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Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English, 99-12-15Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation at <http://www.cybc.com.cy/>CONTENTS
WEDNESDAY 15 DECEMBER 1999 [01] HEADLINESThe Security Council is set to pass a compromise draft resolution on renewing the UN peace keeping force in Cyprus,But Rauf Denktash has turned on Russia for trying to include a paragraph in the resolution on a federated Cyprus, Kofi Annan has confirmed a second round of proximity talks for the end of January, Tony Blair has repeated that Cyprus's EU accession course is without preconditions, Syria and Israel begin high-level peace talks in Washington today, while Israeli forces and Hezbollah guerillas continue to clash in southern Lebanon, Russia has turned down calls for international mediation in the Chechnya situation, The Cyprus Stock Exchange saw an across the board jump today, And potato producers protest outside the Finance Minister for more financial aid. [02] UNFICYP RESOLUTIONThe UN Security Council will met tonight to pass a compromise draft resolution on the renewal of UNFICYP's mandate in Cyprus.The draft, drawn up by Security Council members last night, appears to be acceptable to both sides in the Cyprus issue. The draft resolution makes specific reference to resolution 1251, which outlines the parametres for a Cyprus solution. Specific reference is also made to the issue of the missing. [03] DENKTASH RUSSIATurkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash has now turned against Russia, maintaining that Moscow is trying hard to include a paragraph on a Cyprus federation in the Security Council's UNFICYP resolution.Speaking at a press conference in New York, Mr. Denktash threatened that he will react if what he called the Greek Cypriot administration is referred to as the Cypriot government in the resolution. [04] ANNAN CYPRUSUN Secretary General Kofi Annan has confirmed that he has invited the two sides in Cyprus for a second round of talks at the start of next year.Speaking at a 1999 round-up press conference , Mr. Annan expressed the hope that he will meet with both leaders around the end of January. A specific date will be determined later. Mr. Annan said the talks were very serious and covered a broad range of issues. [05] BLAIR CYPRUSBritish Prime Minister Tony Blair has repeated that there is no pending precondition on Cyprus' accession to the European Union.Commeting on the Helsinki decision, Mr. Blair said that the European Council has welcomed the start of proximity talks in New York. He added that the successful conclusion of the talks would not only usher in a desirable end to the protracted dispute, but would also bode well for Cyprus' accession to the EU. The British Prime Minister also called on all interested parties to make every possible effort to reach agreement on the issue. [06] VENTRIN TURKEYFrench Foreign Minister Hibert Vendrin has said that Turkey's accession to the European union continues to depend on Ankara's respect for democratic principles that has been set as a condition for accession by the EU.Speaking before the French Parliament, Mr. Vendrin said that Turkey is obligated to respect the criteria which are values common to all EU countries [07] SYRIA-ISRAELSyria and Israel are set to begin high-level peace talks this afternoon, after a four-year hiatus.The talks will begin at the White House in Washington with a meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk Al Shiara. On his arrival to Washington, the Syrian foreign minister said he is determined that the talks have a positive outcome and wished that Israel would respond to his country's desire for peace. The Israeli Prime Minister however, said no one can know what the outcome of the talks will be. He added that all issues are open and that it is unclear how long the talks will last. Syria insists that Israel promised to withdraw from the Golan Heights it took over in 1967. [08] LEBANON CLASHESAnd even as Israeli-Syrian peace talks get under way in Washington, clashes between Israeli forces and Hezbollah rebels continue unabated in southern Lebanon.Hezbollah announced that it had unleashed fierce attacks against Israeli posititions in the central and western Israeli-controlled zone in southern Lebanon. Isreali forces responded by pounding Hezbollah positions with artillery fire. [09] MOSCOW ATTACKRussia has vociferously turned down the idea of international mediation in its dispute with Chechen rebels..Quoting a Russian official, the Russian news agency Interfax reported that Moscow does not feel that there is a need for international mediation in resolving the Chechnya situation. Chechnyan President Aslan Maschatov has already said that he is ready to meet with the Russian leadership if the meeting is overseen by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. But Moscow is demanding that rebels release their hostages and terrorists give themselves up before it would be willing to negotiate an end to the fighting. [10] MARKET HIGHBoth volume and the index at the Cyprus Stock exchange shot up today, after a marked slide over the last four days.The general index closed at just over seven hundred and eighty six points, more than 70 points higher than yesterday. Volume jumped to 32 million, seven hundred thousand pounds, compare to 26 million yesterday. Minerva stocks saw the highest increase at almost two pounds, while Severis and Athinaitis experienced an increase of just over one pound fifty. Broker Adonis Yiangou told CyBC that the stock market increase will continue. He added that the sudden drop, caused mostly by share liquidations, also brought about a correction to the stock market. Mr. Yiangou denied reports that the drup in share prices was caused by games played by brokers. He said this rumour is far-fetched because there are no brokers with so much influence who can affect the market to that degree. [11] POTATO PROTESTPotato farmers demonstrated outside the Finance Ministry this morning to demand 8 million pounds in financial aid for what they say is the negative impact imported potatoes have had on their livelyhood.After meeting with potato farmer reprentatives, Finance Minister Takis Klerides called the demonstration as unecessary. He said that five and a half million pounds, out of the eight million have already been granted to the farmers. He added that the Ministers Council will look at granting the rest of the amount when it meets on Friday. Despite criticism from fellow unions, some farmers's unions did not take part in the protest, saying that potato producers must wait for the Council of Ministers' decision. [12] MATHIATIS MINISTERSInterior Minister Christodoulos Christodoulou and Communications Minister Averof Neophytou have commonly decided to take medium and long term action to solve obvious problems found on the stretch of road between Ayia Varvara, Mathiatis and Lythrodondas.Medium term measures to be taken until February include diverting the road so that it does not pass through the villages, construction of sidewalks and bus stops. A permanent diversion will be constructed for the long term. The Communications minister said the measures will be taken right away because the safety of the public is the government's number one priority. [13] PAPHOS SUICIDEA young man was found dead in his car in Paphos's Coral Bay yesterday.Police sources say that enough poison was found near 25 year-old Savakis Vanezis to merit suspicion of suicide. [14] HEROINThe Police found two-and-a-half kilos of heroin in the luggage of a Persian woman, who was ready to fly to Canada.The woman was arrested and questioned, but has so far refused to say who provided her with the drugs. [15] WEATHERThis afternoon will be unsettled with local showers.Winds will be southwesterly, moderate to strong, four to five beaufort, and the sea will be moderate. Tonight will be cloudy at times, with a few showers, but skies will clear later on. Winds will be westerly, moderate, three beaufort, and the sea will be slight to moderate. The temperature will drop to 8 degrees inland, to 11 along the coast, and to 0 over the mountains. The fire hazard is moderate in all forest areas. Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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