Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English, 03-09-01

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

CONTENTS

[01] HEADLINES

[02] IRAQ

[03] TURKEY

[04] LOCKERBIE

[05] FRANCE FIRES

[06] WEATHER TAIWAN

[07] PEFKIOS TEACHERS

[08] DENKTASH

[09] SCHOOLS OPEN

[10] BRONSON END

[11] WEATHER MONDAY 1/9/03

[01] HEADLINES

-- Turkey launches a diplomatic charm offensive this week to win European Union approval for its political reforms, but Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan faces a much more immediate challenge from neighbouring Iraq.

--France said today families of 170 people killed in the 1989 bombing of a French airliner had drafted a compensation deal with Libya that would clear the way for a quick end to U.N. sanctions against Tripoli.

--Education Minister Pefkios Georgiades assured that the government will do everything possible to solve the problem caused by the expulsion of the two teachers by the Turkish occupation regime over the weekend.

And,

--Rugged tough-guy actor Charles Bronson, a veteran of over 60 films, including the 1974 movie "Death Wish" has died at the age of 81.

[02] IRAQ

The Council said in a statement Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) official Hoshyar Zebari had been appointed foreign minister and Kamel al-Keylani finance minister.

The officials will run the day-to-day work of the ministries, but there will be no prime minister.

Overall authority in the country remains in the hands of U.S. governor Paul Bremer until an elected government is installed.

No ministers have been appointed for defence or information. Both of those positions were scrapped by the Washington- installed administration ruling Iraq since U.S.-led forces toppled Saddam Hussein in April.

[03] TURKEY

Mr. Erdogan will travel to Germany on September 1-3 and to Italy, the EU's current chair, on September 5-7 to drum up support for Ankara's bid to join the EU.

Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), a conservative grouping with Islamist roots founded only two years ago, has surprised EU officials by its swift adoption of human rights reforms aimed at winning a date to open accession talks.

The officials say the EU's next progress report on Turkey, due on November 5, will be broadly positive, but it will also urge Ankara to work harder on implementing the reforms if it wants to realise its dream of opening the talks in early 2005.

[04] LOCKERBIE

Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin said the signing of the deal was imminent and that France would then drop a threat to veto the lifting of sanctions imposed after the 1988 bombing of a Pan Am airliner over the Scottish town of Lockerbie.

He said the basis of an accord has been found and it remains to be finalised in the next few hours.

Mr. Villepin did not disclose details of the payout but said it would be available to relatives of all the victims. People of 17 nationalities including Africans, Americans, Britons and Italians were on board the UTA plane.

[05] FRANCE FIRES

Local officials put their hopes in the rain forecast for the afternoon after the fires, which suddenly broke out yesterday, spread rapidly during the night to destroy 1,500 hectares of forest.

Strong winds off the Mediterranean helped spread fires in the Var region and in the Alpes Maritimes area near Nice. Homeowners surprised by the renewed threat desperately hosed down their houses and shrubbery as the flames advanced.

By this morning, firemen said they had succeeded in containing the fires near Nice after they destroyed 400 hectares of forest and burned down about 20 houses.

[06] WEATHER TAIWAN

The storm, packing sustained winds of 145 kph and gusts of up to 180 kph is expected to make landfall tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Bureau said, warning of possible flooding and landslides.

The government ordered offices and schools in the eastern county of Taitung to be closed from this afternoon and suspended air and sea traffic to Taiwan's outlying islands.

The typhoon caused intermittent showers across most of the island today, including capital Taipei in the north.

[07] PEFKIOS TEACHERS

The Education Minister expressed regret over the way that Mr. Denktash is acting and warned of the danger to close the Rizokarpasso elementary school. He also said that the government submitted to the UN two months ago a list of the names of teachers who wish to work at Rizokarpasso but the occupation regime has not yet given its reply.

[08] DENKTASH

In statements to Turkish newspaper Hurriyet, he added that in the case that the opposition wins the elections, he will abandon everything and with Turkey's support will start again the struggle. He also said that the US and Britain want to put him on the sidelines, just like they did with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

[09] SCHOOLS OPEN

Lessons begin next Monday, 8th September.

[10] BRONSON END

CNN said he died in Los Angeles after a bout with pneumonia.

Bronson, who was famous for his roles as a quiet, tough-talking hero in often violent films, was in 1972 named the biggest box office star by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and received the Gold Star Award as the film industry's top international star in 1979.

His craggy looks, menacing presence and understated acting style helped earn him applause in such films as "The Magnificent Seven", "The Great Escape" and "The Dirty Dozen" (1967).

His reputation was confirmed in such later movies as "Mr. Majestyk" as well as "Death Wish" and its sequels in 1981 and 1986.

[11] WEATHER

Temperatures will reach 39 C inland, 34 C on the south coast, 31 over the west and 29 over the mountains.

Tonight the weather will be clear with thin mist and low cloud. Winds will be south-westerly light, three beaufort and later turning to north-westerly light, two to three beaufort and the sea calm to slight. Temperatures will fall to 22 C inland, on the coasts and over the mountains.

The fire hazard remains extremely high in all forest areas.

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