Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English, 99-12-17

Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

CONTENTS

FRIDAY 17 DECEMBER 1999

[01] HEADLINES

[02] CLERIDES AMBASSADORS

[03] PAPAPETROU

[04] KASOULIDES

[05] TELECOMMUNICATIONS

[06] KASOULIDES

[07] STOCK EXCHANGE

[08] CIVIL SERVANTS

[09] RUSSIA

[10] MIDEAST TALKS

[11] HIZBOLLAH

[12] WORLD IN BRIEF

[13] REPTILE

[14] Weather

[01] HEADLINES

--- Russian warplanes bombed Grozny today.

--- Talks between Israel and Syria ended with an agreement to return to the United States next month.

--- Hizbollah said it would not shell settlements in northern Israel in retaliation for a mortar attack on a Lebanese school.

and

--- A philosophy doctorate student has had his teeth sharpened, bumps implanted into his forehead and green scales tattooed all over, in a bid to become a reptile.

[02] CLERIDES AMBASSADORS

The meetings took place after information that Turkey and Turkish Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktash, were promoting changes for UNFICYP, just two days after the Force's mandate was renewed.

The context of the meetings was not announced.

Ankara and Mr. Denktash supported that UNFICYP needed a separate agreement with the illegal regime in the north, in order to maintain its troops on the island.

Turkish Cypriot newspaper "Kibirs" quoted diplomatic sources as saying that the UNFICYP Commander or a representative of the Force would be summoned to the so-called "foreign ministry" of the pseudostate, to sign a contract, setting the conditions by which UNFICYP troops would act in the Turkish occupied areas.

[03] PAPAPETROU

Mr. Papapetrou said that the President would inform the National Council on the talks.

He also said that President Clerides made clear that he would not accept a confederation solution to the Cyprus problem.

Mr. Papapetrou added that President Clerides negotiated and struggled for a bi-zonal, bi-regional federation and continues to do so, which is why he will attend the second round of talks in January.

[04] KASOULIDES

Mr. Kasoulides will brief Mr. Papandreou on the results of the first round of proximity talks on the Cyprus problem.

On his part, Mr. Papandreou will brief Mr. Kasoulides on the European Union Helsinki Summit decisions.

[05] TELECOMMUNICATIONS

To this end, it has set out an emergency plan to tackle the Y2K problem, which will come into effect on new year's eve, and will apply on all other dates considered to be dangerous.

CYTA announced that an operation centre will be working on those days, extra staff would be on duty at vital points, and other personnel would be standby.

[06] KASOULIDES

Mr. Kasoulides will brief Mr. Papandreou on the results of the first round of proximity talks on the Cyprus problem.

On his part, Mr. Papandreou will brief Mr. Kasoulides on the European Union Helsinki Summit decisions.

[07] STOCK EXCHANGE

The volume of dealings also dropped to 25 million pounds

[08] CIVIL SERVANTS

The Ministry of Finance issued a statement saying that the strike was unjustified, because the civil servants are demanding promotion to positions that do not exist.

[09] RUSSIA

Thousands of civilians remained in the city trapped in cellars. Most of them were ethnic Russians or elderly people.

Rebel fighters and residents were quoted as saying that there had been fighting near the scene of Wednesday's clashes in the east of the city and in several other districts as well, making it impossible for civilians to leave.

[10] MIDEAST TALKS

The upcoming talks are likely to focus on a land-for-peace deal addressing Syria's demand for the return of the Golan Heights, under Israeli occupation since 1967.

US President Bill Clinton will be available to both parties, as he was to the Israelis and Palestinians when they negotiated the Wye River land-for-security deal in Maryland in 1998.

[11] HIZBOLLAH

But Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, leader of the Iranian-backed group, warned Israel that the guerrillas had lost patience and had the right to reply to any further attacks on civilians.

Fifteen schoolchildren were wounded yesterday in the southern village of Arab Salim when a mortar bomb fired by the South Lebanon Army militia mortars hit their school and three other mortar bombs exploded around it.

The attack raised fears that Hizbollah would shell Israeli setllements in retaliation, complicating this week's Syrian-Israeli peace talks in Washington.

[12] WORLD IN BRIEF

- - - -

China, flushed with pride and nationalistic sentiment, began the countdown to regaining control of Macau, an event expected to be followed by intensified pressure on stubborn Taiwan to return to the fold.

- - - -

US and German officials met to seal a historic agreement to compensate Nazi-era slave workers, but officials acknowledged the deal was still plagued by last-minute wrangling over cash.

- - - -

British cabinet minister responsible for Northern Ireland, Peter Mandelson, made clear that as peace efforts intensify he would like the security forces to adopt a lower profile in the British province.

- - - -

Former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl broke two weeks of silence with a dramatic confession he made mistakes by taking secret campaign donations in an affair badly staining his image as a European statesman.

- - - -

Torrential rains and mudslides have killed at least 137 people in Venezuela's capital Caracas and along its scenic Caribbean coastline in the country's worst natural disaster in 50 years.

- - - -

French President Jacques Chirac said that unanimity on Iraqi policy in the UN Security Council would be the best way of getting Baghdad to agree to a resumption of arms inspections.

- - - -

Cambodia will approve a law next week to set up a tribunal for leaders of the Khmer Rouge "killing fields" regime in the 1970s.

- - - -

International donors agreed to provide East Timor 520 million dollars in aid, paving the way for the devastated territory to rebuild its infrastructure and achieve independence in two to three years.

- - - -

A new UN-ordered report said that the United Nations was timid, disorganised and misguided before and during the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, ignoring signs that massacres were planned and failing to intervene once they had started.

[14] REPTILE

Sprague has had his teeth sharpened, bumps implanted into his forehead and green scales or swirls tattooed across his face and body in his quest to become a reptile.

Sprague claims he is one of five people in the world who have undergone what he calls "single-theme conversions" and appear in circus side shows.

The others have appeared as a zebra, tiger, leopard and a gigantic blue puzzle known as "The Enigma." He is the first to choose a reptile.

He does not consider himself odd, he says, because many people tattoo themselves.

Sprague counts sword-swallowing, fire-breathing, tapping nails into his nose and piercing needles into his cheeks among his other talents.

He also picks up bar stools with ropes attached to his ears and swings them around. Another of his tricks is to lift car batteries with chains attached to his nipples.

He is also scheduled to appear on television.

[14] Weather

Winds will be northeasterly to southeasterly, light to moderate, three to four beaufort, and the sea will be moderate in windward areas.

Tonight will be mainly clear.

Winds will be northwesterly to northeasterly, light, three beaufort, on moderate seas.

Temperatures will drop to 9 degrees inland and to 11 along the coast.

Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article