Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English, 02-11-04

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

CONTENTS

[01] HEADLINES

[02] Turkey

[03] Greece Turkey

[04] Jones

[05] Denktash

[06] Israel

[07] World

[08] Radiomarathon

[09] Weather MONDAY 4 NOVEMBER 2002

[01] HEADLINES

--- Greek Minister of Defence Yiannos Papantoniou said today that Greece supports the new Turkish government, looks forward to cooperating with it and is awaiting the Turkish response to Greek moves of good will.

--- US Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs Beth Jones has expressed certainty that anything the UN submit for a Cyprus settlement would be appropriate.

And

--- Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is hoping to survive a parliamentary no-confidence vote today with the help of a far-right party, but pressure is building for him to call early elections.

[02] Turkey

But the unexpected scale of the victory, routing parties blamed by voters for a gruelling economic crisis, will also test the AKP. Founded only a year ago, it has little experience of power, faces a court case to outlaw it and has a leader banned by the courts from taking up any government post.

The Sabah daily called the AKP triumph a revolt by the country's increasingly impoverished Anatolian heartland against the political old guard based in Ankara and Constantinople.

Turkey's NATO allies, outwardly reassured by AKP's public disavowal of the Islamist movement and eager espousal of pro-Western, pro-market policies, will be looking for the party to form a government quickly. Washington especially needs rapid clarification on who will be prime minister.

The United States will need the support of its strategic Muslim ally for any military action against neighbouring Iraq.

Projections gave the party more than 360 seats in a 550-seat assembly. Only one other party, the Republican People's Party (CHP), mustered the 10 percent vote needed to enter parliament.

Veteran Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, his fifth term in office drawing to a disconsolate close, saw his party's vote sink from 22 percent in 1999 to little over one percent.

[03] Greece Turkey

Mr. Papantoniou reiterated that Greece backs Turkey's European prospects and believes that this course will benefit the Turkish people and GrecoTurkish relations.

He added that the values of the European Union, democracy and the respect of international law are the framework in which bilateral relations, which include the solution of the Cyprus problem, can flourish.

[04] Jones

Mrs. Jones was received this morning by President Glafcos Clerides and then met with Attorney General Alecos Markides.

She reiterated that the United States support the UN chief's efforts and expressed the view that there is enough time to reach a solution by December.

Mr. Markides said that during the meeting he raised certain issues the Greek Cypriot side considers vital.

He added that these issues were agreed on during a meeting he had this morning with President Clerides.

Commenting on a statement by Mrs. Jones that the UN peace plan would be appropriate, Mr. Markides said that the Greek Cypriot side would judge it when it sees the context of the plan.

Mr. Markides said what was important was the Greek Cypriot side's firm position that it will not accept proposals that are not in line with the fundamental principles of international law, the acquis communautaire and the human rights conventions.

[05] Denktash

Mr. Olgun said Mr. Denktash would not be able to make the transatlantic trip home before November 12.

However, Mr. Denktash's' doctor Mehmet Oz said the Turkish Cypriot leader should abstain from work until the new year.

Asked about rumours that the UN General Secretary would be submitting a solution plan, Mr. Olgun said one should not attribute too much seriousness to rumours.

He said talks to solve the Cyprus problem continue and that Mr. Denktash would resume negotiations as soon as his health permits.

[06] Israel

Legislators are due to begin debate early this afternoon on the no-confidence motion brought by the left-wing opposition Meretz party.

Sharon was ditched by his Labour partner last week in a row over funding for Jewish settlements in territory where Palestinians seek a state.

He is now trying to build a narrow right-wing government to rule until elections, which must be held by October 2003.

Palestinians have expressed alarm that an Israeli government dominated by right-wing nationalists would be ideologically opposed to a state they seek and would use harsher methods to crush their uprising in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip.

In this way, a staunchly right-wing government might also disrupt US efforts to damp down Middle East violence as it seeks Arab support for a possible campaign to disarm Iraq.

Sharon was expected to withstand the no-confidence vote after an ultra-nationalist opposition party said it would abstain, thwarting a majority in the 120-seat assembly against his 55-seat minority government.

[07] World

- - - -

Southeast Asian leaders called on the world not to target the tourism-dependent region in its war on terror as it put the finishing touches to a deal with China to create the world's largest free trade area.

The summit in Cambodia aims to promote economic integration, tackle terror and paper over cracks among the ten ASEAN members.

- - - -

The leaders of Japan, South Korea and China held talks on how to tackle the threat posed by North Korea's nuclear programme, stressing regional stability and good behaviour would benefit Pyongyang.

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Six alleged al Qaeda members, including one of the main suspects being hunted by Yemen for alleged links to Osama bin Laden, were killed when their car exploded, a source close to Yemen's government said.

- - - -

Police know the names and hideouts of three possible Bali blast suspects whose sketches were made public last week, an Indonesian police official said.

- - - -

The conflict in Chechnya deepened yesterday as Russia announced new action to snuff out what it said were rebel plans for "new acts of terror", while guerrillas shot down a Russian helicopter, killing nine servicemen.

- - - -

Three more moderate tremors struck southern Italy, hours after grieving families buried 26 children who were killed last week when their school collapsed in an earthquake.

- - - -

A major earthquake of 7.9 magnitude rocked a sparsely populated area of central Alaska yesterday, causing some damage to roads, the US Geological Survey and state troopers said. The trans-Alaska oil pipeline was shut down after the quake damaged some of the supports.

- - - -

Ivory Coast rebels warned yesterday they would resume the war if their political demands were not met in the next round of West-African mediated peace talks with government representatives.

- - - -

In London, Police said charges of theft and conspiracy to rob had been laid against five men arrested over an alleged plot to kidnap Spice Girl Victoria Beckham, the wife of England soccer captain David Beckham.

[08] Radiomarathon

A total of 58 stalls have been set up all around Cyprus to collect money for the cause.

During the two-day Radiomarathon, CyBC's Third radio will be broadcasting programmes dedicated to children with special needs.

CyBC's television will also be broadcasting special programmes for the Radiomarathon, with the participation of popular artists from Cyprus and Greece, as well as Olympic medalists.

[09] Weather

Winds will be northeasterly to southeasterly, light to moderate, three to four beaufort, over slight to moderate seas.

Temperatures will reach 26 degrees inland and along the coast, and 18 over the mountains.

Tonight will be cloudy.

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

Temperatures will drop to 13 degrees inland, to 16 along the coast and to 9 over the mountains.

The fire hazard is very high in all forest areas.

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