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Thursday, 19 December 2024
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Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 06-12-17Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org.cy>CONTENTS
[01] CYPRUS: LOCAL ELECTIONSA total of 505,172 Greek and Turkish Cypriots and European nationals living in Cyprus go to the polls today to elect the mayors of 27 municipalities, 23 in the government-controlled areas and four in the areas occupied by Turkish troops since the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974.The mayors of six more municipalities, those of Morphou, Kythrea, Lysi, Lefkoniko, Karava and Kato Polemidia, have been elected uncontested. Chief Returning Officer Lazaros Savvides said he expects that the new Mayors will be announced around 22:00 local time (2000 GMT). According to Savvides, this will be the first time that a total of 309 Turkish Cypriot voters will vote in a joint electoral role with the Greek Cypriots, while 3,728 voters (mainly British and Greeks) will also participate in the local elections, three years after Cyprus` accession to the European Union. Polls opened at 0700 and close at 1800 local time with one hour break between 1200 and 1300. EU memeber state, Cyprus, is divided since 1974 when Turkish troops invaded and occupied one third of the island`s territory. [02] CYPRUS PRESIDENT - STATEMENTSCypriot President of the Republic Tassos Papadopoulos, expressed satisfaction over the conclusions of the European Council, noting that the amendments that have been adopted by the EU 25 Foreign Ministers last Monday managed to avert the negative provisions that were included in the European Commissions recommendations regarding sanctions due to Turkey`s failure to meet its obligations under the Ankara Protocol.The European Councils conclusions are in general satisfactory for us, bearing in mind that the recommendations proposed by the European Commission included provisions, which I believe would have had a negative effect on the developments of the Cyprus issue in relation to Turkey, such as coupling of Ankaras EU obligations with the developments of the Cyprus problem, setting timeframes and many other, President Papadopoulos noted. [03] GREEK PM - BRUSSELSGreek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis believes that the European Union has sent a very clear message to Turkey with regard to its accession negotiations, saying that Ankara must meet its commitments towards the Union if it wants to move on with its membership talks.On the question of Cyprus and prospects for some developments towards a settlement, he said there is an ongoing attempt to resume the dialogue, which Greece supports. [04] UNFICYP RESOLUTION CYPRUS REACTIONThe Cyprus government has expressed satisfaction with the adoption by the Security Council of Resolution 1728, renewing the mandate of UNFICYP for six more months.The Security Council unanimously adopted the resolution, expressing full support for the process agreed by the leaders on 8th July, encourages active participation in bicommunal discussions as described in Under-Secretary-General Ibrahim Gambaris letter of 15 November 2006, under the auspices of the SRSG, and calls for early completion of the preparatory phase so that a fully-fledged Good Offices process may resume as soon as possible. Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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