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Cyprus Mail: News Articles in English, 99-10-06

Cyprus Mail: News Articles in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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


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Wednesday, October 6, 1999

<h1 style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso-hyphenate: none">‘Timing of talks shouldn’t alter’<o:p> </o:p> _ <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none">THE government does not want any change in the timetable for the resumption of direct talks originally slated to take place this month or early next month in New York.<o:p> </o:p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none">Government spokesman Michalis Papapetrou said yesterday they have not received any information about a deviation of the schedule for talks, despite the disappointment of efforts in New York last month to secure a timetable.<o:p> </o:p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none">"The timing of the new initiative is very important for us, " he said. "We do not wish to see this timetable shifted and we will do our best to avert such a development".<o:p> </o:p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none">The government is thought to be concerned that the Turkish side is trying to have the talks shifted closer to the EU Helsinki summit in December.<o:p> </o:p> During last month's New York contacts the Turkish side hinted that progress could be made on the Cyprus issue if Turkey is looked on favourably as a candidate for EU accession at the summit. A:hover {color: #800000; font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold}

Wednesday, October 6, 1999

CONTENTS

  • [01] Maritime industry being 'Targeted unfairly'
  • [02] <span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter- spacing: -.15pt">By Jean Christou<o:p></o:p></span>
  • [03] Village foundry linked to health problems.
  • [04] Four die in head-on collision.
  • [05] Minister may be sued for contempt in dolphin case.
  • [06] Stock Exchange back to it's winning ways.
  • [07] F-16s in live fire Nikiforos exercise
  • [08] Motorist can expect petrol price rise soon.
  • [09] <span style="letter-spacing:-.15pt">Underworld probe 'will go all the way'</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt"><o:p></o:p></span>
  • [10] Green urge protest over Salamis dig.
  • [11] Winter tourism plan postponed

  • [01] Maritime industry being 'Targeted unfairly'

    [02] By Jean Christou<o:p></o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">INTERNATIONAL shipowners yesterday said the global maritime industry is being choked by legislation and unfairly targeted as the culprits for all ills in the sector.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">Addressing some 1,000 delegates from 35 countries at the final day of the bi-annual Maritime Cyprus Conference in Limassol, shipowners outlined the problems the industry faces entering the new millennium.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">Marine pollution is one area in which shipowners, particularly tanker operators, feel victimised. The other is the seemingly never-ending criticism of open registries, or Flags of Convenience (FoC) under which some 50 per cent of all global tonnage is registered.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">Shipowners also said operators are being buried by paperwork at port-state control, and often unnecessary ship detentions.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">Mark Dickinson, Assistant General Secretary of The International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) told delegates that within the next two years national flag states would also be assessed for operating substandard vessels. The criteria for this are due to be ready next month.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">Flag states already earmarked for scrutiny include Turkey, Romania, Ukraine and Russia, he said.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">Dickinson, a lone defender among a majority of shipowners of the ITF's targeting of flags of convenience, admitted that so far its policy has been a "spectacular" failure. ITF has 27 flag states on its list of FoCs including Cyprus.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">"I believe firmly that the ITF has always been right on the ills of the FoC system and I don't believe anyone is prepared to ignore evidence that is there for all to see," he said.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">But David Dearsley, Deputy Secretary-general of the International Shipping federation (ISF) rubbished the ITF's New Delhi Policy on FoCs, a 1998 review of the 1948 Oslo campaign.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">He said the ITF uses its power to declare FoCs as a means to create a hit-list of flag states which don't comply with national union demands.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">"The Delhi policy contains the catch-all provision that the ITF Fair Practices Commission has the right unilaterally to declare any register as FoC," Dearsley said.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">"There is no sign of real determination to move away from the old policy of confrontation with good employers in order to target the bad."<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">Dagfinn Lunde, Managing Director of Intertanko, said too many ships were being targeted by port state control, often influenced by a flag's reputation as a flag of convenience.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">"Sometimes there is a reason for the detention and sometimes you wonder," he said.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">Lunde, who spoke on latest developments in the tanker industry, focused part of his address on pollution.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">He said only 35 per cent of all pollution is caused by shipping vessels. Seven per cent of this is attributed to tanker operations, three per cent to tanker accidents, and 15 per cent to other shipping services.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">"Shipping is not as big a culprit as people think," he said.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">His claim was backed up by George Tsavliris, the president of the Cyprus Marine Environment Protection Association (Cymepa).<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">"Despite its failings, shipping has been unfairly demonised by society at large and used as a scapegoat by elected legislators and public officials the world over," he said. "What they themselves have done in the name of the marine environment is equally depressing."<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">Statistics proved that three quarters of marine oil pollution comes from industrial waste and other land-based sources, he added.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">But Tsavliris said for shipowners "compliance is now the name of the game" and that the industry is being controlled by "shock therapy" such as huge fines and threats of imprisonment instead of receiving the necessary education and training on the prevention of marine accidents.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"> </o:p>

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    Wednesday, October 6, 1999

    [03] Village foundry linked to health problems.

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">By Martin Hellicar<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">UNUSUALLY high incidences of cancer and breathing problems in a Nicosia district village are being linked to the presence of a polluting foundry in the area.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">After hearing from a medical expert and local residents yesterday, the House Environment Committee suggested the metal works at Ergates be closed down until it can reduce its emissions to acceptable levels. Emissions of poisonous heavy metals from the foundry are routinely six times higher than safe levels, the committee heard.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">"There are most significantly increased levels of heavy metals -- lead and cadmium -- in the soil in residential areas at Ergates," epidemiologist Michalis Voniatis told the committee.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">"This leads us to conclude that pollution from the foundry is great enough to be a cause of concern both for the local residents and us scientists," the expert said. <o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">In June, Voniatis conducted an epidemiological study in the Ergates area, at the request of the village authority.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">The scientist told the committee that he had found that one in three children in the village suffered from breathing problems, and the incidence of cancers among the residents was also much higher than normal.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">Voniatis said the kind of cancers encountered in the area -- of the lungs, brain, pancreas and kidneys -- was usually associated with environmental pollution. <o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">Both the air and, in particular, the soil in the village were heavily polluted with toxic lead and cadmium, the committee heard.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">Measurements have shown emissions from the foundry are alarmingly high. Levels for heavy metals have, in some instances, been recorded as 20 times the level permitted by the EU, Voniatis said. Levels are routinely six times those allowed in the EU, the committee heard.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">Residents complained to the committee that a government proposal for cutting pollution from the factory was nowhere near tough enough. The whole situation was "completely unacceptable", a representative for the villagers said.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">Committee chairman Demetris Eliades said this was a "very worrying" public health problem.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">"The committee is considering suggesting that the works be closed down until it is able to meet emission limits set by the EU," Eliades said. <o:p> </o:p>

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    Wednesday, October 6, 1999

    [04] Four die in head-on collision.

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none">FOUR elderly British tourists were killed yesterday in a horrific collision on the new Dhekelia-Famagusta road.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none">The two men and two women, married couples aged 55 and 60 and whose names have not yet been officially released, were driving their rental car towards Ayia Napa when the crash took place at about 3pm.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none">Their car is reported to have veered into the right lane and hit two cars coming in the opposite direction.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none">The first car was driven by Kyriacos Avram, from Yermasoyia, and the second by Andreas Assiotis from Larnaca, who was injured during the accident.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none">Sovereign Base Area police say they are investigating the conditions of the accident.<o:p> </o:p>

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    Wednesday, October 6, 1999

    [05] Minister may be sued for contempt in dolphin case.

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">By Anthony O. Miller<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">PARLIAMENT yesterday edged closer to suing Agriculture Minister Costas Themistocleous for "contempt of Parliament" for refusing to give the House Environment Committee a copy of his memo urging the Council of Ministers to let Ayia Napa Marine Park (ANMP) import more dolphins.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">"The committee said there is an unjustified denial by the Minister and the staff of his ministry to deliver to the committee the documents we asked for. This is a contempt of Parliament. They are ignoring the law," Environment Committee Chairman Demetris Eliades told the Cyprus Mail yesterday.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">"We made a report to the Plenum suggesting they send the case to the Attorney-general for criminal prosecution... against the Minister, the (ministry's) general secretary, and the director of the Environment Department," Eliades said.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">The memo in question was sent by Themistocleous to the Council of Ministers sometime before the its April 21 meeting. Minutes of that meeting show the Council decided to let ANMP import four more dolphins, despite the death of its first four Black Sea dolphins under conditions that some marine biologists have characterised as abusive and brutal.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">Eliades' committee opposed the Cabinet's grant of a new dolphin permit to ANMP and demanded a copy of the memo. Themistocleous refused, insisting it was privileged cabinet material.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">Eliades said that since Themistocleous sent the memo to the Cabinet before its ANMP-dolphin decision, it was merely a communique from a minister to the cabinet, and not privileged.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">Besides, he said, "according to the specific law, confidential documents are only those that deal with matters of security, defence or international relations of the country, which is very clear in the law".<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">So yesterday Eliades said his committee formally asked the House plenum to vote on whether or not to ask the Attorney-general to sue Themistocleous, his permanent secretary Symeon Matsis, and Environment Department Director Nicos Georgiades for refusing to hand over Themistocleous' memo.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">"A closed meeting of the plenum has to take place to discuss the report," Eliades said. "I think that the vast majority, except (ruling party) Disy will adopt our report and our suggestions" to ask Attorney-general Alecos Markides to file suit.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">But, he acknowledged, if the plenum vote goes against him, "there is no case".<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">Ayia Napa Marine Park's four Bottlenose Dolphins died between 1994 and 1998, and one of its two seals died last month. The surviving seal was near death from starvation and neglect until tourists' complaints alerted the Department of Veterinary Service, which is now supervising its daily feeding.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">In granting ANMP a dolphin-import permit, the Cabinet violated the letter of two UN treaties -- the CITES treaty of 1973 and the 1982 Berne Convention -- as well as the spirit of European Union Council Regulation 338/97. All cover the treatment of endangered species; dolphins are such a species.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">Themistocleous brushed off these Cabinet treaty breaches, especially the EU regulation, noting Cyprus is not yet a member of the EU and "will not be entering the European Union before two or three years. So, when we will be a member, definitely there will not be such activity."<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">EU Ambassador to Cyprus Donato Chiarini, through spokesman Nicholas Karides, noted the Cabinet's treaty waiver in favour of ANMP "does go against the spirit of harmonisation" of Cyprus law with EU law.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">"But they are not obliged to follow every (EU) Council regulation. They are only obliged to on the day of accession," he said.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">“We will follow this whole affair and see how we can report back to Brussels on how they are abiding by the CITES convention,” Karides added. “The EU will monitor the situation."<o:p> </o:p>

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    Wednesday, October 6, 1999

    [06] Stock Exchange back to it's winning ways.

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none">By Hamza Hendawi<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none">HAVE THE good times returned already? The answer depends on who you talk to on the trading floor of the Cyprus Stock Exchange.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none">Still sagging under the weight of administrative chaos and grappling with a greatly tarnished image, the exchange was back to its winning ways yesterday. <o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none">On the exchange's second day of business after a month- long shutdown, share prices rose by an impressive 8.69 per cent on a volume of £14.56 million. The figures are a vast improvement on Monday's, when the all-share index dropped by 1.27 per cent and volume was a mere £6.8 million. <o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none">But even Monday's slight drop was warmly received by the bourse in view of the widespread expectations that share prices were destined for a sharp fall when the market reopens.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none">The significance of yesterday's rise and Monday's slight fall cannot be underestimated, according to some traders. They cite the fact that thousands of investors remain locked out of the market because they have no documentary proof of their shares, a by-product of the administrative failure that has bedevilled the infant bourse since the boom months of the summer.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none">Additionally, the drop and then the gain in share prices over the past two days, together with yesterday's decent volume, were achieved under a regime designed deliberately to slow down appreciation and reduce volume, the traders said. The measures, which are temporary and primarily aimed at speculators, require investors to present their share certificates before they can sell and to produce money up-front when buying.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none">But some traders warn that the market's performance in the past two days could be misleading, and that a selling wave causing a downward correction remained very much on the cards for the next few weeks.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none">"I don't think you should reach any conclusions about where the market is heading from the events of today and yesterday." cautioned Neophytos Neophytou of AAA United Stockbrokers Ltd. "Perhaps we shall know by the end of next week."<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none">He said many of the investors locked out of the market were in debt and would most probably liquidate their holdings to repay money they owe. He estimated that investors owe brokerages about £20 million and owe banks and co-operatives between £40 and £50 million.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none">"But it is still difficult to predict with accuracy the direction of the market until the end of the year," Neofytou told the Cyprus Mail at the end of yesterday's session. "But the market is getting a lot of media exposure and that may bring in new investors." <o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none">The Bank of Cyprus, the market's engine, rose yesterday by £1.10 to close at £10.08 on a volume of just over £6 million, or 41.6 per cent of the day's entire trade. The share rose by £1 within minutes of the start of trade and was offered for as much as £10.30 barely 20 minutes into the one-hour session.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none">The Popular Bank, the market's second largest title in terms of capitalisation after the Bank of Cyprus, closed up 46 cents at £11.32. <o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none">Hellenic Bank remained suspended due to its four-for-one share split.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none">The sub-index of the entire banking sector rose by 8.39 per cent, but the sector that made the most gains yesterday was that of trading companies, up 18.14 per cent. The sector's three listings -- Nicos Shacolas' Woolworth and Cyprus Trading Corporation, and Orphanides Supermarkets -- closed up 44 cents, 33 cents and 35 cents at £2.76, £2.38 and £2.10 respectively. All other five sectors in the market made gains.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none">The controversy-ridden Louis Cruise Lines also had a good day, notching up 30.50 cents to close at £2.48.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt"> </o:p>

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    Wednesday, October 6, 1999

    [07] F-16s in live fire Nikiforos exercise

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">By George Psyllides<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">GREEK naval forces escorted by fighter planes took part in the Nikiforos military exercise in the sea area between Larnaca and Limassol yesterday.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">President Glafcos Clerides watched the manoeuvres, which he described as “a combination of defensive and offensive actions".<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">The Greek F-16s hit targets in the sea using live ammunition, while a C-130 carrier plane dropped paratroopers. The exercise scenario included repulsing a shore landing, and a counter attack by tanks, armoured vehicles, and multiple rocket launchers to destroy enemy air and land beachheads.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">At the end of the exercise, a Sikorsky helicopter from a Greek frigate carried the president, Defence Minister Socrates Hasikos, and the commander of the National Guard on board the ship.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">Clerides said the participation of Greek forces “provides us with a satisfactory picture of where the republic's defence stands”.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">The Greek navy participated in the exercise with three frigates, a submarine and two missile patrol boats.<span style="font-size:12.0pt; letter-spacing:-.15pt"><o:p> </o:p>

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    Wednesday, October 6, 1999

    [08] Motorist can expect petrol price rise soon.

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none">By Anthony O. Miller<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none">MOTORISTS in Cyprus can expect a price-hike of two or more cents a litre at the pump for both petrol and diesel -- and soon, according to BP’s Cyprus Managing Director, Cyprus George Petrou.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none">That is how much the four oil companies that operate the six petrol brands in Cyprus have suggested the government raise the pump price so they can recover the share of sale proceeds the government agreed they should, he said.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none">A decision on how much and when to raise prices could emerge today from a meeting planned between Commerce and Industry Minister Nicos Rolandis, Finance Minister Takis Klerides and the island's four oil companies. Rolandis already met the oil companies about this on Monday.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none">When both sides agreed upon the oil companies' current share of the pump price, crude oil was nearly half the $23 per barrel it is today, Petrou said. Then the oil companies were reaping windfall profits far above their agreed-upon share, he said.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none">So the government slapped a surcharge on those windfall profits, sending the money to the Defence Fund and the Electric Authority fund.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none">But as the crude oil price rose, the oil companies' agreed profits per litre steadily fell to a point where they actually became a net loss per litre, especially before the windfall surcharge was lifted, Petrou said.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none">He said the government lifted that windfall levy yesterday. (Rolandis on Monday said the levy was being lifted "instantly".) But that will not be enough to get the oil companies in the black by the end of the year, Petrou added.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none">In fact, unless the government raises the pump price by "at least two cents per litre per product", Petrou said, the oil companies will lose £4.2 million by the end of the year.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none">This is because their share of the pump price, as set by the earlier boom-times agreement, will not cover their rising costs, much less give them the profits that shareholders want, he said.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none">Petrou declined to say what part of the pump price was the oil companies' allocation. Instead, he said their pact with the government lets them make "12 per cent return on our equity".<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none">Rolandis conceded the crude-pump price squeeze was such that the oil companies "cannot make the agreed profit at the end of the year. ...We have agreed the figures."<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none">The oil companies, he said, "are pressuring us for a fast increase. ... The price at the pump should go up," he said.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none">Asked if and when that price rise might occur, Rolandis said the answer could come as early as today.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt"> </o:p>

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    Wednesday, October 6, 1999

    [09] Underworld probe 'will go all the way'<o:p></o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">By Martin Hellicar<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">FAMOUS surnames and police badges will be no protection for anyone found guilty of abetting an alleged underworld prostitution scam, the government vowed yesterday.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">On Monday, police chief Andreas Angelides appointed three senior police officers to investigate allegations that members of the force were in cahoots with underworld gangs forcing foreign cabaret artistes into prostitution.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">The police investigation is also expected to cover close relatives of top politicians, including the brother of Disy leader Nicos Anastassiades, Pambos.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">Government Spokesman Michalis Papapetrou yesterday promised there would be no cover-up and no let-off for anyone nailed by the probe.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">"The investigation is probing in every direction, and irrespective of what persons are involved, the investigation, apportioning of blame and enforcement of the law will go all the way and will be absolute," Papapetrou told his daily press briefing.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">In an effort to demonstrate the government's determination that no stone will be left unturned, Papapetrou stressed that it had been revelations by Justice Minister Nicos Koshis himself that had sparked the probe. The minister had spoken of having heard that policemen were aiding the flesh trade and supplying fake permits for cabaret artistes.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">Anastassiades has been quick to support the investigation and declare his determination to see all guilty parties punished.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">Papapetrou saluted the Disy leader's stance yesterday and expressed the government's support for Anastassiades at this time of "personal and political" difficulty.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">Disy are the government's main backers.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">Attorney-general Alecos Markides said yesterday it was too early to say whether the investigation would lead to criminal prosecutions.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">"There are reasonable suspicions at this point, given that there is relevant information and the investigators already have certain statements. But it is too early to predict anything, given that the investigation has not been completed," Markides said. <o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">The Attorney-general, who met Anastassiades yesterday morning, called for a swift conclusion of the investigation.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">The Government spokesman also replied to fresh criticism from Akel deputy Kikis Yiangou, who routinely charges the government with covering up police corruption.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">After the police investigation was announcement on Monday, Yiangou said he had been "vindicated" and predicted the probe would throw much dirt on the police.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">Papapetrou ironically described the opposition party deputy as an "expert" at such complaints. The problem was, the spokesman said, that Yiangou never responded to requests for evidence to back up his claims. <o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">Cyprus has acquired a sordid reputation for the import of female cabaret dancers who are then allegedly forced to work as prostitutes. Koshis has launched a campaign to clamp down on cabarets.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";letter-spacing: -.15pt">Recent polls have suggested the overwhelming majority of Cypriots believe there is some police involvement in underworld crime.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none"> </o:p>

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    Wednesday, October 6, 1999

    [10] Green urge protest over Salamis dig.

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none">THE LOCAL Green party yesterday called on its counterparts across Europe to do their bit to halt Turkish excavations at Salamis in the occupied area.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none">The fringe party noted that the reported excavations by a Turkish university team had not been authorised by the Cyprus government, and were therefore unacceptable. By allowing the archaeological dig to go ahead, the occupation regime was violating the 1970 Unesco treaty, which bans excavations in occupied areas, the Green party added.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none">"Salamina is the most important archaeological site in Cyprus and has been described as one of the most significant sites in the Mediterranean," the Greens stated.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none">"We ask for your active intervention towards the Culture Ministry in your country and the European Commission so that appropriate representations can be made towards Turkey," the Green party stated in its message to its European fellows.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none">Nicosia and Athens have already decided to appeal to Unesco over the Salamis excavations.<o:p> </o:p>

    Wednesday, October 6, 1999

    [11] Winter tourism plan postponed

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none">By George Psyllides<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none">THE ministerial committee on tourism met yesterday to discuss a proposed plan for the development of winter tourism.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none">Commerce, Industry and Tourism Minister Nicos Rolandis had told The Sunday Mail that he hoped the plan would be approved so that it could be sent to the Council of Ministers as soon as possible.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none">But despite the urgency, Rolandis told the Cyprus Mail yesterday that the committee had not yet reached an agreement. Instead it was decided to meet again before the end of the month, after his return from a visit to Japan.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none">The main aim of the plan is to provide incentives to the tourism industry to promote alternative programmes such as agrotourism and ‘environmentally friendly’ holidays.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none">Major strides have already been taken concerning cultural programmes and local festivals, and two golf courses are already in operation, while football training areas and theme parks are already under way.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none">Cyprus can accommodate 250,000 tourists per month, although figures for the five winter months fall far short of this target.<o:p> </o:p>

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:12.0pt;mso- hyphenate: none">The plan aims to fill existing beds between the months of November and March.<o:p> </o:p>

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