Cyprus Mail: News Articles in English, 99-09-11

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

Saturday, September 11, 1999

CONTENTS

[01] Three Cypriots among earthquake deadBy Martin HellicarTHREE Cypriots are among the dead of the Athens earthquake, and a fourth was still missing under the rubble yesterday.Government spokesman Michalis Papapetrou announced the sad news yesterday morning.He named the Cypriot victims as Frosso Nicoletti, 37, from Larnaca, her daughter Evelin, 14, and Christos Papathomas, 44, from occupied Larnaca Lapithou. The missing person was Papathomas' 16-year-old daughter Georgia, who was still trapped under the rubble of their home in the Athens suburb of Metamorphosis, Papapetrou said.Frosso and Evelin died in the rubble of a collapsed block of flats on Souliou street in the Menidi area of Athens.Over 80 people were killed in Tuesday's quake, with over forty missing in the ruins and more than a thousand injured.On a happier note, Politisreported yesterday that Greek Cypriot Andreas Markou had been pulled from the ruins of the Ringomex factory in Athens by a Turkish rescue team.The team from Turkey located Markou under the rubble on Wednesday and managed to maintain communication with him in English during the long hours it took to dig him out.Ironically, the rescue team that saved Markou was named 'Attila' -- the name Greek Cypriots give to the Turkish forces that invaded Cyprus in 1974.Earthquake relief donations continued to pour in from all quarters in Cyprus yesterday.The Church announced it was sending the "symbolic" amount of £10, 000 to Athens and that collections for quake victims would be taken up in all churches.The Association of Merchant Banks donated £100,000. Civil Servants' union Pasydy gave £30,000, while the Cooperative Banks Movement announced a collection would be taken up from amongst its members.Left-wing opposition party Akel sent a "symbolic" £2,000. Ruling right-wingers Disy have already donated £5,000.Dinos Michaelides' Adik announced the donation of an undisclosed "symbolic" amount.On Wednesday, the government pledged $1, 000,000 for Athens victims, ten times the amount sent to Turkey last month after a quake there killed over 15,000 people.A seven-member team of local relief experts is also on its way to Athens.Meanwhile, Interior Minister Christodoulos Christodoulou was yesterday promising swift action to ensure Cyprus would be prepared should a big quake come.An earthquake in Limassol on August 11, followed as it was by the deadly tremors in Turkey and Athens, has heightened public concern about building safety in the event of a major tremor.The Limassol quake damaged a large number of buildings but did not result in any loss of life.Christodoulou said a three-year plan to inspect the quake resistance of all existing buildings and all structures under construction was to be put into action.The minister also said a total of 1, 187 primary school buildings had already been inspected by quake experts and all measures necessary had been taken to ensure children would be safe in the event of an earthquake.He also vowed to instigate the immediate creation of emergency quake response teams for all districts. Bureaucracy was his only enemy on the project, Christodoulou said, adding that he would go as far as to hire more civil servants to work on setting up such teams, even if he did not get the necessary approval from above.

[02] CY lifts Apex restrictions after quake

[03] Michaelides seeks seat on National Council

[04] Disy backs Anastassiades in dispute with rebels

[05] Police promise inquiry over Paphos road carnage

[06] Improved EU-Turkish relations will help Cyprus

[07] Ministry hits back at 'stubborn' fish farm

[01] Three Cypriots among earthquake deadBy Martin HellicarTHREE Cypriots are among the dead of the Athens earthquake, and a fourth was still missing under the rubble yesterday.Government spokesman Michalis Papapetrou announced the sad news yesterday morning.He named the Cypriot victims as Frosso Nicoletti, 37, from Larnaca, her daughter Evelin, 14, and Christos Papathomas, 44, from occupied Larnaca Lapithou. The missing person was Papathomas' 16-year-old daughter Georgia, who was still trapped under the rubble of their home in the Athens suburb of Metamorphosis, Papapetrou said.Frosso and Evelin died in the rubble of a collapsed block of flats on Souliou street in the Menidi area of Athens.Over 80 people were killed in Tuesday's quake, with over forty missing in the ruins and more than a thousand injured.On a happier note, Politisreported yesterday that Greek Cypriot Andreas Markou had been pulled from the ruins of the Ringomex factory in Athens by a Turkish rescue team.The team from Turkey located Markou under the rubble on Wednesday and managed to maintain communication with him in English during the long hours it took to dig him out.Ironically, the rescue team that saved Markou was named 'Attila' -- the name Greek Cypriots give to the Turkish forces that invaded Cyprus in 1974.Earthquake relief donations continued to pour in from all quarters in Cyprus yesterday.The Church announced it was sending the "symbolic" amount of £10, 000 to Athens and that collections for quake victims would be taken up in all churches.The Association of Merchant Banks donated £100,000. Civil Servants' union Pasydy gave £30,000, while the Cooperative Banks Movement announced a collection would be taken up from amongst its members.Left-wing opposition party Akel sent a "symbolic" £2,000. Ruling right-wingers Disy have already donated £5,000.Dinos Michaelides' Adik announced the donation of an undisclosed "symbolic" amount.On Wednesday, the government pledged $1, 000,000 for Athens victims, ten times the amount sent to Turkey last month after a quake there killed over 15,000 people.A seven-member team of local relief experts is also on its way to Athens.Meanwhile, Interior Minister Christodoulos Christodoulou was yesterday promising swift action to ensure Cyprus would be prepared should a big quake come.An earthquake in Limassol on August 11, followed as it was by the deadly tremors in Turkey and Athens, has heightened public concern about building safety in the event of a major tremor.The Limassol quake damaged a large number of buildings but did not result in any loss of life.Christodoulou said a three-year plan to inspect the quake resistance of all existing buildings and all structures under construction was to be put into action.The minister also said a total of 1, 187 primary school buildings had already been inspected by quake experts and all measures necessary had been taken to ensure children would be safe in the event of an earthquake.He also vowed to instigate the immediate creation of emergency quake response teams for all districts. Bureaucracy was his only enemy on the project, Christodoulou said, adding that he would go as far as to hire more civil servants to work on setting up such teams, even if he did not get the necessary approval from above.

Saturday, September 11, 1999

[02] CY lifts Apex restrictions after quake

CY spokesman Tassos Angelis said the company had temporarily lifted restrictions on Apex tickets -- which normally cannot be changed or refunded -- because of the quake.

The earthquake came less than a week after CY slashed fares to Athens to an all-time low. Flights had been fully booked until today. The cheapest tickets are day and night Apex fares.

But Angelis said yesterday there had been no cancellations because of the quake, although there had been some enquiries about changing tickets.

"We decided to make this offer so that people would not be deprived of the right if they want to change their date of travelling," Angelis said.

"The decision was based on humanitarian grounds. We don't want to appear inflexible."

Angelis said the reduced fares were still attracting many Cypriot travellers and that the load factor was high until the end of the month, mostly on the night flights. "But we still have some free sears," he said.

"I would say the earthquake has had no visible impact on flights."

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Saturday, September 11, 1999

[03] Michaelides seeks seat on National Council

FORMER Interior Minister Dinos Michaelides wants his new political party to be represented on the National Council, the top advisory body to the government on the Cyprus problem.

Michaelides, a former Diko deputy who jumped ship to support Clerides' re- election bid but was later forced to resign his ministry under a cloud of scandal, made his bid for National Council participation yesterday.

Speaking after a meeting with Clerides, Michaelides told reporters that the President had been reluctant to give him an answer.

Michaelides complained that his party, Adik, had not been informed about the reshuffle and said current criteria appeared different to those that had followed the previous reshuffle.

"Then everyone who helped President Clerides' election took part in the National Council, while now it seems it is only the two parties who are in the government," Michaelides was quoted as saying.

All the parties that are represented in parliament have a seat on the National Council, while the New Horizons party of Nicos Koutsou is allowed to attend meetings as an observer.

Government spokesman Michalis Papapetrou said yesterday a final decision would be taken on who was allowed to participate at tomorrow's meeting of the National Council.

Former President George Vassiliou, leader of junior coalition party the United Democrats, also met Clerides yesterday but refused to be drawn on the issue.

He said his party would put forward its stance at tomorrow's meeting.

"After President Clerides was elected, he called New Horizons to participate -- on his own initiative. There have been discussions in the meantime, and we know there have been letters seeking cooperation with the National Council from the ecologists' party and the party of Dinos Michaelides and perhaps even from others," Vassiliou said.

A statement by New Horizons yesterday said Vassiliou was "twisting the truth" and that the party has been sitting in on the national council since May 1997, before Clerides' re-election.

Ruling Disy deputy Tassos Mitsopopoulos denied reports that party leader Nicos Anastassiades had interfered in the issue of who should be on the National Council.

"I would like categorically to deny this particular information. The president of Disy has never interfered or tried to block A or B from taking part in the National Council," he said.

It has been decided that only permanent members of the council will participate in the decision-making meeting tomorrow in order to avoid outside influences.

Communist party Akel said in an announcement yesterday that the National Council should continue under its present format.

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Saturday, September 11, 1999

[04] Disy backs Anastassiades in dispute with rebels

The party held an extraordinary meeting on Wednesday evening to discuss the ongoing row between Anastassiades and dissident deputies Prodromos Prodromou and Demetris Syllouris.

Prodromou and Syllouris have irked the party leader by publicly expressing concerns that President Clerides had handed too much power to junior government partners the United Democrats (UD). The UD were given two cabinet seats in last month's reshuffle, which means they now hold four key government positions.

The rebels said they feared giving so much power to the UD was an indication that Clerides was inclining towards the less hardline Cyprus problem approach favoured by UD leader and former President George Vassiliou.

The row over the reshuffle descended into open argument between Anastassiades and the deputies. The Disy leader banished Prodromou from the Disy political office.

Disy issued an announcement yesterday detailing the decisions taken at Wednesday's big meeting.

Unsurprisingly, the statement made plain that Clerides was not veering from the hardline Cyprus problem line that he promised during his election campaign.

The party also called on all members to respect party regulations and the party leader -- a direct reference to the outspokenness of rebels Prodromou and Syllouris.

Expressing personal opinions was fine, but this should be done while respecting party and democratic principles, Disy added.

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Saturday, September 11, 1999

[05] Police promise inquiry over Paphos road carnage

POLICE Chief Andreas Angelides yesterday appointed a committee to investigate Wednesday's tragic accident near Paphos in which five people died and over ten were injured.

The accident happened when a truck loaded with building materials careered out of control along a two kilometre stretch of road starting in Mesoyi, smashing into five other vehicles before overturning on Evagoras Avenue in Paphos.

Ten-year old Demetris Papageorgiou, from Tsada village, and Alexandra Economidou, aged 5 from Paphos, were killed when the lorry ploughed into the vehicles in which they were travelling with their parents.

A German couple, Gerhardt and Geb Richier Hahn and their 19-year-old son Jens, staying at Goudi village, were also killed in their vehicle before the lorry overturned and came to a halt.

Yesterday, Alexandra's mother Katy Economidou, 24, who is said to be pregnant, and the lorry driver, Turkish Cypriot Hassan Ayier, 27, were transferred to Nicosia General hospital due to the severity of their injuries.

Stavroulla Papageorgiou, 49, the mother of the dead boy, and her other son Constaninos, 13, are still in Paphos hospital along with Alexandra's father Kyriacos Economides, 30, and Kyriacos Xenofontos, 36, the co-driver of the lorry.

Three others who were slightly injured have been treated and released from hospital.

Police said it was not certain how Ayier had lost control of the vehicle, but they are looking at the possibility that the lorry's brakes failed. Unconfirmed reports yesterday said Ayier had lost an eye in a previous accident a year ago.

Communications and Works Minister Averof Neophytou said yesterday all measures would be taken to prevent such an accident ever happening again.

He said new laws would be passed on speed limits for trucks and other forms of public transport, and that the way licences were granted would also be examined as would the possibility of stricter checks on vehicles.

Asked why there had been such a delay in setting up centres for vehicle inspection, Neophytou admitted that not enough people had yet been hired to carry out the work.

He said the centres would be in operation by next year and that 21 inspectors had been hired. The Public Works Department and the police would also look into increasing the number of exit lanes on dangerous stretches of road, he added.

"We are talking about a complete overhaul," Neophytou said.

Deputy chief of traffic police Andreas Papas said the Chief of Police had appointed a special committee to examine the condition of the truck that caused Wednesday's accident.

He said police considered it to be one of the worst accidents in Cyprus in recent years.

Commenting on the accident, Diko deputy Nicos Pittokopitis told CyBC that the necessary exit roads could be built for a just few thousand pounds "so we wouldn't have to mourn for the dead so often".

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Saturday, September 11, 1999

[06] Improved EU-Turkish relations will help Cyprus

Speaking after a meeting with new Communications Minister Averof Neophytou, Clay said that the EU wanted to improved its relations with Turkey and that the Helsinki summit at the end of the year would decide whether to make Turkey a candidate country.

He said improved EU-Turkey ties could not be directly connected to a solution of the Cyprus problem, but that an improved relationship between the two, and specifically between Greece and Turkey, would contribute to a better environment for progress on the Cyprus problem.

Clay also said he could not confirm reports that the EU would be negotiating the Cyprus problem directly with Turkey, rather than through Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash as has been suggested in recent days.

He said efforts to solve the Cyprus problem fell mostly under the auspices of the United Nations, and that the EU supported these efforts.

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Saturday, September 11, 1999

[07] Ministry hits back at 'stubborn' fish farm

THE AGRICULTURE Ministry yesterday tried to turn the tables on a fish farm firm charging it with wanton ineptitude.

The ministry claimed the company, Lapertas Fisheries Ltd, was the victim of its own stubborn inflexibility.

A long-running row between ministry and fish farm came to a head on Wednesday when an oil tanker arrived in Vasiliko bay, where the firm has its holding pens moored.

The tanker, the Protank Orinoco, was still in the cove yesterday, offloading crude oil for the recently completed first section of the new Vasiliko power station.

Both Lapertas Fisheries and the ministry agree the tanker poses a threat to the fish farm and its employees and that the holding pens must be moved to a new location.

In fact, relocation, in principal, was agreed to three years ago -- the argument is over where the pens should go.

On Wednesday, the company complained that the authorities were leading them a merry dance, failing to deliver on their own suggestions for alternative sites while ignoring relevant proposals put forward by the firm.

The government hit back yesterday, the Agriculture Ministry issuing a statement giving its side of the story.

The two fish farms originally in the bay had been given ample warning to move, and one of them had done so with no questions asked, the ministry stated.

But Lapertas Fisheries was refusing to move, rejecting out of hand all the sites proposed by the state and adopting "stalling and non-cooperative tactics," the ministry stated.

"The result of these tactics was that, two years ago, the Ports Authority did not renew the licence for use of the specific (Vasiliko) site, and therefore, neither the licence for the fish farm in question," the ministry stated.

The firm claims the ministry gave up on one alternative site after fishermen objected, proposed another site that was unsuitable because of high winds and strong currents and rejected all the alternatives put forward by the company.

The ministry said it had warned the fish farm it would accept no responsibility for any damages caused by the oil tanker, but added that measures had been taken to protect the holding pens.

© Copyright Cyprus Mail 1999

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