefeated in 21 games, having won 18.

On recent form though Anorthosis have the edge. In their last two outings Omonia have been very disappointing. They were held to a 1-1 draw by a very weak Apoel side, while last weekend they struggled to win 3-1 against Paralimni who played most of the second half with 10 men.

Anorthosis, in contrast, swept aside Apollonas, one of the strongest sides in the league, 4-2 in an impressive exhibition of power football.

On Saturday a lot will depend on the league's top scorer, German striker Rainer Rauffman who has hit 42 goals in 24 games. He needs two more to equal the 1977 record set by another Omonia striker, Sotiris Kaiaphas, who won the golden boot.

There has been an attempt by Anorthosis supporters to puncture the German's confidence, by noting that he had failed to score in the big games. Getting 42 goals in 24 games is a feat that cannot be diminished. Anorthosis' top scorer, Michailovic, has not scored half as many goals as Rauffman.

The German will be tightly-marked as he will pose the main threat. Costas Malekkos will also be man-marked by Anorthosis, for whom Tomic, their most accomplished player, is expected to move back to the libero position, to shore up the defence.

Omonia will be without first-choice supporting striker Boban Gitanov, who does a lot of work up front, creating space and chances for Rauffman. Kalotheou, Kaiaphas and Sakis return to the side after suspension.

Anorthosis will be without the injured Bambis Andreou who would have been on the subs' bench and Foukaris - either Ppounas or Sozos Andreou will replace the youngster.

It would seem too much to hope for an open and attacking game as there is so much at stake. Neither side will take many chances. The primary concern will be to pack the midfield in order to stop each other from developing a playing pattern.

Who will win? On paper, Anorthosis are the better side, but on the night a lot will depend on which side copes better with the pressure; and has luck on its side.

[18] Title contenders step up war of words

The two clubs were at loggerheads all week as they disagreed on how the fans would be segregated. Statements, accusing each other, were issued by both clubs with regard to the segregation of fans at the Makarios stadium.

Omonia had claimed that the police's proposals for segregation were unacceptable as they ignored the wishes of the home club, whose right it was to decide which terraces would be used by the visiting fans.

Police had wanted empty space left on the terraces in order to keep the two sets of fans well apart, but Omonia disagreed as this meant they would sell fewer tickets.

The matter remained unresolved, after a meeting of club representatives at police headquarters yesterday morning. The Nicosia police chief said that if Omonia, the home club, ignored the proposed safety measures the police would simply walk out.

Anorthosis issued a statement supporting the police safety measures and criticised Omonia's plans saying: "The club is not prepared to agree to the match being held under conditions of terrorism that would lead to a massacre of fans."

Contributing further to the war of words, Anorthosis's statement accused Omonia of "cultivating a climate of tension".

The defending champions also complained about the number of tickets given to their fans. Of the 16,000 tickets on sale, Omonia gave Anorthosis 3,200 less than 20 per cent.

In the first league encounter between the two at Antonis Papadopoulos Stadium, earlier in the year, Anorthosis had given Omonia 33 per cent of available tickets - 3,200 from a total of 9,233.

Irrespective of the complaints against the police's proposed security measures, Omonia, understandably, want to make the home advantage count.

No more meetings between the clubs and the police, regarding fan segregation, are scheduled, but the war of word will probably continue right up until kick-off at 7pm.

And if there is crowd trouble then the clubs will take a big share of the responsibility as both have contributed to the build-up of tension and animosity.

© Copyright Cyprus Mail 1998

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