Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 06-04-20

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

CONTENTS

[01] FOREIGN MINISTER - TURKEY - EU

[02] CYPRUS - KUWAIT - DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS

[01] FOREIGN MINISTER - TURKEY - EU

He underlined that Ankara`s obligations concerning the opening of its ports and airports to Cypriot ships and airplanes are still in place.

``We will wait for Turkey`s rendezvous with the Council of the EU Foreign Ministers, probably to the held in October, to hear Turkey`s intentions as regards the implementation of these obligations,`` he added.

Asked whether the Republic of Cyprus is examining the possibility of using legal means provided by the World Trade Organisation, Iacovou said ``we consider the issue as a political one and that there is an absolute engagement and obligation of Turkey.``

Iacovou noted that ``we have surely asked for opinions, we have them and my conclusion is that these opinions are very propitious for our positions, but we would not want to enter into a process that could take months and maybe more than months and in the meantime Turkey will allege that now that there are legal means we will wait and see what will happen with these legal means.``

``This obligation exists, is absolute and not negotiable and that is why we will ask for explanations from Turkey in October, on the basis of the agreement we have,`` he added.

He noted that ``Turkey can ask from the European Commission and not by the Republic of Cyprus for an issue to be referred to arbitration but the Commission must agree to that.``

``Since this will concern the interests of a member state, I would consider it improbable for the Commission to move forward without the consent of the member state,`` he added.

Iacovou also noted that ``it is not possible for Turkey to appeal on the basis of the content of the Ankara Protocol, because the Protocol of Ankara concerns only some countries, the old members of the EU.``

Commenting on press reports regarding the visit of US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to Ankara next week and the possible discussion of the so-called Turkish action plan on Cyprus, Iacovou said this information came from Turkish sources.

He noted that the Turks have already understood that the Turkish Minister of Foreign Affair`s plan on Cyprus has no content.

``I am certain that the Turkish side might refer to it but I consider it completely improbable that much time is consumed on such an issue, which lacks content and tries to link the legal obligations of Turkey with issues concerning aspects of the Cyprus question.`` he said.

``No country can accept that,`` he concluded.

[02] CYPRUS - KUWAIT - DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS

Cypriot Undersecretary to the President Christodoulos Pashiardis has said the Council of Ministers, which met under the presidency of President Tassos Papadopoulos, ``approved the establishment of diplomatic relations between Cyprus and Kuwait at ambassadorial level.``

He said that the goal is to promote the friendly relations and enhance the cooperation between the two countries.

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