Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 08-05-09

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

CONTENTS

[01] PRESIDENT CHRISTOFIAS - FRENCH PRIME MINISTER

[02] CYPRUS GOVERNMENT - EUROPE DAY

[03] FINANCE MINISTER - FOREIGN INVESTMENT

[01] PRESIDENT CHRISTOFIAS - FRENCH PRIME MINISTER

Christofias` comments came days before his new meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat planned for May 23 in a bid to discuss the work done so far in the working groups and technical committees established as agreed by the two leaders during their first meeting on March 21.

A statement issued after that meeting said that Christofias and Talat would meet again at the end of June ``to review the work of the working groups and technical committees, and using their results, to start full-fledged negotiations under the auspices of the Secretary-General of the United Nations.``

``As result of our initiatives there is movement which we hope will lead to negotiations for a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem,`` Christofias said in a joint press conference with French Prime Minister Francois Fillon.

President Christofias added, ``I want to clarify that we assumed no commitment to start negotiations without progress in the work of the working groups.``

Noting that the common aim of both communities should be a bi-zonal bi-communal federal solution on the basis of the UN Security Council resolutions and the High Level agreements of 1977 - 1979, Christofias said that ``progress in the Cyprus problem depends on the stance Turkey will observe.``

``We urge our partners in the EU to encourage Turkey to show at last a positive stance, since the messages we receive from Ankara lately are not at all encouraging,`` Christofias underlined.

Referring to Turkey`s EU bid, President Christofias recalled that Cyprus does not overrule the prospect of a Turkish accession to the EU but on the contrary has a positive stance. ``However, Turkey must fulfill to the full its obligations towards the EU including the obligations towards Cyprus.``

In his statements, Fillon expressed hope that the new effort that started after the election of Christofias to the Presidency of the Republic will lead to progress.

``We believe that these efforts should continue so that a just and viable solution will be found, which will put an end to the division of the island,`` he said speaking through an interpreter, adding that France ``will do its utmost`` as a Security Council permanent member-state to assist Cyprus.

Replying to a question on the position of the French Presidency regarding the obligations of Turkey towards the EU and Cyprus, Fillon said that his country believes that ``a good solution would not be the accession of Turkey in the EU but the preferential relationship between a vast country, Turkey, and the EU.``

``We monitor the fulfillment of the obligations Turkey assumed but I would like to state very simply that we cannot accept in the EU a country which has occupying troops in another European country,`` Fillon noted.

He also clarified that the solution of the Cyprus problem lies within the UN and the UN Secretary-General, adding the EU can only assist these efforts since it has no mandate on the Cyprus problem.

[02] CYPRUS GOVERNMENT - EUROPE DAY

Addressing a reception to mark the Day of Europe, Christofias said that Cyprus accession to the EU, despite the sacrifices which the Cyprus people have made to achieve it, has brought significant benefits.

Christofias said that our wish, engagement and effort is to achieve a Cyprus settlement the soonest possible, so that our Turkish Cypriot compatriots will participate actively in the European processes sharing with their Greek Cypriot compatriots the vision for the European integration that will bring peace, security and welfare to our homeland.

The Cypriot President said that todays day which commemorates the reconciliation of the peoples of Europe shows the way that we must follow, the road of co-understanding, respect to diversity and consensus.

We hope that with the substantive contribution of the EU and having in mind the principles that govern the European integration, the effort for a Cyprus settlement will bear fruit and our people will celebrate united this important day, he stressed adding that we expect from Europe to exert its influence on Turkey to the outmost with a view to fulfill these goals.

[03] FINANCE MINISTER - FOREIGN INVESTMENT

Speaking during a press conference, Stavrakis said that this decision was taken during a meeting he had with President Demetris Christofias, whom he briefed on the meetings he had Monday in London.

Stavrakis said the committee would look into relevant issues such as the tax incentives, the establishment of reliable custodians, and harmonization and further improvement of the legal framework aiming to attract a big number of number of investment funds in Cyprus.

Our primary goal is Cyprus to become the base of these funds, the state to have income from the taxes it will impose and at the same time to create high level jobs in Cyprus, the Minister added.

Asked whether is possible these funds to invest in big development projects in Cyprus, Stavrakis said that these are international and mutual funds with investments all over the world.

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