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Thursday, 19 December 2024
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Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 06-12-14Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org.cy>CONTENTS
[01] EU COUNCIL - OBJECTIVESEuropean Union leader began their summit with a view to carry forward their discussions on the core issue of enlargement.Cyprus is represented at the summit by President Tassos Papadopoulos, who is accompanied by Foreign Minister George Lillikas. Discussions at the European Council will focus on the enlargement strategy, approved by the European Commission on 8 November, and the special report annexed to it on the Union`s capacity to integrate new members. The objective of the heads of state or government is to consolidate the consensus among the member states on how to proceed with the enlargement process. The European Council will also discuss justice and home affairs as the second main theme with a view at identifying ways to improve EU decision-making and action in the area of freedom, security and justice. The goal is to enhance the member states` commitment to more effective decision-making on justice and home affairs. The EU`s immigration policy is also on the agenda for the European Council and the 25 leaders will try to strengthen the overall approach to immigration and agree on concrete measures to be taken in 2007. The Finnish EU Presidency will present its assessment of the discussions which the Presidency held this autumn with the member states concerning the future of the Constitutional Treaty. The European Council will take stock of EU-accession negotiations with Turkey and Croatia, on the basis of the outcome of the General Affairs and External Relations Council on 11 December. Other items on the agenda for the meeting include policies on innovation and energy, climate change and key external relations issues. [02] LILLIKAS TURKEYCyprus Foreign Minister Yiorgos Lillikas does not expect any member states to open for discussion, at the European Council, the unanimously agreed text on Turkeys accession negotiations, saying this would be tantamount to a provocation.He also said that the EU should take its decision on the basis of facts and not pledges to implement previous promises. Lillikas reiterated that the pace and the progress in Turkeys accession negotiations depends on Ankara. [03] PAPADOPOULOS KARAMANLISA meeting between Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos and Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis has confirmed the very good cooperation between the two leaders and took place in an extremely positive climate, according to Greek government sources.During the 35 minute long meeting in Brussels, before the start of the European Council, Papadopoulos and Karamanlis referred to last Mondays very good outcome of the General Affairs Council meeting as well as the implementation of the decisions taken by the EU foreign ministers at the meeting. They also reviewed developments in the EU and talked about Turkeys accession course. [04] FINANCE MINISTER BUDGETCyprus fulfills all criteria for accession to the Eurozone as of 1st January 2008, Finance Minister Michael Sarris said.Speaking at the budget debate at the House of Representatives, Sarris said that the current situation of the Cyprus economy is one of robustness and of an intense dynamism, while the basic macroeconomic figures present a constant and steady improvement, reflecting the course of convergence with the economy of the European Union. The governments economic policy, said the Minister, has secured steady high growth rates estimated at around 3.7%, resulting with a control of unemployment and maintaining inflation at low levels. Sarris said that Cyprus budget deficit could fall to 1.5 percent of the gross domestic product this year, almost half a percentage point better than earlier forecasts. Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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