Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 06-09-10

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

CONTENTS

[01] PAPADOPOULOS - HELSINKI

[01] PAPADOPOULOS - HELSINKI

CNA has learnt that the meeting between Papadopoulos and Vanhanen focused on Turkeys obligations towards the EU and Ankaras refusal to implement the Customs Union Protocol with the ten new EU member states, in particular as regards to its denial to open its ports and airports to Cypriot vessel and aircraft.

The discussion took place in connection to the European Commissions report on Turkeys progress regarding its accession negotiations, to be published end of this October.

President Papadopoulos, who is in Helsinki attending the ASEM 6 Summit (Asia-Europe Meeting), met earlier today with British Deputy Prime Minister in the presence of delegations from Cyprus and Britain.

They discussed the recent developments of the Cyprus problem, Turkeys EU accession negotiations as well as the course of the structural dialogue between Cyprus and Britain in various areas, that has been agreed upon last year between President Papadopoulos and British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

President Papadopoulos is accompanied in Finland by Minister of Foreign Affairs George Lillikas and Director of his Diplomatic Office Tasos Tzionis.

From Finland, he will head for New York, to address the United Nations` General Assembly.

Cyprus is an EU member state since May 1st 2004.

The Republic of Cyprus is divided since 1974 when Turkish troops invaded and occupied its northern third.

Although Turkey signed in July 2005 the protocol extending its customs union with all ten EU member states, including the Republic of Cyprus, it still refuses to ratify it and open its ports and airports to Cypriot vessel and aircraft, claiming that it does not recognize the Republic of Cyprus.

At the ASEM 6 Summit, the leaders of 38 Asian and European countries and representatives of the European Commission will meet to engage in an open and genuine dialogue under the overarching theme of ``Global Challenges - Joint Responses``.

The Summit will focus on ways to respond to the challenges of globalisation.

ASEM 6 is chaired by the Prime Minister of Finland, Matti Vanhanen.

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