Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 03-03-10

Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org.cy>

CONTENTS

[01] Annan believes peace plan last chance for united Cyprus in EU

[02] Greek Cypriot side ready to submit draft legislation to UN

[03] President says Cyprus grateful for Commonwealth's support

[04] Weather forecast for Cyprus

[05] Papadopoulos meets with Annan in The Hague

[06] UN chief meets Papadopoulos and Denktash in The Hague

[07] Weather and Temperatures for Cyprus

[08] UN chief holds meetings in The Hague with sides and guarantors

[09] Sides in Cyprus not given answer to UN chief yet

[10] Sides in Cyprus not given answer to UN chief yet FULL STORY

[01] Annan believes peace plan last chance for united Cyprus in EU

0825:CYPPRESS:01

Annan believes peace plan last chance for united Cyprus in EU

by Maria Myles

The Hague, Mar 10 (CNA) - UN Secretary General Kofi Annan believes that his peace plan for a comprehensive settlement represents ''the best and last opportunity for Cyprus to sign the EU Accession Treaty reunited,'' a statement by Annan's spokesman said here today.

The statement, issued late Sunday night after Annan had met with Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou, also said that the Secretary General will ask the leaders of the two communities in Cyprus whether they are prepared to sign on Monday a two-page commitment to submit the UN peace plan to a referendum.

In the statement, Annan expressed hope that the leaders will agree to allow the people to decide on their future in a united Cyprus.

''The Secretary General has arrived in The Hague for meetings tomorrow (Monday) regarding Cyprus. He has invited the Greek Cypriot leader Mr. Tassos Papadopoulos and the Turkish Cypriot leader Mr. Rauf Denktash to The Hague to receive a reply to his request of 28 February 2003 that they should enter a binding commitment to putting the plan for a comprehensive settlement, as revised on 26 February, to separate simultaneous referenda on 30 March,'' the statement said.

It notes that the Secretary General has asked both leaders ''to ensure that they come to The Hague having completed all necessary consultations and procedures to be able to give definitive answers there and then.''

The statement says that the Secretary General has also invited representatives of the guarantor powers (Greece, Turkey and Britain) to The Hague and has asked them to indicate their readiness to sign on the same day a statement confirming their agreement to put the peace plan to separate referenda and to sign a treaty on matters related to the new state of affairs in Cyprus, should the peace plan be approved at the referenda.

''The Secretary General's plan represents the best and last opportunity for Cyprus to sign the EU Accession Treaty reunited. The Secretary General hopes that the leaders will agree to put the plan to referendum and allow their people to decide on their future in a united Cyprus,'' the statement concludes.

This morning, Annan is scheduled to have a meeting with Papadopoulos and later on he will see Denktash, at the Peace Palace.

Later in the afternoon the Secretary General intends to give a press conference.

[02] Greek Cypriot side ready to submit draft legislation to UN

0915:CYPPRESS:02

Greek Cypriot side ready to submit draft legislation to UN

by Maria Myles

The Hague, Mar 10 (CNA) - The Greek Cypriot side intends to submit on Monday to the UN all the draft legislation requested of them, in the context of the UN-led peace process to achieve a comprehensive settlement, Law Commissioner Leda Koursoumpa, who heads a team of legal experts working for this purpose, has said.

Speaking to CNA about the work of the ad hoc technical committee on legislation she heads, Koursoumpa explained that a team of 30 legal experts has worked very hard at an accelerated pace to meet Monday's deadline.

[03] President says Cyprus grateful for Commonwealth's support

1200:CYPPRESS:03

President says Cyprus grateful for Commonwealth's support

Nicosia, Mar 10 (CNA) - Cyprus is ''grateful for the consistent, full and continuous support of the Commonwealth in its struggle to achieve a functional and viable solution to the Cyprus problem'', President of the Republic Tassos Papadopoulos says in a statement issued on the occasion of the Commonwealth Day.

[04] Weather forecast for Cyprus

1205:CYPPRESS:04

Weather forecast for Cyprus

Nicosia, Mar 10 (CNA) - The Meteorological Office at Larnaca International Airport has issued the following weather forecast for Cyprus:

On Tuesday (March 11) and Wednesday (March 12), the weather will gradually become mainly cloudy, with temporal local showers and probable thunderstorms, while light sleet is likely over the highest mountain areas.

Winds will prevail southwesterly to northwesterly, light to gentle during the night, and gentle to moderate during the day, over calm to slight seas. Minimum temperatures will range from 1 degree over the mountains to 6 degrees inland and 8 along the coast. Maximum temperatures will range from 7 degrees over the mountains to 17 inland and 19 along the coast.

On Wednesday the weather will gradually become mainly fine. Winds will be mainly southwesterly to northwesterly, light to moderate, over calm to slight seas. No significant change in temperatures is expected.

On Thursday (March 13) and Friday (March 14), the weather will be mainly fine with an increase in temperatures.

[05] Papadopoulos meets with Annan in The Hague

1240:CYPPRESS:05

Papadopoulos meets with Annan in The Hague

by Maria Myles

The Hague, Mar 10 (CNA) - President of the Republic Tassos Papadopoulos met this morning in The Hague with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and his Special Adviser on Cyprus Alvaro de Soto.

The meeting began in the presence of the President's negotiating team and de Soto's aides. A quarter of an hour later, the two teams departed and Papadopoulos, Annan and de Soto had a closed meeting.

[06] UN chief meets Papadopoulos and Denktash in The Hague

1440:CYPPRESS:06

UN chief meets Papadopoulos and Denktash in The Hague

by Maria Myles

The Hague, Mar 10 (CNA) - UN Secretary General Kofi Annan held separate meetings today in The Hague with Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash.

After the meetings, Annan's spokesman Stephan Dujaric announced that the UN chief would be meeting the leaders of the two communities together at the Peace Palace at 1515 local time.

CNA has learned that during this morning's meeting between Annan and Papadopoulos, the latter presented the Greek Cypriot side's positions.

Sources said the UN told the President that the Greek Cypriot side has maintained a positive approach throughout negotiations to solve the Cyprus problem and described this morning's meeting in The Hague as constructive.

[07] Weather and Temperatures for Cyprus

1445:CYPPRESS:07

Weather and Temperatures for Cyprus

Nicosia, Mar 10 (CNA) -- Today's weather and temperatures for Cyprus,
according to the Meteorological Service at Larnaca International
Airport are:

Temperatures (degrees Celcius)
---------------------------------------------------------------
Station               Maximum     Minimum       Weather
(At 1200 UTC)
---------------------------------------------------------------
Nicosia                18             6         CLOUDY
Larnaca                19             8         CLOUDY
Limassol               20             9         CLOUDY
Paphos                 18             8         CLOUDY

[08] UN chief holds meetings in The Hague with sides and guarantors

1815:CYPPRESS:08

UN chief holds meetings in The Hague with sides and guarantors

by Maria Myles

The Hague, Mar 10 (CNA) - UN Secretary General Kofi Annan had a series of meetings this afternoon with the delegations at the Peace Palace in The Hague involved in the Cyprus problem, namely the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot sides, and guarantor powers Greece, Turkey and Britain.

Earlier today, Annan met separately with Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash. A joint meeting that was to be held early this afternoon has been postponed until later.

A spokesman for Annan said the Secretary General was having ''a series of meetings'' and described the situation as ''very fluid''.

President Papadopoulos has departed from the Peace Palace and is now presiding over a National Council meeting at his hotel. The National Council is the top advisory body to the President on the handling of the Cyprus problem.

[09] Sides in Cyprus not given answer to UN chief yet

1840:CYPPRESS:09

Sides in Cyprus not given answer to UN chief yet

by Maria Myles

The Hague, Mar 10 (CNA) - The two sides in Cyprus have not yet replied to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's question as to whether they would sign a commitment to put to the people of the island his plan for a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem at separate simultaneous referenda on March 30.

Speaking at a press conference in The Hague, after a series of meetings with the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot sides, as well as the representatives of guarantor powers Britain, Greece and Turkey, Annan said a simple yes or no took a lot of doing.

Annan said he could not elaborate on today's meetings in The Hague, because ''they are still going on''. He added that the work on Cyprus ''has been overshadowed by the crisis in Iraq''.

Invited to give further information, Annan said ''we are discussing that, I cannot tell you much''.

He said he would be meeting Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash later today and may have something to say then.

To a comment that he had invited the two sides to give him a yes or no answer, Annan said ''obviously they did not''.

[10] Sides in Cyprus not given answer to UN chief yet FULL STORY

1915:CYPPRESS:10

Sides in Cyprus not given answer to UN chief yet FULL STORY

by Maria Myles

The Hague, Mar 10 (CNA) - UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said today that the two sides in Cyprus have not yet answered his question as to whether they would sign a commitment in The Hague to put to the people of the island his plan for a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem at separate simultaneous referenda on March 30.

Speaking at a press conference in The Hague, after a series of meetings with the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot sides, as well as the representatives of guarantor powers Britain, Greece and Turkey, Annan said a simple yes or no took a lot of doing and reiterated that there was now a unique opportunity to solve the Cyprus problem which may not come around again for a few years.

In his opening statement, Annan said ''many of you would like me to say something about the Cyprus talks but I cannot give you much because the talks are still going on''.

''I may be able to tell you something later but let me say that one of the difficulties we had to face in this stage of the search for a Cyprus settlement is that our work has been overshadowed by the atmosphere of crisis and great anxiety that is affecting the whole world, the question of Iraq and its disarmament'', he added.

Replying to questions, Annan said he would be meeting with Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash ''later on and after that you will have an answer''.

He added that ''sometimes, to get to what you call a simple yes or no takes quite a lot of doing''.

Invited to say what the chances were of reaching a settlement, Annan said ''this is a real opportunity, a unique opportunity, which if it is missed I am not sure it is going to come around for a long, long time and as I have indicated I doubt it will come around again during my term as Secretary General and I have another four years to go''.

Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article