Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 10-07-01

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

CONTENTS

[01] GOVERNMENT POLICE - SPY CASE

[02] CYPRUS EU WEBSITE

[03] SPOKESMAN TURKEY

[04] TOURISM REVENUE

[01] GOVERNMENT POLICE - SPY CASE

Christopher Robert Metsos, 54, had been ordered to visit a police station in the city of Larnaca each day until an extradition hearing, but he failed to show up on Wednesday.

Invited to comment on the issue, Stephanou said that the Court had ordered the suspect to appear at a specific police station on a specific time and that the police have expressed their position and are handling the whole issue.

Responding to a question he said that since Turkish occupation in Cyprus still goes on and there are crossings from which a person can pass from the government controlled to the Turkish occupied areas there are problems which the government of the Republic is trying to address.

Meanwhile, Justice and Public Order Minister Loucas Louca asked if there is any information about where the fugitive may be, he said that we have some indications and expressed hope that he will soon be arrested.

He noted that it is the court which decided to let Metsos free on bail, adding that Cyprus has always been consistent as regards police cooperation with other countries on extradition of fugitives.

On his part, Police Spokesman Michalis Katsounotos said the Force does not ``have any indications that Metsos abandoned the island.``

``We are in the process to identify if he remains or he left the Cypriot territory. We focus our efforts on checking the exit and entry points of the Republic of Cyprus and also the crossing points to and from the occupied areas,`` he added.

Katsounotos noted the Police has issued an arrest warrant for Metsos, adding that they also circulated his photograph both in the points of entry and exit from the Republic and the crossing points, as well as to the public.

Katsounotos also said that from the search at his hotel after Metsos failed to sign in the central Police Station of Larnaca, ``we noticed that he took all his personal belongings.``

Responding to the criticism expressed against the handling of the issue by the Police, Katsounotos pointed to the Court ruling to release Metsos under specific terms.

``During the hearing for the arrest of Metsos the prosecution advocated referred to the possibility Metsos to escape. However, the Court deemed that it should let Metsos go free under restrictive terms,`` he added.

[02] CYPRUS EU WEBSITE

In a message on the preliminary website of Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU, launched on Thursday, President Christofias underlines that assuming the EU Presidency in the second half of 2012 for the first time, is for us, as a new EU member state, a very important event and an historic challenge.

One of our main aims as presiding country is to contribute our utmost to the EU efforts to act, through its various policies, as a force generating progress, peace, stability and prosperity on the international stage, he says.

The preliminary website was launched at a press conference by Government Spokesman Stephanos Stephanou and the Head of Cyprus EU Presidency Secretariat Andreas Moleskis. As it was stated at the press conference, a few weeks before Cyprus assumes the Presidency (second half of 2012) the official website will be launched that will cover only Presidency issues.

The website (www.cy2012eu.gov.cy) is available in four languages, Greek, Turkish, English and French, and contains information ranging from an events diary and press releases on key meetings to background information and material on the Secretariats role.

[03] SPOKESMAN TURKEY

The Spokesman was speaking at the Cyprus Centre of the London Metropolitan University, which co-organised together with the Episteme The Association of British Professionals, a conference entitled Cyprus 50 Years of Independence, Achievements and Challenges.

It is obvious, that the solution of the Cyprus problem on the basis of the relevant UN resolutions, the principles of international and European law, and the High Level Agreements between the two communities of Cyprus, will be for the benefit of all, he said.

Stephanou noted the benefits for Turkey in the event that a solution of the Cyprus problem is achieved.

The solution of the Cyprus problem will be for the benefit of Turkey, which unfortunately persists in refusing to implement the UN relevant resolutions, withdraw its occupation troops from Cyprus and restore the territorial integrity of the Republic of Cyprus, so that Cyprus is reunified he went on to stress.

[04] TOURISM REVENUE

On the basis of the results of the Passenger Survey, revenue from tourism reached 164,8 mn in May 2010 compared to 158,1 mn in the corresponding month of the previous year, recording an increase of 4,2%.

For the period January May 2010 revenue from tourism is estimated to 383,0 mn compared to 390,4 mn in the corresponding period of 2009, recording a decrease of 1,9%.

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