Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 09-02-17

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

CONTENTS

[01] US SENATOR CYPRUS ISSUE

[02] FM OCCUPIED AREAS

[03] GREEK US FM CYPRUS ISSUE

[04] CYPRUS TRADE BALANCE

[01] US SENATOR CYPRUS ISSUE

Speaking here Tuesday, after a meeting with President Christofias at the Presidential Palace, Durbin noted that the US have not a specific offer to give, but it is up to the two sides to decide what that help might be. We are going from here to Athens and then to Ankara to encourage both leaders and both governments to join us in this offer for assistance, he added.

The US official pointed out that President Christofias is showing exceptional courage in moving forward with the peace negotiations to try and bring Cyprus back together, and expressed hope the people of Cyprus supports the two leaders.

This is a historic opportunity and I wish them (the two leaders) all the success, he said, noting that it takes great courage for them to keep working.

Pointing out that this is not an official visit to Cyprus and that he is not here as a representative of President Obama, Durbin said that he will stress to the US President as well as the Secretary of State that the US will consider this (the process for the solution of the Cyprus problem), as an opportunity of history that we should not miss. We should do everything we can if we are asked to call on to make this work, he added.

There has been too much suffering on this beautiful island and we have to put history behind us and look to the future together, Durbin concluded.

Cypriot President Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat began last September direct negotiations with a view to reunify Cyprus, which has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied one third of the islands territory.

[02] FM OCCUPIED AREAS

The Minister was invited to comment on press reports according to which the illegal so - called Turkish Cypriot airlines will be flying to Teheran, via Constantinople (Istanbul), and that a sea route between the closed port of Famagusta, on the east, and Haifa, in Israel, will operate.

Kyprianou stressed that based on international law, airports and ports in the Turkish occupied areas of Cyprus are closed. Since the Turkish invasion of 1974 and the occupation of the islands northern third, Famagusta, on the east, has been under Turkish occupation. The fenced off part of the city is under the direct control of the Turkish military and remains to this day abandoned. Famagusta has been declared by the government of Cyprus a closed port of entry.

[03] GREEK US FM CYPRUS ISSUE

Spokesman of the Greek Foreign Ministry George Koumoutsakos said Tuesday that Bakoyannis will hold a meeting with her US counterpart on her dual capacity as Greek Foreign Minister and President of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

Issues on the agenda will include OSCE affairs, international and regional issues, developments in the Middle East and the Caucasus, as well as the Cyprus problem, the Greco Turkish relations and the situation in the Balkans.

[04] CYPRUS TRADE BALANCE

Eurostat data indicate that the total exports of Cyprus between January and November 2008 were 1 billion euro (7% increased in comparison to 2007) whereas total imports amounted 6.7 billion euro (16% increased in comparison to 2007).

For the same period Greeces trade deficit reached the amount of 33.2 billion euro. The total exports of Greece amounted to 15.9 billion euro (invariable), whereas total imports were valued to 49.1 billion euro (5% decreased in comparison to 2007).

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