Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 07-03-29

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

CONTENTS

[01] CYPRIOT FM SECURITY COUNCIL

[02] AMBASSADORS SC PERMANENT MEMBERS AGREEMENT

[03] COMMUNICATIONS MINISTER SYRIA OFFICIAL VISIT

[04] CABINET CY EUROCYPRIA

[01] CYPRIOT FM SECURITY COUNCIL

Speaking after a meeting with a Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry delegation, Lillikas said efforts should focus on implementing the agreement and pointed out that this is what the Security Council was requesting.

Asked if there were any indications that the Turkish Cypriot side would proceed with the implementation of the July 8 agreement, Lillikas said there were not.

``The statement of the Security Council is in the right direction and we hope that there will be the necessary good will, after the appeal and statement of the Security Council, in order to implement the July 8 agreement,`` he added.

Asked about information that Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot side were in the process of preparing a new set of ideas or a solution plan for the Cyprus problem, and asked if the government was ready to handle such an eventuality, Lillikas said it was wrong to begin a public dialogue on the issue.

``We have before us an agreement, signed by the leaders of the two communities, we have a process which UN Undersecretary General, Mr. Gambari, proposed and was accepted by the leaders of the two communities. I believe this is what we should focus our effort and attention on, and I think this is what the Security Council itself appealed to us for, to all the sides,`` Lillikas pointed out.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third.

Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat agreed on 8 July 2006, during a meeting in Nicosia in the presence of UN official 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.

The National Guard, the island`s army, removed on March 8 the wall in Ledra Street, which was erected soon after the Turkish invasion. The government of Cyprus clarified that the demolition of the wall does not mean the opening of the crossing point to and from the Turkish occupied areas, unless security issues are addressed.

In a statement, the members of the Security Council ``urge both communities to work with the UN to open Ledra Street crossing and to implement the July 8 agreement in particular through the immediate creation of bicommunal working groups and technical committees in order to prepare the ground for fully fledged negotiations leading to a comprehensive and durable settlement.``

[02] AMBASSADORS SC PERMANENT MEMBERS AGREEMENT

On Thursday the five ambassadors in Nicosia together called on the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community Mehmet Ali Talat at his request and called for the rapid implementation of the agreement of 8 July 2006 and the re-launch of the UN-sponsored search for a comprehensive settlement.

The five ambassadors expressed concern at the difficulties which had arisen in the process, aimed at starting talks based on the 8 July Agreement and Mr Gambaris November suggestions. They recalled that over a year had passed in which the sides, under the auspices of the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General, had worked diligently towards reaching an understanding.

The five permanent members ``encourage both leaders to continue to show bold political will and to capitalise on the positive momentum which had been created, by engaging immediately in the 8 July process. In this regard, they reaffirmed their readiness to assist the parties to reach a lasting and comprehensive settlement,`` the press release concluded.

[03] COMMUNICATIONS MINISTER SYRIA OFFICIAL VISIT

Thrasou leaves Friday for Syria, as head of a delegation, for a three day official visit at the invitation of Syria`s Minister of Transport Yarob S. Badr.

[04] CABINET CY EUROCYPRIA

Government Spokesman Christodoulos Pashiardis said Kikis Lazarides was appointed Executive Chairman of Cyprus Airways and Lazaros Savvides Chairman of Eurocypria.

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