Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 04-04-07

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

CONTENTS

[01] EU Commissioner: let the people of Cyprus decide on their future

[02] Key official interest rates remain unchanged

[03] Cyprus Stock Exchange

[04] Weather and Temperatures for Cyprus

[05] EU Commissioner hopeful about outcome of referendum

[06] MEP's Crespo and Rothe: EU will accept referenda outcome

[07] Greece sends written commitment to UN about referenda

[08] Commission: Cyprus President to be invited to Donors' Conference

[01] EU Commissioner: let the people of Cyprus decide on their future

1355:CYPPRESS:01

EU Commission: let the people of Cyprus decide on their future

Nicosia, Apr 7 (CNA) -- The European Commission approved unanimously today a draft regulation that will be put to the European Council which would seal the essential characteristics of a UN proposal on a comprehensive settlement in Cyprus and transform it into community law.

Speaking at a press conference on Cyprus in Brussels, he said the Greek Cypriots should be left in peace to debate and decide for themselves about their future in this month's referendum on the Annan plan.

He said there could not be any permanent derogations from the acquis communautaire for legal and political reasons, explaining that legal derogations do not mean permanent derogation.

He said the Annan plan has a very good chance to be approved in this month's referenda and said that public opinion in Cyprus was starting to change.

Replying to questions, he said if the plan is not approved in the referendum on 24 April the Republic of Cyprus will join and will legally represent all of the island.

He also said that the EU should be very very careful with respect to the referendum and stressed that the democratic process in Cyprus should be respected, adding however that the Union should explain the economic and the political benefits of the solution.

[02] Key official interest rates remain unchanged

1440:CYPPRESS:02

Key official interest rates remain unchanged

Nicosia, Apr 7 (CNA) -- The Cyprus Central Bankl Monetary Policy Committee decided today that the key official interest rates would remain unchanged for one more month.

The marginal lending facility (Lombard) and the overnight deposit facility will remain unchanged at 4.5% and 2.5% respectively.

[03] Cyprus Stock Exchange

1445:CYPPRESS:03

Cyprus Stock Exchange

Nicosia, Apr 7 (CNA) - The Cyprus Stock Exchange (CSE) All Share
Index closed at today's stock exchange meeting as follows:

CSE General Index                               85,29   ( 2,77)

Traded Value                  CYP  1.061.942

FTSE/CYSE 20                  CYP    639.491   370,22   ( 4,02)
FTSE Med 100                                 6.357,12   (-0,33)

Sectoral Indices

Banks                         CYP     557.501  107,16   ( 4,30)
Approved Investment
Companies                 CYP      70.138   73,94   ( 0,86)
Insurance Companies           CYP       3.205   16,88   ( 4,91)
Manufacturing Companies       CYP      50.535   55,95   ( 0,70)
Tourism Companies             CYP      14.918   56,80   ( 3,37)
Trading Companies             CYP      26.482   23,50   ( 1,25)
Building and Cement Companies CYP      45.100   71,19   ( 0,79)
Énformation Technology
Companies                 CYP       4.420    2,93   ( 1,74)
Financial Services Companies  CYP      17.155    9,76   ( 0,62)
Fish Culture Companies        CYP       1.790   11,90   (-0,75)
Hotels                        CYP       9.418   33,23   ( 0,76)
Other Companies               CYP      46.295   68,82   ( 2,06)

* The third column presents the percentage variation of

[04] Weather and Temperatures for Cyprus

1525:CYPPRESS:04

Weather and Temperatures for Cyprus

Nicosia, Apr 7 (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                 23             9           FINE
Larnaca                 20            10           FINE
Limassol                22            10           FINE
Paphos                  19             8           FINE

[05] EU Commissioner hopeful about outcome of referendum

1530:CYPPRESS:05

EU Commissioner hopeful about outcome of referendum

Nicosia, Apr 7 (CNA) -- EU enlargement commissioner Guenter Verheugen appeared optimistic today that Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots would ponder on the benefits of a political settlement and approve a UN proposal for a comprehensive settlement in separate referenda set for 24 April.

However, he cautioned against any kind of pressure or intervention on the Greek Cypriots, pointing out that the democratic process in Cyprus should be respected but also said that he believed this was the last opportunity for reunification for the foreseeable future.

Verheugen also said that in the event of a negative outcome at the referenda, the Republic of Cyprus would join the EU representing the entire island but the EU would have to continue its support on many levels towards the Turkish Cypriots.

The Commissioner said a positive result that would reunite the island would send an important political signal to the region of the Eastern Mediterranean that the EU can resolve and prevent conflicts and said that a reunited Cyprus would serve as a model in that part of the world.

''It is our clear preference to welcome the United Cyprus Republic on May 1 and we are very very close, just inches away, this opportunity should not be missed,'' he added.

''The Commission unanimously adopted today a draft regulation which will be sent to the Council that seals the most essential characteristics of the peace plan for Cyprus and transposes this into community law,'' he announced at a press conference in Brusssels.

He said the outcome of last week's talks in Switzerland demonstrated that it was possible to come up with a proposal that had a very good chance to be approved in both communities in the referendum, adding that he assumed that all three guarantor powers (Britain, Turkey and Greece) would ratify the UN plan.

''I get the impression that public opinion within Cyprus is starting to change,'' he said, noting that the recent negative outlook was partly due to a number of arrangements that were contained in the previous UN plan which the Greek Cypriots found difficult to accept.

[06] MEP's Crespo and Rothe: EU will accept referenda outcome

1550:CYPPRESS:06

MEP's Crespo and Rothe: EU will accept referenda outcome

Nicosia, Apr 7 (CNA) -- The European Union will respect the outcome of the 24 April referendum on the UN Secretary General's plan for a comprehensive Cyprus settlement, Enrique Baron Crespo, Leader of the European Parliament Socialist Group, and MEP Mechtild Rothe, stressed here today.

Crespo and Rothe urged the people in Cyprus to study carefully the Annan plan, decide rationally and exploit the chance for a solution of the Cyprus issue.

[07] Greece sends written commitment to UN about referenda

1640:CYPPRESS:07

Greece sends written commitment to UN about referenda

by Christa Nicolaou

Athens, Apr 7 (CNA) -- The Greek government will officially send today a letter to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, in which it will express its commitment that the Annan plan for a comprehensive Cyprus settlement is put to referenda, Spokesman for the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs Giorgos Koumoutsakos said today.

''Greece will send today a letter to the UN, in which it will state that it accepts that the Foundation Agreement is put to separate referenda in Cyprus'', Koumoutsakos said.

[08] Commission: Cyprus President to be invited to Donors' Conference

1745:CYPPRESS:08

Commission: Cyprus President to be invited to Donors' Conference

Nicosia, April 7 (CNA) Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos will be invited to an EU Donors' Conference, to take place in Brussels next week, to assist the implementation of a Cyprus settlement.

A statement by the Commission's Delegation in Cyprus said that, contrary to press reports, it confirmed ''President of the Republic of Cyprus, Tassos Papadopoulos, will be invited to the high level preparatory Donors' Conference for Cyprus to be held on 15 April 2004 in Brussels.''

It further said that contacts on this matter have been made with the government and that the official invitation ''will be handed shortly.''

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