Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 04-09-12

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

CONTENTS

[01] Cyprus President expresses sorrow at death of Patriarch of Alexandria

[02] Papadopoulos: content and not number of changes to UN plan important

[01] Cyprus President expresses sorrow at death of Patriarch of Alexandria

Cyprus President expresses sorrow at death of Patriarch of Alexandria

Nicosia, Sep 12 (CNA) -- Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos said he was deeply saddened by the death of Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa Petros VII and another 16 persons, clergy and laymen, who were killed on Saturday when the helicopter they were on board crashed into the sea, off Greece's northern coast, near Mount Athos.

"I wish to express my sorrow in public as well for the loss of the Patriarch, the Bishop of Maheras Monastery Arsenios and all the clergymen and the laymen, including the helicopter crew," he said on Sunday.

The death of the late Patriarch Petros VII, who was a Cypriot national, is "a big blow to religion and the Orthodox church as well as to the work he was doing" throughout the African continent and elsewhere, President Papadopoulos added.

Earlier today, at the morning church service Bishop of Kyko Monastery Nikiforos said he was too distraught to address the congregation as he would usually do on a Sunday.

[02] Papadopoulos: content and not number of changes to UN plan important

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Papadopoulos: content and not number of changes to UN plan important

Nicosia, Sep 12 (CNA) -- Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos stressed on Sunday that it was more important to pay attention to the content of changes to be introduced to a UN-proposed solution plan, than to their number.

''The number of changes to the Annan plan (UN solution plan) does not matter. The content of the changes that would render the plan functional and viable is important,'' he said, replying to questions.

President Papadopoulos said there are different views with regard to Turkey's European aspirations, among European Union member states.

''It is too premature to draw any conclusions on the issue,'' he said, when asked about an EU decision, due in December, on the start of accession negotiations with Turkey, a candidate country.

Papadopoulos is one of 25 EU leaders who will decide at their summit in December whether Turkey is ready to begin talks with the EU or not. Turkey continues to occupy nearly 40 per cent of Cyprus' territory.

Responding to questions, he said all political parties on the island want to see the question of Cyprus solved and described as ''healthy'' the fact that parties which support the government maintain their own views on certain matters.

Meanwhile, Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis reiterated that Athens and Nicosia enjoy a ''very good, close and long standing cooperation and contact'', stressing that this did not imply that Greece dictates policies to Cyprus.

On Turkey's bid to begin membership talks with the EU, he said there are different views among EU members but pointed out that a European Turkey would be to the benefit of everybody and reiterated his support for Ankara's European aspirations.

Cyprus House President Demetris Christofias has said he believed that at the end of the day the EU would decide to begin accession talks with Turkey. CNA AAG/XRN/MM/2004 ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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