Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English, 00-03-20

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

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

CONTENTS

MONDAY 20 MARCH 2000

[01] HEADLINES

[02] CLERIDES SOLANA

[03] RUSSIA AMBASSADOR

[04] Spokes EU

[05] PAPHOS MET

[06] ANDREAS DONORS

[07] PYLA FLAG

[08] CYPRUS STOCK EXCHANGE

[09] TAILER

[10] WEATHER

[01] HEADLINES

This week's visit to Cyprus by the EU Commissioner on Expansion is expected to lend new impetus to the island's accession course;

Russia's new ambassador to Cyprus will officially assume duties on Thursday;

Rumours of an imminent schism within the Church of Cyprus are refuted;

Efforts to find a compatible donor for a six-year-old leukaemia sufferer continue;

Turkish-Cypriot residents of Pyla raise a storm in a teacup;

The Cyprus Stock Exchange remained stable today, albeit at low levels;

and...

Belgium plans to follow the example of Cyprus and other countries.

[02] CLERIDES SOLANA

Speaking after a meeting with Greek Foreign Ministry functionaries, President Clerides stressed that the Greek-Cypriot side's efforts constantly revolve around this goal and fall within the parameters prescribed by the UN Security Council in its resolutions on Cyprus. He also mentioned that any digression from the current approach would present the Turkish side with the opportunity to lay the responsibility for any failure in attempts towards a solution on the Greek-Cypriot side.

Cyprus' President also openly wondered whether what is truly sought is a federal solution or something else, and noted that previous policies made a clear distinction between the feasible and the desireable. He went on to say that while he personally would like to see a single, unified state, the only feasible solution ensuring the island's future is that of federation.

As regards relations between Greece and Cyprus, the President of the Republic emphasised that the path to be followed so that the Cyprus Issue does not flounder is one providing for close co-operation and joint positioning on all matters.

[03] Spokes EU

Mr Papapetrou went on to say that the EU Commissioner's visit will focus on work completed to date, while also including a new attempt to involve the Turkish-Cypriot community in the accession negotiations.

Expressing the Government's appreciation of recent statements by Mr Verheugen that the sole representative of the island at the accession talks is the legally-elected government of the Republic of Cyprus, Spokesman Papapetrou clarified that the invitation extended to the Turkish-Cypriot community will not be modified, adding the reminder that it was described by the international community as both generous and daring.

[04] RUSSIA AMBASSADOR

As stated to the Cyprus News Agency by the Russian Embassy's Press Spokesman Vladimir Zatsebin, Ambassador Pavlinov arrived on the island in order to assume his new duties last Friday.

Vladimir Alexandrovich Pavlinov was born in 1937 and graduated from the Moscow State Institute for International Relations in 1964. His previous postings abroad include Pakistan, Britain, the Philippines and Russia's Permanent Delegation to International Organisations based in Vienna. As of 1997 and until his appointment to Cyprus, Ambassador Pavlinov served as second-in-command at the Security and Disarmament Section of the Russian Federation's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

[05] PAPHOS MET

Speaking on CyBC's Third Radio Channel, Bishop Chrysostomos also said that he does not in any way set himself apart from the rest of the clergy, and that during liturgy he routinely makes mention of both the Archbishop and the other hierarchs, a fact which, he added, attests to his spirit of brotherhood and the synodic nature of the Church.

Referring to previous absences from other high liturgies, the Paphos Metropolitan said that the matter was raised at Holy Synod meetings by the Bishop of Kitium, and clear answers have already been given, rendering the issue closed and definitely not for public consumption.

In closing, Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Paphos once again stateed that he is not in the least interested in assuming the archepiscopal throne, adding that the work he has within his own see is more than enough.

[06] ANDREAS DONORS

In addition to the eight-and-a-half thousand individuals who rushed to sampling centres islandwide over the last few days, efforts to find a donor are also being made through the World Blood Bank, with some six-and-a-half million samples having been tested to date. It's considered more likely though that a compatible donor will be found in Cyprus, due to haematological concordance.

Sampling, from anybody between the ages of 18 and 45, will continue at the Ayia Napa Town Hall tomorrow, and at the Dherynia Municipal Library on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, President of the Republic Glafkos Clerides praised the public spirit exhibited by the Cypriot people, and openly thanked all those who sped to help young Andreas, also expressing the hope that the six-year-old boy will be given an extention on life until more positive therapy can be pursued.

[07] PYLA FLAG

According to UNFICYP sources, the local Turkish-Cypriot leader reported that the Turkish flag usually hoisted over his community's elementary school was removed during the night by Greek-Cypriot provocateurs, and also told the illegally-operating Bayrak radio station that "his people" were up in arms over the incident.

Further investigations however, held by Turkish-Cypriot security personnel, failed to come up with any fingerprints on either the flagpole or the flag itself, which was found at some distance from the school, and it was concluded that the wayward national emblem was actually swept away by last night's strong winds, after being drenched and weighted down by rain.

[08] CYPRUS STOCK EXCHANGE

Today's General Price Index remained stable at a low 507 units, while the total volume of trading dropped slightly to just over 19-and-a-half million pounds, as compared to Friday's 20 million.

Speaking on CyBC's daily play-by-play coverage of the Stock Exchange, broker Theodoulos Charalambides expressed the opinion that in order for the announced measures to have tangible results, there should first be a further relaxing of credit limitations imposed by the Central Bank on share-purchase loans.

[09] TAILER

The news was carried by Belgian media, which cited the country's cabinet as backing a proposal from Transport Minister Isabelle Durant to force drivers to use headphones or a hands-free system following evidence that chatting into a hand-held set greatly increases the risk of accidents.

Belgium's highways are reputed to be among the most frightening in Europe thanks to the "priorite a droite" convention which gives vehicles from the right priority even if they are joining a main thoroughfare from a small side street. In addition, motoring associations estimate that half of the country's drivers exceed the speed limit, with almost two-thirds doing so by a large margin.

The government's plan must now work its way through the legislative process, which is expected to delay things until around September. Belgium's police already have powers to warn drivers if they are thought to be driving dangerously while on the telephone.

It would appear that little Cyprus, at the other corner of Europe, is one step ahead of Belgium, at least in this respect!

[10] WEATHER

Generally fair conditions are also forecast for tonight, with winds abating to light northwesterlies, 2-3BF, on slight seas, and temperatures dropping to 7C inland, 9C in coastal regions and 2C on the higher reaches of the Troodos mountains.

The depth of snow on Mount Olympus is 25cm, and 10cm in Troodos Square.

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