Cyprus Mail: Press Review in English, 97-10-10

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

Friday, October 10, 1997

Villagers silent about murder

THE MURDER of a 60-year-old farmer in Kilani village was the lead story in most of the papers, which expressed unanimous shock at the brutality of the crime.

Although there were differences of opinion about the murder weapon, some reports claiming it was a meat cleaver and others an axe, there seemed to be unanimity over its cause.

Alithia said the victim had argued in the past with several fellow villagers over land. It also said that, according to people in the area, the victim had been heard rowing with someone before the murder was committed. However all villagers kept silent about the incident, refusing to divulge any information about the identity of the attacker.

Simerini said that Kilani residents had insisted that the murderer was from another village. The paper added that the cause of the row was a five-foot passage outside the victim's shed. The victim had barred people from using the path. Police have arrested another villager who was involved in a dispute over land with the victim, the paper said.

Phileleftheros said foreign mediators, as well as the Cyprus government, expected "positive developments" in the issues of the missing and the military dialogue, meanwhile. Mediators believe that some progress in these field would deflect attention away from the Russian S-300 missiles, which in turn would defuse tension.

Agon said that even foreign diplomats based in Cyprus had restricted their actions on the peace efforts and had made the presidential elections their priority. Western diplomats, in particular, were meeting party leaders in order to establish what deals would be struck in February's elections, it said. They were certain that President Clerides would seek re-election and that Diko and Disy would again set up an electoral alliance.

Machi claimed that two leading Akel deputies, Nicos Katsourides and Andreas Christou, had distanced themselves from the candidacy of George Iacovou. The two do not want to be credited with the failure of Iacovou, given the disappointing opinion poll forecasts, and want Akel leader Demetris Christofias to shoulder the responsibility.

Haravghi, under the triumphant headline "Change is a certainty", said that more and more business people were voicing their support for Iacovou's candidacy. It added that Iacovou is the right person to rectify all the errors committed by the present government.

© Copyright 1997 Cyprus Mail

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