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Monday, 30 December 2024
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Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 09-01-02Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org.cy>CONTENTS
[01] CHRISTOFIAS - TALAT - TALKSPresident of the Republic of Cyprus Demetris Christofias and the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community Mehmet Ali Talat will have their first meeting in the new year on Monday, January 5th. This will be the 14th direct meeting between the two leaders since the start of the UN-led negotiating process last September.At their last meeting, December 22, the leaders of the two communities in Cyprus said that although some progress had been made in their discussions which aim at reaching a solution of the Cyprus problem, this has been insufficient. However they reaffirmed their commitment to do everything in their power to reach a settlement as soon as possible. In a joint statement, the two leaders said that as we are entering a new year, we the two leaders would like to reaffirm our strong commitment to find a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem. UN Secretary-Generals Special Adviser on Cyprus Alexander Downer said after that meeting that they continued the discussion on external affairs and powers and that at the meeting on January 5th, there will be a discussion about the hierarchy of norms and some other of the constitutional questions still left to be discussed. Secretary Generals Special Representative in Cyprus Taye Brook Zerihoun will attend the meeting on Monday. Downer will be present at the meetings which will follow on 12th and 16th of January. [02] CMP - CYPRUS DONATIONThe Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus (CMP) has expressed sincere gratitude to Cyprus for its latest generous donation of 150,000 euro. According to a statement issued here, this renewed donation will enable the CMP to pursue its project on the exhumation, identification and return of remains of missing persons. It is intended to cover unforeseen expenses incurred at the end of 2008.The CMP is aiming to locate, exhume, identify and return as many remains as possible in order to bring an end to the uncertainty which has affected so many families for so many years. To date, the remains of over 466 individuals have been exhumed while 110 have been identified and returned to the families concerned. Additional missing persons will be identified and their remains returned to their families early in the coming year. Following the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus, a Committee on Missing Persons was set up in the early 1980s to deal with this humanitarian issue. Hundreds of Greek Cypriots have been missing since 1974. Turkish Cypriots have been missing since the early 1960s, when intercommunal fighting broke out. [03] EURO - DUAL PRICING ENDSThe legal obligation for dual pricing in euro and Cyprus pounds was terminated on January 1st, 2009, one year after the accession of Cyprus to the euro-zone. The coordinator of the campaign for the adoption of the euro, Andreas Charalambous, has told CNA that businesses are no longer obliged or encouraged to continue dual pricing. He noted that the experience of other euro-zone countries shows that it is important to stop using dual pricing after a certain period of time, in order to help people think exclusively in euro.Pointing-out that dual pricing was an important measure which has helped people get used to the new currency, Charalambous added that both businesses and the public soon and with great success got used to the new legal tender. He also said that since this goal has been achieved, it is now the right time to end the compulsory dual pricing. Marking one year since joining the euro, Finance Minister Charilaos Stavrakis said Wednesday that accession to the euro-area has made the local economy and its banking system more stable. In his message, Governor of the Central Bank Athanasios Orphanides said that Cyprus accession to the euro-area acted as a protection shield against the fallout of the current international financial crisis. Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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