Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 09-03-20

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

CONTENTS

[01] PRESIDENT CYPRUS TALKS

[02] PRESIDENT EU CRISIS

[03] REHN TURKEY MISSING

[01] PRESIDENT CYPRUS TALKS

Speaking at a press conference in Brussels after the conclusion of the European Council, President Christofias said his European partners are interested in the Cyprus talks, especially now that the leaders of the two communities have entered the chapter on European affairs, noting that he has been informing EU leaders that matters are not simple.

President Christofias said he had brief talks with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other EU member state leaders, who are interested in Cyprus and the Cyprus problem.

He added that ``especially now that the EU chapter is being discussed, everyone is interested and I am interested in telling them that things are not simple, and that in this chapter there are difficulties.``

``In some chapters there may be a good basis for discussion but when we enter details, such as the chapter of properties, for instance, or this of the EU, we come across many difficulties. But we are there and we are here to face these difficulties,`` he said.

President Christofias assured that ``we will persist with the discussion of issues with Mr. Talat, with an aim to bridge the differences, without violating fundamental principles, one of which is the functionality of the state and the functionality of the Republic of Cyprus, the federal, the united Republic of Cyprus, within the EU, as a member state.``

``We cannot have two separate representations, we cannot have two separate policies regarding fulfilling Cyprus` obligations towards the EU,`` he pointed out.

Cyprus, which joined the EU in 2004, has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third.

The leaders of the two communities, namely President Christofias and Talat, have been engaged in direct negotiations since September 2008, with an aim to reach a comprehensive settlement.

[02] PRESIDENT EU CRISIS

He also said that on climate change, Cyprus managed to double its EU funding, from 5 to 10 million euros, and expressed hope that the EU would at some point discuss the Cypriot study regarding the consequences of climate change.

Speaking at a press conference in Brussels after the conclusion of the European Council, President Christofias said that, regarding the financial crisis, ``the EU wants to send the message that it believes in what it is doing, it wants to send an optimistic message to the member states, that the measures taken will bear fruit.``

``The European Council does not believe that additional measures should be taken at this point in time, because the results of the measures already being implemented should be assessed,`` he said.

[03] REHN TURKEY MISSING

Turkey is obliged to ensure conditions for the effective investigation into the fate of Greek Cypriot missing persons who disappeared in life-threatening circumstances, Rehn notes in a letter - reply, to the UK Organisation of Relatives of Cypriot Missing Persons.

Meanwhile, Presidential Commissioner George Iacovou, replying to a letter of the Organisation regarding missing persons, stressed that Turkey is obliged to give a full and quick response to the decision of the Court.

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