Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 07-03-24

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

CONTENTS

[01] PAPADOPOULOS - JULY AGREEMENT

[02] USA - GREEK FM - CYPRUS

[03] WORLD HEALTH TOURISM CONGRESS

[01] PAPADOPOULOS - JULY AGREEMENT

In statements at Larnaca airport before departing for Berlin to participate in celebrations with other European Union leaders for the 50th anniversary since the signing of the Treaty of Rome, President Papadopoulos described as a ``sad development`` the postponement of a scheduled meeting of the representatives of the leaders of the two Cypriot communities, due to have taken place earlier this week as part of discussions for the implementation of the 8th of July agreement.

``At least this time it is clear where the difficulties lie,`` he noted.

Responding to a question about the implementation of the agreement, President Papadopoulos said ``the process which started a long time ago is not yet completed`` and expressed hope ``for wiser thoughts to prevail`` and moves towards the first necessary step for the resumption of talks.

``I believe``, he said, ``this regretful development as well as other developments show how correct our stance is, because if any talks are to succeed, we have to prepare the ground as the United States have suggested, something we support wholeheartedly.``

On opportunities given to the Turkish Cypriot side, the Cypriot President had this to say: ``As many as necessary. This is not a question of how many times we wish to submit alternative proposals. It is a question of what room there is (to effect implementation) and the limits have been exhausted.``

``Any other procedural suggestion on our part, essentially targets either the neutralization or the cancellation of July agreement, which we believe is a good chance, a good process for substantive negotiations,`` he stressed.

Asked about trade between the EU and the Turkish occupied areas of Cyprus, President Papadopoulos said the issue is being examined at working groups and by technocrats.

Asked when he would be meeting the new UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, he reckoned this would be in September.

The President dismissed press suggestions that there is contradiction between what he tells Brussels and what he says in Cyprus.

``What I say here, I say the same thing in Brussels as well,``, he concluded.

[02] USA - GREEK FM - CYPRUS

The same source said the Greek FM had an indepth discussion on Cyprus with Burns, adding that the demolition of a wall at the end of the commercial Ledra street in Nicosia, by Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos, is a token of the gravity with which the Greek-Cypriot side attempts to create the preconditions for the restart of a dialogue towards a political settlement. The wall was constructed after the country was divided, following the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus, and it was adjacent to the UN-controlled buffer zone. The President`s decision to demolish the wall was welcomed by the European Union, the US and others.

Bakoyiannis asked for the implementation of the July 8, Agreement which is the correct frame for resuming the negotiating process, the source noted. ``Any initiatives must be based on this agreement and not on any new procedures``, it added. On July 8, 2006, President Papadopoulos and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat agreed, during a meeting in Nicosia in the presence of former UN Undersecretary General for political Affairs Ibrahim Gambari, to begin a process of bicommunal discussions on issues that affect the day-to-day life of the people and concurrently those that concern substantive issues, both contributing to a comprehensive settlement to the Cyprus problem.

[03] WORLD HEALTH TOURISM CONGRESS

The Minister said that Cyprus combines a number of important attributes as a destination for health tourism and has the potential to become a centre for health tourism in the near future. Our island, he noted, located at the crossroads of three continents, offers ideal climate both for treatment and recuperation and a high standard of services for medical tourism at cost effective rates. He added that the government, recognizing the importance of health tourism for Cyprus, has included the development of this sector in its strategic goals.

``The Cyprus government encourages investment in various sectors of the Cyprus economy and health tourism investments are particularly welcomed``, he pointed out. Within this framework, he continued, the government has set up a one stop system for the speedy registration of companies in Cyprus. In addition, it has recently established the Cyprus Investment Promotion Agency, which aims at attracting foreign investment and at facilitating such investment. The government also actively supports the Medical Services Promotion Board, which has been set up by the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and consists of a cluster of the largest private medical facilities in Cyprus.

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