Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 10-05-20

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

CONTENTS

[01] UNSG REPORT GOOD OFFICES

[02] PRESIDENTS - CYPRUS SERBIA

[03] PRESIDENT ECONOMY

[04] MINISTER INVESTMENTS

[01] UNSG REPORT GOOD OFFICES

The report on his mission of good offices in Cyprus, which was submitted Thursday to the UN Security Council, covers developments from 25 November 2009 to 30 April 2010, and brings up to date the record of activities carried out by his mission regarding the fully fledged negotiations between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders.

Considerable progress was made in the United Nations-sponsored peace talks in Cyprus during the reporting period. The peace talks, in particular the intensive rounds of early 2010, have generated increasing international focus on reaching a lasting solution in Cyprus. There is now a unique opportunity to make a decisive push forward on the talks, Ban notes.

Recalling that on 18 April 2010, Dervis Eroglu replaced Mehmet Ali Talat as the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community, he points out that Talat made an important contribution to advancing a solution between Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots, and adds I look forward to Mr. Eroglu continuing on that constructive path.

In the report he says that his Special Adviser for Cyprus Alexander Downer will continue to work with both sides to ensure that the talks continue in a productive and expeditious way.

The talks must resume within the established framework of a bizonal, bicommunal federation with political equality, in accordance with the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions and the leaders joint statements of 23 May and 1 July 2008, UNSG stresses.

The talks, he adds, must build on the convergences achieved since the fully fledged negotiations began on 3 September 2008.

This significant body of work should provide the basis for breaking new ground in the negotiations and bridging remaining divergences. The broad outline and established parameters of a solution are well known and will facilitate the task of reaching a comprehensive settlement, he continues.

According to the UNSG a solution is well within reach. As the leaders themselves said in their 1 February 2010 statement, however, time is not on the side of a settlement. On 21 December 2009, the two sides expressed their strong hope that they would conclude the negotiations by the end of 2010, and I share this objective.

Ban Ki moon points out that in pursuit of this objective, he will be monitoring closely over the coming months the progress made in the negotiations and will submit a further report to the Security Council in November assessing the state of the process.

The UNSG notes that the international community expects the peace process to succeed.

Following the change of leadership in the Turkish Cypriot community, the international community has encouraged the continuation of the negotiations in a positive spirit and the pursuit of a settlement based on United Nations parameters set out in the relevant Security Council resolutions, he goes on to add.

He also welcomes the constructive involvement of all regional actors in supporting the Cypriots to find a solution.

Greece and Turkey continue to demonstrate their commitment and both their leaders have expressed a strong desire for a negotiated and lasting comprehensive settlement, he adds.

In conclusion, I wish to thank my Special Adviser, Alexander Downer, my Special Representative, Taye Brook Zerihoun, and the men and women serving in my good offices mission in Cyprus for the dedication and commitment with which they have discharged the responsibilities entrusted to them by the Security Council, he concludes.

The report on UNFICYPs mandate will be submitted to the UNSC next week.

Meanwhile, the UNSG has chosen Director of Asian and Pacific Affairs at the UN Lisa Buttenheim to replace Tayee Brook Zerihoun who served as his Special Representative in Cyprus. Buttenheims appointment is subject to the approval of the two sides in Cyprus.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third.

Cyprus President Demetris Christofias and the former Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat began peace talks in September 2008. Talks are set to resume on May 26, between President Christofias and Eroglu, who succeeded Talat.

[02] PRESIDENTS - CYPRUS SERBIA

The Serbian President was speaking at a joint press conference with President Demetris Christofias, at the Presidential Palace, following the signing of bilateral agreements between the two countries.

On his part, President Christofias thanked Tadic for his countrys steadfast and longstanding positions on the Cyprus issue as well as the strong support of Serbia in the efforts undertaken by the Greek Cypriot side to reach a comprehensive solution to the problem.

We had a cordial and substantial meeting with President Tadic, during which we discussed in depth our excellent bilateral relations and ways to strengthen those relations,`` he added.

The Republic of Cyprus, he continued, ``strongly supports Serbia`s efforts to join the European Union, noting that`` our position stems from the excellent traditional relations with Belgrade and our policy as regards the integration of the countries of the Western Balkans into the Union.

He also noted that ``the unilateral declaration of independence of Kosovo was an unacceptable act,`` making clear that the Republic of Cyprus does not recognize Kosovo and will never do so, as a principled position which is consistent with international law.``

A solution, he added, ``must be a product of a mutual bilateral consultation which would lead to an agreed settlement which should respect the territorial integrity of Serbia and be adopted by the Security Council of the United Nations.``

[03] PRESIDENT ECONOMY

Addressing the Annual General Meeting of the Cyprus Employers and Industrialists Federation (OEB), the President said that the economy has been affected by the world economic crisis, and will continue to be affected, noting that important sectors of the economy, like tourism and the property and construction fields, have been worst affected.

However, in spite of the world economic crisis, our economy, compared to the economies of other countries, has proven to be resilient. We have done what we can and we will continue to do whatever possible to ensure that the present crisis will affect us at little as possible, he stressed.

The President said that the government aims to maintain the credibility of the economy by limiting the negative impact of the world economic crisis, as well as by promoting Cyprus as an international financial center.

He referred to attempts to attract foreign capital, especially immediate investment, saying that this could play an important role in the effort to render the economy more competitive.

[04] MINISTER INVESTMENTS

Speaking at a press conference to present an account of the work carried out by his Ministry over the past two years, Paschalides said that, after the recent signing of an agreement for a large project between Cyprus and Qatar, many ambassadors and others ``have informed us that their governments or companies in their countries are preparing to contact us, and some already came and we held meetings with them, in order to invest in Cyprus.``

The Minister noted that countries of the Arab world, Central Europe, other European countries, and the United States have expressed an interest to invest in various sectors, such as tourism, energy and industry.

Referring to tourism, Paschalides said efforts were being made to attract more tourists, despite unpredictable events, such as the eruption of the volcano in Iceland and the consequences on air traffic due to the volcanic ash.

He said the government`s package of measures to support the tourism industry managed to constrain the drop in tourism at 10.9%, while there had been calculations reaching 30% and 40% for 2009, and that local tourism actually rose.

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