Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 07-04-16

Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

CONTENTS

[01] FM - CYPRUS QUESTION

[02] MATSAKIS - DISCHARGED FROM HOSPITAL

[03] SLOVAK AMBASSADOR - CYPRUS

[01] FM - CYPRUS QUESTION

He expressed hope that the hardening of the Turkish stance on the Cyprus question is merely due to elections in Turkey and is not a planned policy.

To a question on the Cyprus problem in relation to the pre-election period in Turkey, Lillikas said that there are issues which are pre-election and there issues that I dont know whether they are pre-election or constitute Turkeys long-standing policy.

It is a fact that during recent months Turkey appears to be rather aggressive and is staging a show of provocative intransigence towards Cyprus and in the issue of the implementation of the 8 July agreement and on other issues as well, he added.

He said that on the part of the Cypriot government, what we hope, wish and work for is the implementation of the 8 July agreement the soonest possible, at least to implement it in 2007, despite the fact that logically due to the elections, no one can expect that there will be progress or major steps towards the settlement of the Cyprus problem, but at least not to lose more time.

Lets hope that the hardening of Turkeys stance is due to elections in the country and does not constitute a policy that is scheduled to take an extreme form, he added.

Lillikas said the government hopes the UN Security Council and Secretariat will intensify their efforts for the implementation of the 8 July agreement, that was a product, not only an agreement between the leaders of the two communities, it was a product of the effort of the UN General Secretariat and consequently it expressed that approach which the General Secretariat had put on the table after the meeting of February 2006 in Paris between President Papadopoulos and former UN SG Kofi Annan.

The agreement, as formed and signed by the two leaders came as a suggestion by the United Nations. So we hope that this effort by the UN will continue, he added.

Invited to comment on reports that that the UN believe that both sides in Cyprus do not exhibit any flexibility, Lillikas said that our intention has not and will not be to allocate responsibilities, adding that the allocation of responsibilities that could lead to the termination of this effort, would not satisfy us.

What is important for us is to achieve progress and there may be progress only through the implementation of the agreement, he added.

[02] MATSAKIS - DISCHARGED FROM HOSPITAL

In statements to the press, Matsakis described as unacceptable the position EU Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn took as regards the MEPs arrest by the British, adding that the effort for the withdrawal of the British Bases from Cyprus must be collective.

Asked what he intends to do, he said he will seek legal advice in cooperation with the Cyprus government.

He also noted that the issue of the British Bases in Cyprus must be put on the table for discussion

[03] SLOVAK AMBASSADOR - CYPRUS

According to an official press release, the Slovak President will hold a meeting with President Papadopoulos followed by official consultations between the Cypriot and Slovak delegations during which they will discuss bilateral relations, the Cyprus issue as well as other international matters.

The Slovak President will also meet President of the Cypriot House of Representatives Demetris Christofias, Archbishop Chrysostomos and Nicosia Mayor Eleni Mavrou.

Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article