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Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 09-03-07Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org.cy>CONTENTS
[01] EU SURVEY - WOMENThe European Parliament has organised a seminar in Brussels to mark International Womens Day, to press on with demands for more women candidates in the forthcoming European elections and stress the need for more gender equality on every level. According to a Eurobarometer flash survey presented at the seminar, 77% of EU women agree that politics is a male dominated world, while 46% said that their interests are not well represented in the EU.Women in the 27 member-states wish to see at least 50% members of European Parliament being women in the next European elections. A 53% said that the most effective way to achieve that would be by encouraging them to participate in politics and only a 10% is considering the use of mandatory quotas to be effective. Women are more interested in issues affecting their daily life as unemployment, financial growth and recession as well as public health and they seem to be more affected by the financial crisis, when they are not responsible for it. According to EU data only 11% of women participate in the Councils of large European corporations. Still women in the EU earn 17,3% less than men for the same job. According to the survey, 43% of Cypriot women vote on the basis of personality of the candidates presented and 41% always vote for the same party. When they vote for European elections they consider as the most important aspects the experience of the candidate on European issues (81%) and his political orientation (55%). They give less importance on campaign issues (12%). Women of Cyprus think that politics is dominated by men (77%). They also think that provision of sufficient day care facilities for children (39%), equal employment opportunities(27%), fight against human trafficking (23%), shared custody of children in divorce cases(20%), equal pay for men and women (19%), including years of child-minding as pensionable years(16%) should be prioritised by the next EP. European Parliament President Hans-Gert Poettering stressed during the debate on EP womens day celebration the importance of women representation in the next European elections. In June this year, 375 million voters in the European Union will elect their members of parliament. The turnout figure for women and their balanced representation will be crucial for democracy in the EU and for our society, he said noting that the percentage of women in the EP has risen from 16% in 1979 to 31% in 2009 but further progress is needed. Women account for 52% of the EU population. They must have equal representation. How can we speak of representative democracy when half the population is under-represented? asked Commission Vice-President Margot Wallstrom, who favours a 50/50 target in the European institutions. 2009 is a year of renewal for the Parliament and the Commission. Political parties have a key role to play. The candidate selection process is crucial, argued Employment and Social Affairs Commissioner Vladimir Spidla. European Parliament Vice-President Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou commenting on the flash Eurobarometer said that is of a great significance as 83% of women and 76% of men agree that women can bring a different perspective to politics``. [02] FM - AUSTRALIA - DONATIONCyprus will offer a symbolic sum of 100.000 Australian dollars as financial aid to help rehabilitate the victims of the devastating fires which have hit the country. The aid will be given by the Foreign Minister Markos Kyprianou, who is currently visiting Australia, at a meeting with his Australian counterpart Steven Smith, the Athens News Agency has reported.On Friday, Kyprianou met Archbishop Stylianos in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Sydney, his second stop of his tour in Australia. Later on, Kyprianou gave a briefing about the latest developments in the Cyprus question during a round table discussion at the Lowy Institute for International Policy. He also attended a dinner hosted by the Cypriot Community of Sydney and New South Wales. Kyprianou will travel next to Adelaide. [03] MINISTER - WATER SUPPLIESThe government will proceed with its plans to meet the water needs of the country, in spite of recent rainfall, the Minister of Agriculture, Natural Resources and the Environment Mihalis Polynikis has said. We shall not renege simply because recently we have had some rain, he has told CNA, noting that reservoirs are now full at 22% of their total capacity, compared to 11,4% the same period last year.The Minister explained that the plans aim to disengage the country from its dependence on rainfall for its water needs, adding that last years decision to impose water cuts will be reviewed towards the end of March but indicated that these may not be as severe as they have been in the past twelve months. He said at present total water reserves amount to 63.672,000 cubic metres, compared to 33 million cubic metres the corresponding period in 2008. The highest demand for water is in July and reaches 223.000 cubic metres, which are expected to be met through the water supply from desalination plants. At present there are two desalination plants, in Dekhelia and Larnaca, on the south coast, and work is underway for another one in Episkopi, on the southwest. There are also plans to build mobile desalination plans near the southern coastal town of Limassol. [04] PRESIDENT CYPRUS PROBLEM INTERNATIONAL RELATIONSPresident of the Republic of Cyprus Demetris Christofias assured on Friday that he would continue to strive towards achieving a just, viable and functional settlement of the Cyprus problem, noting that the key to a solution was in Turkey, which should change its intransigent policy, and that efforts within the EU and the international community were bearing fruit.He also said he was determined to press on with direct negotiations with the Turkish Cypriot side for a comprehensive settlement, that would serve the interests of the people as a whole, and pointed out that in order for the efforts to be successful, unity and consent on the internal front were of great importance. In his opening remarks during a press conference to mark the first year of his term in office and referring to the Cyprus problem, President Christofias said ``the government`s programme is the guiding light and compass of our governance`` and is a point of reference, which ``commits us to work for a just solution to the Cyprus problem and for a fairer society.`` Quoting the government`s programme, President Christofias said it determines that ``it is a pressing need for the Greek Cypriot side to undertake the initiative of moves`` and that ``a flexible and sincere policy will allow for either the current deadlocks to be overcome or, if Turkey does not alter it stance, to bring to the forefront its responsibilities for the intransigent policy it is following.`` Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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