Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English, 01-06-12

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

CONTENTS

[01] HEADLINES

[02] UNCyprus

[03] Clerides

[04] Papandreou

[05] Tziakourmas

[06] Heatwave

[07] Mideast

[08] Philippines

[09] Bush

[10] Weather TUESDAY 12 JUNE 2001

[01] HEADLINES

--- Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs George Papandreou has reiterated Athens' intention to use its veto right to block any decision favouring Turkey regarding participation in the European army.

--- The Tziakourmas family has brought a case against Turkey before the European Court of Human Rights.

--- Israel has accepted US CIA Director George Tenet's ceasefire plan today, to end more than eight months of violence with the Palestinians, according to a spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

--- Philippine Muslim rebels said today that they had beheaded one of three American hostages seized in May from a beach resort.

And

--- US President George W. Bush began his first official visit to Europe today, overshadowed by the execution of Oklahoma bomber Timothy McVeigh and anger over US policies on defence and the environment.

[02] UNCyprus

The Security Council has urged all interested parties to become involved in this process, constructively and effectively.

The UN body was briefed on the situation by the UN chief's Special Adviser on Cyprus Alvaro de Soto.

The members of the Security Council reaffirmed all resolutions on Cyprus, especially the one adopted in 1999, which says that the solution to the Cyprus problem should be based on one Cypriot state, with one sovereignty, one international identity and one citizenship, with two politically equal communities.

The Security Council's President said the resolution on the renewal of UNFICYP's mandate will be adopted before Friday, when the mandate expires.

[03] Clerides

President Clerides will be flying to Sweden via London.

During his absence, new House of Representatives President Demetris Christofias will be acting President of the Republic.

[04] Papandreou

Speaking from Luxembourg, where the European Union Foreign Ministers' meeting took place, Mr. Papandreou clarified that there had been no special discussion of Turkey's participation in the European army.

He said that Turkey is still not accepting the framework of the Nice Summit decisions, which set out the bloc's relations with NATO allies that are not members of the Union.

[05] Tziakourmas

The family's lawyer, Kypros Chrysostomides, told CyBC that details of the case will be announced in due time.

Panicos Tziakourmas was abducted by the occupation regime in the north and had been illegally held in prison for over four months.

[06] Heatwave

Meteorological Service Director, Kyriacos Theophilou, told CyBC that temperatures today were expected to reach 39 degrees, while tomorrow until Friday, temperatures will be around 40 degrees.

He noted that there would be a slight drop in temperatures over the weekend, and that despite high temperatures, humidity will remain at relatively low levels.

[07] Mideast

A senior Palestinian security official said the Palestinian response would be submitted by midday.

The Israeli spokesman said Israel had accepted the ceasefire and is in order to begin implementing the recommendations of an international committee led by former US Senator George Mitchell.

Israel's acceptance of Tenet's plan came after a meeting with the Palestinians last night ended without results and deteriorated at times into shouting matches between the Israeli and Palestinian representatives.

The Palestinian official said his side accepted any idea proposed by Tenet that does not contradict Mitchell's report because there is an agreement between them and the Americans that Mitchell's report would be implemented as is without any changes.

The Mitchell committee recommended the sides end the violence, followed by a cooling-off period and confidence-building steps, including an Israeli freeze on settlement activity in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

[08] Philippines

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said she had no confirmation of the claim but vowed to crush the rebel group.

The Abu Sayyaf rebels told media they had beheaded tourist Guillermo Sobero, 40, from Corona, California, "as a gift to the country on Independence Day", and had left his body for the troops to find.

Sobero was one of three Americans and 17 Filipinos kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf on May 27 from a beach resort in Palawan in the southern Philippines.

Nine of the Filipino hostages have escaped or been rescued while two have been found dead, apparently executed by the rebels.

The Abu Sayyaf have since taken four hostages from a hospital and church complex in Basilan, an island 900 km south of Manila, and at least 15 more hostages from a village in Lantawan on the same island.

[09] Bush

Mr. Bush was greeted by Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Pique at Barajas airport in Madrid and was due to meet Spanish King Juan Carlos and centre-right Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar.

Bush also planned to visit Belgium, Sweden, Poland and Slovenia during the six-day tour, which will include a meeting with NATO allies, a US-European Union summit and Bush's first meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The conservative Republican, who took office in January with little foreign policy experience, has sparked concern in Europe with his support for the death penalty, his reluctance to take action against global warming and his plans to build a US missile defence system.

Mr. Bush is hoping that promises to sustain the traditional close transatlantic links and a chance to explain his views personally will help overcome the differences.

But street protesters and questioning European leaders await him.

The first major demonstration targeting Mr. Bush's one-day visit is scheduled for this evening outside the US embassy in Madrid, when the president is expected to be inside.

The protest is focused on a variety of issues, including globalisation, US military intervention, the death penalty, labour rights and environmental protection.

[10] Weather

Tonight will be fine, with local fine mist in the early hours of the morning.

Winds will be northwesterly to northeasterly, light, two to three beaufort, over calm to slight seas.

Temperatures will drop to 23 degrees inland, to 21 along the south and east coasts, to 17 along the west and north coasts, and to 18 over the mountains.

The fire hazard is very high in all forest areas.

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