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Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 09-08-17Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org.cy>CONTENTS
[01] DEFENCE MINISTER - CYPRUS SOLUTIONThe government is striving to bring about a viable and functional solution to the Cyprus problem, within the framework of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation, Defence Minister Costas Papacostas has stressed. Speaking during a memorial service for those killed during the 1974 Turkish invasion, Papacostas said: We are striving to heal the wounds that are still bleeding and to lay the foundations for peace, security and prosperity. We are striving to give an end to Turkeys occupation and the illegal arrival of Turkish settlers and we aim to restore the human rights and the basic freedoms of our people.These objectives, he said, will only be fulfilled through a viable and functional solution which will be based on relevant UN resolutions and international and European law principles. A solution that will reunite the territory, the people, the institutions and the economy of the country in the framework of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation, he noted. Referring to the issue of missing persons in Cyprus, Papacostas said the government is working very closely with the Committee on Missing Persons (CMP) seeking full investigation into the fate of persons listed as missing. We are working to ensure that Turkey complies with the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruling in the 4th Inter State Application of the Republic of Cyprus and allows access to records kept by its military and other services in order to establish the fate of each and every person missing, he said. [02] EUROSTAT - BIRTHS - CYPRUSCyprus recorded the third highest increase of births among the EU-27 in 2008. According to Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Communities, 5.4 million children were born in the EU27 in 2008. The crude birth rate in the EU27 was 10.9 per 1000 inhabitants, an increase of 0.3 live births per 1000 inhabitants compared with 2007.The highest increases were recorded in Lithuania (10.4 in 2008 compared with 9.6 in 2007), Ireland (16.9 compared with 16.2), Cyprus (11.6 compared with 10.9) and Poland (10.9 compared with 10.2). The EU 27 population was estimated on 1 January 2009 at 499.8 million, compared with 497.7 million on 1 January 2008. The population of the EU27 grew by 2.1 million in 2008, an annual rate of +0.4%, due to a natural increase of 0.6 million and net migration of 1.5 million. There were 4.8 million deaths registered in the EU27 in 2008. The EU27 death rate remained stable at 9.7 deaths per 1000 inhabitants in 2008, the same as in 2007. [03] TOURISM - STATISTICSTourist arrivals in Cyprus decreased in the period January - June 2009 by 10,8 % and were reduced to 883.002, compared to 989.851 in the corresponding period of 2008, according to Passengers Survey, released by Cyprus` Statistical Service.In January-June 2009 the number of arrivals, covering all categories of travelers, reached 1.511.855 recording a decrease of 7,4% compared to the corresponding period last year. Departures reached 1.440.009 recording a decrease of 6,9% compared to January-June 2008. The number of same-day visitors reached 98.026 compared to 94.703 in January-June 2008. Of these, 1.680 were same-day tourists and 96.346 excursionists (transit at ports and cruise-ship visitors). The majority of travelers, 91,8% (excluding excursionists), arrived in January-June 2009 on flights or ships, which had as country of origin European countries, while 82,6% came from European Union countries in particular. Looking at individual countries, the United Kingdom is always leading the list with 39,7% of travelers arrivals, followed by Greece with 17,9%, Russia with 5,5%, Germany with 5,1 %, Sweden with 3,0%, Austria with 2,6%, United Arab Emirates with 2,0% and Israel with 2,0% . Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |