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Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 10-05-12Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org.cy>CONTENTS
[01] NATIONAL COUNCIL MEETINGThe National Council, the top advisory body to the President on the handling of the Cyprus issue, will convene on Wednesday in view of the resumption of the direct talks on 26 May with the new Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu.It is the fifth meeting of the National Council since the 26th April where members are holding a discussion on issues that concern the Cyprus issue. All political parties have tabled their views and today it is expected that President Demetris Christofias will present his views and a discussion will follow. Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. President Christofias and former Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat began in September 2008 UN-led talks for a mutually agreed settlement to the problem of Cyprus, divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. The process was interrupted on March 30 because of the so-called elections for a new leader that were won by Eroglu, known for his long-held divisive positions on the Cyprus problem. [02] FM BRUSSELS MEETINGSForeign Minister Markos Kyprianou continued Tuesday his meetings in Brussels, where he met EU officials, with whom he discussed the Cyprus issue as well as the EU regulation on direct trade between Cyprus northern Turkish occupied areas and EU member states, which the government of Cyprus is opposing.Kyprianou told reporters that at his meetings he briefs EU officials on the recent developments regarding the Cyprus issue, especially after the change of the Turkish Cypriot leadership. He also said he expresses Cyprus positions, concerns and opposition regarding the direct trade regulation, noting that this regulation harms the Cyprus talks. Monday afternoon, the Cypriot Foreign Minister held a very friendly and open discussion with European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, with whom he discussed many issues of mutual concern, emphasising on the Cyprus issue. [03] ISRAELI MINISTER CYPRUS VISITIsraels Minister of Tourism Stas Misezhnikov, arrives in Cyprus on Thursday for an official two-day visit at the invitation of Commerce, Industry and Toyurism Minister Antonis Pashalides.An official statement says the two Ministers will continue the discussions they held in November when Pashalides had visited Israel, with a view to further develop bilateral tourist relations and to investigate the prospects to further develop them. Misezhnikov will meet on Thursday Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Nicolas Emiliou at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He will also hold separate meetings with the Chairman of the Cyprus Tourism Organisation Alecos Orountiotis and the Vice President of Louis Group Vakis Loizou. [04] TOURISM ARRIVALS FALLTourist arrivals in April recorded a decrease of 23%, according to data by the Statistical Service of the Republic of Cyprus.On the basis of the results of the Passengers Survey, arrivals of tourists reached 139.658 in April 2010 compared to 181.395 in April 2009, recording a decrease of 23%. On the other hand, an increase of 30,8% was recorded in tourist arrivals from Russia (from 8.341 in April 2009 to 10.910 in April 2010). Invited to comment on the data, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism Antonis Paschalides pointed out that a great number of tourists did not manage to come to Cyprus due to the volcanic ash and the problems this has caused all over Europe. Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |