BRITAIN OFFERS BASES AS PARTY OF CYPRUS DEAL

NICOSIA [MENL] -- Britain has offered military bases to rival Cypriot forcesin an effort to encourage the reunification of the island. Cypriot officials said the government of Prime Minister Tony Blairrelayed the offer during talks with Nicosia in an effort to assuage thesecurity concerns over a United Nations peace plan for a federation. The UNand the European Union want a Cypriot deal so that the EU can accept aunified nation as a member during a summit scheduled for April 16.