Cyprus Mail: Press Review in English, 98-12-23

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

Wednesday, December 23, 1998

'Dinos is clean'

THE FOCUS of yesterday's papers was on the Attorney-General's decision that Interior Minister Dinos Michaelides is innocent of any criminal activity. Paphos Bishop Chrysostomos also made the front pages after a run-in with a reporter following a meeting of the Holy Synod - Chrysostomos was said to be displeased when the Synod decided that his allegations against a clergyman were unfounded while his charges against another would be further.

Haravghi led with the five-hour Synod meeting, claiming that the Archbishop had been left exposed by the Synod's decision. The paper continued that last Thursday, Archbishop Chrysostomos had said that the Greek former-nun who had informed his Paphos namesake, was not a trustworthy source of information. The defrocked nun had told Bishop Chrysostomos that elder Iosif had had sexual relations with young girls and nuns in Paphos 17 years ago. But after Monday's meeting of the Holy Synod, the Archbishop called for more investigations into the ex-nun's allegations. After the Synod, Bishop Chrysostomos refused to speak to the press and was filmed throwing a journalist's microphone on the ground.

Machi ran the headline, "Dinos is clean." The paper continued that a "great scandal chapter" had been closed. The article said that House Watchdog Committee chairman Christos Pourgourides was now exposed as he had just that morning said that if his allegations were found to be baseless, he would resign. Front page attention was also given to an exclusive on the Hambis Aeroporos murder. The paper said that a former high ranking policeman had provided Hambis's killers with their weapons.

Simerini chose to lead on the Cyprus Problem, saying that the USA had rejected calls for Turkey's withdrawal form Cyprus. The paper said that, according to its sources, the USA would not accept a Security Council resolution calling for the withdrawal of foreign troops, including the Turks, from Cyprus. The paper continued that their sources believed the American and British sides would demand a continuation of the shuttle-talks between UN permanent representative to Cyprus Dame Ann Hercus, President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash.

Phileleftheros expressed the opinion that Turkey would not be mentioned in the UN resolutions on Cyprus. The paper supports this belief with diplomatic sources saying that Ankara would not be involved in any procedure for lowering of tension. This is because of the lack of government in Turkey, the paper says.

Alithia differed with the exclusive headline "Strengthening on the National Guard with 41 more T-80Us." The report quoted sources as saying that the National Guard had purchased 41 Russian T-80U tanks. The same sources, the paper said, put the tanks' cost at £85 million.

© Copyright Cyprus Mail 1998

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