Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 10-05-05

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

CONTENTS

[01] FM DIRECT TRADE

[02] FMs CYPRUS EGYPT MEETING

[03] MINISTER DUBAI TOURISM

[01] FM DIRECT TRADE

In statements after a meeting he held in Nicosia with Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Kyprianou said that the direct trade regulation undermines the prospects to reach a solution in Cyprus.

The direct trade regulation is legally and politically unacceptable and undermines the prospect to reach a solution in Cyprus, he underlined.

Invited to comment on information that there is an effort to link the regulation with efforts to reach a solution of the Cyprus problem, the Minister said that the regulation is unacceptable and there is no question of making any sort of arrangements which would link the two issues.

This regulation and this proposal should not have existed, he pointed out.

The Minister noted however that it is expected that there will be efforts to eliminate Cyprus arguments with some scenarios of linking it with the course of the Cyprus talks, which, as he explained, will not be acceptable.

He stressed that Cyprus will not accept any direct or indirect threats.

Our disagreements concern the essence of the issue. This is a regulation which is legally and politically unacceptable and undermines the prospect to reach a solution in Cyprus, even if there are talks going on, or not, he stressed, adding that we will not accept such arrangements.

Concluding he expressed the conviction that the coordination between the government, the Cypriot MEPs, the political parties and Cyprus diplomatic missions, will bear fruit.

[02] FMs CYPRUS EGYPT MEETING

Kyprianou and Aboul Gheit, who is paying an official visit to Cyprus, held a meeting Wednesday afternoon at the Foreign Ministry.

Speaking after the meeting, Kyprianou said they had the opportunity to discuss issues of mutual interest. We are all aware of the excellent relations between Cyprus and Egypt. We have an extended framework of cooperation in all fields, and of course we had the opportunity today to discuss these bilateral issues and regional issues, the cooperation between Cyprus and Egypt, between EU and Egypt, he said stressing that Cyprus as an EU member state supports the enhancement and the strengthening of the relations and cooperation between EU and Egypt.

I had the opportunity to brief my colleague on the current stage of the negotiations of the Cyprus problem. We had the opportunity on many occasions to discuss this, but since we are now in this important period of the change of the Turkish Cypriot leadership and we expect the resume of the negotiations soon, I had the opportunity to brief my colleague on these recent developments, Kyprianou said and noted that they also discussed the Palestinian issue and the Union for the Mediterranean.

[03] MINISTER DUBAI TOURISM

According to a press release, Paschalides held Wednesday a series of meetings with representatives of airlines and travel agents from the Middle East and India. He also met the member of the royal family and Chairman of the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA), Sharjah, Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qassimi, with whom he discussed issues of mutual concern, such as ways of cooperation between the Emirate and Cyprus in the areas of tourism and energy.

After the conclusion of his contacts, the Cypriot Minister gave a press conference on the outcome of his visit to Dubai to Arab and English media. Paschalides expressed satisfaction over the outcome of his trip, saying that there was interest on behalf of air companies for more flights to Cyprus as well as for new flights from Indian cities.

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