Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 06-08-30

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

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

CONTENTS

[01] SECURITY COUNCIL - CYPRUS QUESTION

[02] CYPRUS - CHINA - AGREEMENT

[03] SPOKESMAN - PAPADOPOULOS - DIKO

[04] LIMASSOL - WINE FESTIVAL

[01] SECURITY COUNCIL - CYPRUS QUESTION

Pashiardis noted that ``our side with consistency, responsibility, goodwill and above all political will is working towards achieving progress as a necessary prerequisite for the commencement of substantive negotiations on the Cyprus problem,`` adding that the preparation of the ground before substantive negotiations is also a demand of the UN Secretary General, who ``first wants to be convinced that the ground has been sufficiently prepared before he becomes involved personally in a new effort.``

Referring to the statement by the President of the Security Council, after being briefed by UN Undersecretary General for Political Affairs Ibrahim Gambari, that the Security Council calls for the full implementation of the July 8 agreement without further delay, Pashiardis said ``this is exactly our side`s position from the beginning of the process and we stand by it.``

Asked if the government was concerned that the Security Council was maintaining strict neutrality despite the Turkish side`s stance which is preventing the implementation of the agreement, Pashiardis said ``it was of course not expected that the Security Council would apportion responsibility for the delay in the promotion of the full implementation of the July 8 agreement, even if there are some responsibilities for this delay.``

Pashiardis said the Greek Cypriot side has no reason to obstruct progress but has every reason to pursue substantive negotiations for a Cyprus settlement.

Asked if the Security Council could force the Turkish side to stop delaying work at the technical committees, Pashiardis said there was no way of doing this, adding that it was up to the Turkish side to respond to the Security Council call for the full implementation of the agreement.

[02] CYPRUS - CHINA - AGREEMENT

"We look forward to this agreement providing an ever further impetus to stronger economic ties between our respective private sectors to pursue trade investment relations and joint ventures in both Cyprus and China, but also in other neighbouring countries," Sarris said.

Chen, who invited Sarris to visit China, referred to the economic and trade relations between China and Cyprus which "have been progressing very drastically and very strongly in recent years."

With the signing of the agreement, the fifth session of the joint Cyprus-China Intergovernmental Economic Committee on Economic Cooperation was wrapped up, and a protocol was also signed, which aims at further strengthening and developing cooperation in economic, trade, research and development, and science and technology sectors.

[03] SPOKESMAN - PAPADOPOULOS - DIKO

Asked why President Papadopoulos has left the presidency of DIKO, Pashiardis said ``it is a decision of the President of the Republic and I do not think that he has taken anyone by surprise.``

``It has been a while that his decision to depart from the presidency of DIKO had been made public. Let us acknowledge him the right to decide by himself the date of communicating this decision,`` Pashiardis added.

Asked if one could assume that by departing from the presidency of DIKO President Papadopoulos intended to withdraw from politics, Pashiardis said ``his resignation from the presidency of DIKO does not mean in any way departure from active politics.``

[04] LIMASSOL - WINE FESTIVAL

On Tuesday night, Commerce, Industry and Tourism Minister Antonis Michaelides opened officially the Wine Festival, hosted at the Limassol Municipal Park, during a spectacular ceremony with mutli-coloured fireworks that filled the cool evening.

The Minister said that according to a recent study carried out by Italian archaeologist Maria Rozaria Belgiamo, the island of Cyprus was the first wine-producing country in the Mediterranean and the second worldwide.

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