Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 09-03-10

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

CONTENTS

[01] WFTU RESOLUTION MEETING

[02] RICS REPORT CYPRUS

[03] CTO ARRIVALS

[01] WFTU RESOLUTION MEETING

In the resolution, the WFTU said it considers the continued division and presence of Turkish troops on the island as unacceptable, illegal and incompatible with the interests of the people of Cyprus, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots.

It also expresses its deep solidarity and full support with all workers in Cyprus for their fight in reuniting their country and their efforts for peace, prosperity and social justice.

At the same time it underlines the need to find a fair, viable and mutually acceptable solution of the Cyprus problem through the ongoing procedure of bicommunal talks under UN auspices, which provides for ending the division of the island and its people, the withdrawal of all foreign troops and the demilitarization of Cyprus as well as the evolution of the Republic of Cyprus into a bizonal, bicommunal federal state with two politically equal communities, as defined by the relevant Security Council resolutions, with a single sovereignty, international personality and identity and its independence and territorial integrity safeguarded.

[02] RICS REPORT CYPRUS

The report also says that house building on the island is still at high levels, despite the economic slowdown.

According to the report, with house prices falling across all European markets by the end of 2008 and prospects even gloomier, the revival of European housing relies now on the ability of European governments to cope with the mortgage credit shortage and on the scale and duration of the economic recession.

Despite the overall pessimism with regard to static or falling house prices across all Europe and the chances of core European housing markets escaping market downturns now being slim, the surveys analysis of the Cyprus market allows for some optimism.

The report shows that the sustained housing boom is over, according to recent turnover and price information. Property registrations between October 2007 and October 2008 were 24% down according to the Property Valuers Association and the Real Estate Agents Association also suggested that sales were 40% down in coastal areas because of a decline in foreign buyers.

[03] CTO ARRIVALS

In a written statement, the CTO says that the 19,4% rise in arrivals from Russia is encouraging and notes that it was achieved thanks to the implementation of a CTO development plan for winter tourism addressed to the Russian market.

Furthermore CTO estimates that 2009 will be a difficult year for tourism, given the international recession and the fall in arrivals from Britain and Germany.

The Organisation notes that Cypriots living in Greece who arrived in February 2008 in Cyprus to vote for the presidential elections were also considered as tourists, and they were included in the statistics. According to available data, arrivals from Greece had fallen 27,9% in February 2009.

CTO adds that Cyprus Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism as well as the CTO are carrying out intensive contacts in the islands main feeder tourist markets such as Britain, Russia, Germany and Sweden.

The Cypriot Minister of Commerce Antonis Paschalides together with CTO President Panos Eglezos are expected to have significant contacts on the sidelines of the Berlin International Tourism Exhibition, that starts on Wednesday, aiming to achieve important agreements with the biggest tour operators.

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