Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 10-06-16

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

CONTENTS

[01] GOVERNMENT - UN RESOLUTION

[02] FISCAL CONSOLIDATION PACKAGE

[03] KYPRIANOU - TRIO PRESIDENCY MEETING

[04] ARCHBISHOP OF ALBANIA - CYPRUS

[01] GOVERNMENT - UN RESOLUTION

Speaking here Wednesday, Stephanou said that the resolution is balanced and the Government conceives as important the fact that it reaffirms the agreed basis of the solution, upon which the direct negotiations are taking place.

Stephanou noted that the resolution does not refer to any kind of timeframes for reaching a solution to the problem, despite Turkeys and its friendly countries efforts to introduce timeframes to the resolution.

Replying to a question Stephanou said that Turkeys reaction clearly shows how is satisfied by the resolution and how is not. There were efforts by Turkey and by friendly countries and allies of Turkey to introduce timeframes in the resolution and to change the agreed basis of the negotiations, he stressed.

Government Spokesman pointed out that this has been prevented by the coordinated and targeted efforts undertaken by the President of the Republic, the Cyprus government and the Cyprus friendly countries.

Referring to the resolution, Stephanou said that it reaffirms the agreed basis, upon which the direct negotiations between the leaders of the two communities in Cyprus are taking place for reaching a comprehensive solution, based on a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation with political equality, as defined by the UN SC relevant resolutions. The solution should be mutually agreed, and should be put into simultaneous referenda in the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot community.

Stephanou underlined that the basis of the negotiations is described in the UN Security Councils resolution 1251 of 1999. He recalled that the resolution 1251 notes that a solution of the Cyprus issue should be based on one state in Cyprus, with one and single sovereignty and international personality, and one and single citizenship, with its independence and territorial integrity to be safeguarded. A state that will include two politically equal communities, as defined in the UNSC relevant resolutions, in a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation, he added.

Stephanou stressed that in the preamble of the resolution, the leaders joint statements including those of 23 May and 1 July 2008 that describe the basis of the negotiations, are also welcomed.

Government Spokesman pointed out that President Christofias will continue the negotiations with consistency to the agreed basis and with devotion to the principles, showing the necessary realism. And he will continue to work hard for reaching a solution that will be based on the UN relevant resolutions, the soonest possible, on the principles of the international and the European law, and on the High Level Agreements of 1977 and 1979, between the leaders of the two communities in Cyprus, he added.

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 peace talks in September 2008. Talks now continue with the President and Eroglu.

[02] FISCAL CONSOLIDATION PACKAGE

``Improvement in the public finances is a one-way street,`` Minister of Finance Charilaos Stavrakis said announcing the package.

The finalised package provides for the reduction in the number of state employees and containment of operational expenditures, social solidarity and cohesion, the targeting of social benefits and increasing public revenues.

Referring to the reduction of the public sector personnel, Stavrakis said Cyprus for the first time in its history has set the target of reducing the number of state employees by 1,000 persons.

[03] KYPRIANOU - TRIO PRESIDENCY MEETING

During the meeting, which took place in Copenhagen, Denmark, the Ministers focused on the preparation of the 18-month Presidency programme and agreed on the timetables for its drafting. They also discussed issues concerning the implementation of provisions of the Lisbon Treaty for the better operation of the EU, as well as the European Neighbourhood Policy.

The next meeting between the three countries will take place in the spring of 2011 in Poland, at the invitation of the Polish Foreign Minister.

[04] ARCHBISHOP OF ALBANIA - CYPRUS

Speaking at Larnaka airport, Archbishop A n a s t a s i o s expressed the wish God to shorten the time until the solution of the Cyprus problem.

Cyprus Archbishop Chrysostomos II, welcomed Archbishop of Albania and expressed his happiness for his presence in Cyprus.

Cyprus Archbishop said that this is not the first time Archbishop Anastasios visited Cyprus, noting however that this time he visits Cyprus at the invitation of the University of Cyprus, which will honour him.

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