Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 09-11-23

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

CONTENTS

[01] BRITAIN - CYPRUS PROBLEM

[02] CYPRUS TALKS - SETTLERS

[03] GAROYIAN - ESS COOPERATION

[04] HOUSE SPEAKERS - IMMIGRATION

[01] BRITAIN - CYPRUS PROBLEM

Bryant, who was received Monday by President of the Republic of Cyprus Demetris Christofias, said that Britain supports the ongoing Cyprus process and wants to make sure that there is a lasting solution to the situation in Cyprus, which is in the interest of both communities and in the interest of the wider region as well.

Invited to elaborate further on a previous statement he made on the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee after a meeting with his Cypriot counterpart Markos Kyprianou, he said that Britain would not do anything that would make us part of the problem.

There is not an immediate requirement I don`t think for us to be looking at the Treaty of Guarantee, but we have made it very clear on many occasions that Britain is there to help and we would not want to stand in the way of a solution so if there is any way in which that became the issue, then we would want to be of assistance, he clarified.

Asked if Britain is willing to discuss the matter, he said it is not a matter that is on the table at the moment. I think the most important thing is to proceed with discussions between President Christofias and Mr Talat.

He added that London is always willing to discuss anything but what is on the table at the moment is the key discussions between President Christofias and Mr Talat and we are fully supportive of that process.

We are not on anyones side, we are on the side of wanting to see a resolution that is in the interest of both communities, he went on to say.

Asked whether he believes that the issue of guarantees is an issue which President Christofias and Mehmet Ali Talat will have to solve in the end, Bryant said that in the end, security is one of the things they have to talk about.

He added that Britain stands ready to do anything that would be useful.

We will not be the fly in the ointment that makes a solution impossible. We would strive always to be of assistance, but I think the prime issue is that there has to be a Cypriot solution to the Cypriot problem, he concluded.

[02] CYPRUS TALKS - SETTLERS

The meeting will start at 1000 local time at the UN Protected Area of the now defunct Nicosia international airport.

After the last meeting, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Cyprus Taye-Brook Zerihoun has said that the leaders will take up the issue of aliens, citizenship, immigration and asylum.

Referring to the previous meeting, Zerihoun said that Christofias and Talat discussed organizational matters. They had a very thorough and constructive discussion on the process, on the substance. They did some stock-taking, some retrospect analysis and discussion for which both of them are very satisfied, he said.

[03] GAROYIAN - ESS COOPERATION

Garoyian noted that apart from measures taken on local and national level, closer cooperation regarding economy among states which share similar characteristics is welcomed.

Small states could therefore benefit to a great extent through cooperation and coordination among them, he said, in an intervention during the 2nd session of the Conference entitled The global economic crisis and its effects on Small European States.

The Conference is attended by the Presidents and/or Deputy Presidents or representatives of the European Small States Parliaments from Andorra, Cyprus, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro and San Marino.

[04] HOUSE SPEAKERS - IMMIGRATION

Addressing the conference, President of the House of Representatives Marios Garoyian said Cyprus is faced with increasing flows of illegal immigrants, the majority of whom come through Turkey and the Turkish occupied areas of the island.

Garoyian noted that illegal immigration constitutes a destabilisation factor especially for small societies like Cyprus, but he said that it is important to differentiate between illegal and legal immigration.

Cyprus is faced with increasing flows of illegal immigrants which are much higher in comparison to its population. It is estimated that around 5,000 people come every year illegally to Cyprus, while around 2,000 immigrants per year stay illegally in Cyprus after their stay permit has expired, he pointed out.

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