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Sunday, 22 December 2024
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Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English, 02-10-30Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation at <http://www.cybc.com.cy/>CONTENTS
[01] HEADLINES-- US State Department Special Coordinator for Cyprus Tomas Weston said here today it is clear ''that we are having a period where we really do have a very good possibility'' for a just and durable settlement to the Cyprus problem.-- UN Secretary General's Special Adviser on Cyprus Alvaro De Soto was received this morning by Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides. -- Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis will inform Greek political party leaders on the decisions taken at the European Council in Brussels and the latest developments on the Cyprus problem. -- Attorney-General Alecos Markides said the plan for a Cyprus settlement, expected to be submitted by the UN Secretary-General is almost ready. -- Israel's parliament decided today to delay by four hours a vote on the 2003 state budget as lawmakers renewed efforts to avert a coalition crisis threatened by the centre-left Labour Party. And, -- German medical experts said today Russia probably used an anaesthetic called halothane to knock out Chechen rebels holding hundreds captive in a Moscow theatre. [02] WESTON CLERIDESUS State Department Special Coordinator for Cyprus Tomas Weston said here today it is clear ''that we are having a period where we really do have a very good possibility'' for a just and durable settlement to the Cyprus problem.Mr. Weston, who was received this morning by Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides, reiterated the US commitment ''to do everything we can do to assure a good outcome.'' [03] DE SOTO ANKARAUN Secretary General's Special Adviser on Cyprus Alvaro De Soto was received this morning by Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides.Mr. De Soto did not make any statements after the Presidential Palace meeting. He leaves tonight for Ankara, via Athens, where he will hold talks tomorrow with Turkish government officials. On Friday, he will fly on to New York to brief the UN Secretary General on his meetings in Ankara and in Athens, where he met earlier this month with Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou. [04] SIMITISGreek Prime Minister Costas Simitis will inform Greek political party leaders on the decisions taken at the European Council in Brussels and the latest developments on the Cyprus problem.The Premier is also expected to inform them about the plan for a Cyprus settlement which the UN Secretary-General is expected to submit soon. [05] MARKIDES PLANAttorney-General Alecos Markides said the plan for a Cyprus settlement, expected to be submitted by the UN Secretary-General is almost ready.In statements to CyBC, Mr Markides said that it is a detailed plan which is updated daily with new elements. He said the main issue is when the Secretary-General will decide to submit it. The Attorney-General rejected reports that it will be a "take it or leave it" plan, adding that what is important is the UN have the political will and desire to secure an agreement on an agreement which will come into effect before the Copenhagen European Council. Regarding the ad hoc committees, set up in New York earlier this month by the UN, Mr Markides said they will not be able to begin work in the next two weekis and that the Turkish side has not appointed any members. He further said that if the plan is submitted and Rauf Denktash is unable to attend the direct talks because of health reasons, then the talks might take the form of proximity negotiations. [06] DENKTASH HEALTHTurkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash is expecting the results of medical tests which will determine when he will be able to return to the Turkish occupied north of Cyprus.According to his doctor Cetin Erol and Mr. Denktash's associate Ergun Olgun, the Turkish Cypriot leader might return next week since his health is continuously improving. Mr. Olgun reminded that doctors said Mr. Denktash can resume his duties only eight weeks after the first operation on October 7. He also said that after Mr. Denktash returns to the occupied parts, he will decide to appoint the Turkish Cypriot members of the UN ad hoc committees, who together with their Greek Cypriot colleagues will undertake the legal aspects of a Cyprus settlement. Mr Olgun will meet next week in New York with US State Department Coordinator Thomas WEston while UN Secretary-General's Special Advisor, Alvaro de Soto will visit Mr. Denktash. [07] ISRAEL CABINETIsrael's parliament decided today to delay by four hours a vote on the 2003 state budget as lawmakers renewed efforts to avert a coalition crisis threatened by the centre-left Labour Party.Labour had threatened to vote against the spending plan and exit Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's "national unity" government over a row on funding for Jewish settlements. Government chairman Zeev Boim, from Sharon's right-wing Likud party, said the request for a delay came from Likud and Labour officials as they renewed efforts to avert the crisis. Israeli media said President Moshe Katzav, who holds a largely ceremonial role, made a last-ditch appeal to Mr. Sharon and the Labour leader, Defence Minister Ben-Eliezer, to keep their right-left "national unity" coalition together. Israeli media said the two were expected to meet today to discuss a compromise. [08] IRAQSignaling progress, the United States and France moved closer to agreement in the U.N. Security Council, with Washington conceding the need to consult the world body before any attack against Iraq.France, which has organized the main resistance to a tough U.S.-British draft resolution, still wants the council to vote before any possible military strike against Iraq. Diplomats said yesterday that Paris was seriously considering new U.S. compromise language and discussing it with others who share its views. The United States has drafted a resolution, co-sponsored by Britain, that broadens the rights of U.N. inspectors searching for any of Iraq's chemical, biological, nuclear or ballistic weapons programs after a nearly four-year hiatus. France, Russia, China and other nations consider "material breach" a hidden "trigger" that would allow Washington to attack Iraq, overthrow President Saddam Hussein and then contend the United Nations had authorized it. [09] GERMANY RUSSIAGerman medical experts said today Russia probably used an anaesthetic called halothane to knock out Chechen rebels holding hundreds captive in a Moscow theatre."It is probably an anaesthetic called halothane," said a Munich coroner at a media conference after medical experts in the southern German city had conducted tests on the two German hostages. "The material was detected in one of the two German hostages," the coroner said, adding that it is possible a second unidentified material was also deployed. According to Eberhard Koch, another medical expert at the news conference, it could not be ruled out that the halothane had been administered to the freed hostages in Moscow hospitals after the siege as an antidote to whatever gas was used. All but two of the 117 hostages who died were killed by the mystery gas used by Russian special forces on Saturday to end a three-day siege. The two Germans were treated in a Munich university clinic and have since been released from hospital. [10] WEATHERThis afternoon, the weather will be clear with some passing cloud. Winds will be south-easterly to south-westerly light to moderate, three to four beaufort. The sea will be slight.Tomorrow, the weather will remain mainly clear with north-easterly to north-westerly light winds, two to three beaufort. The sea will be slight. Temperatures will fall to 13 C inland, 15 C on the coasts and nine over the mountains. The fire hazard remains very high in all forest areas. Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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