Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 11-10-21

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

CONTENTS

[01] DOWNER - TALKS

[02] FM - LIBYA

[03] MINISTER OF INTERIOR TRAFFICKING

[04] EUROSTAT CYPRUS DATA

[01] DOWNER - TALKS

In statements he made to the press after the last meeting of the two leaders in the intensified phase of UN led talks which aim to resolve the Cyprus problem, Downer said that it was a more productive meeting than the meeting they had on Wednesday, adding that they focused on the questions of the Executive and Citizenship.

Of course, he noted, there is still some way to go and the Secretary General will look forward to meeting them in just over a week`s time and he will be able to examine the differences that still exist on some of these issues with the leaders and try to explore with them how the leaders believe they can resolve those differences.

We are looking forward to this meeting, it is going to be an important meeting and the SG, I know, wants to be hopeful, he said.

Downer also said that he had a discussion about the meeting with the two leaders and explained to them the thinking we currently have, adding that of course I will have to talk all this over with the SG and I will be giving him a briefing next Saturday afternoon and from there obviously he will make decisions about how precisely he wants to handle the meeting.

Invited to say what his suggestions to Ban Ki-moon will be he said my job is to make sure that I brief him first, adding that he will go over with the Secretary General the progress that has been achieved since July 7th, the difficulties that still remain and why these difficulties are still there, as well as what the two leaders can do to resolve those difficulties.

Obviously where there are difficulties at some point they have to be resolved, he said.

Downer further said that in all peace processes there are difficulties encountered and that a lot of patience is required and in the end compromise. Compromise, he added, doesnt always come very fast.

We look forward to the meeting and we hope it will make a constructive contribution to the future of Cyprus, he stressed.

Invited to say whether enough progress had been achieved since the last meeting the two leaders had with the UN SG, Downer said that he will not try to gild the Lilly at all or indeed try to talk down the process, I just call it as I see it.

I think it would be fair to say in this situation that there has been progress in several of the core issues, and that is encouraging, he said, adding however that there are still difficulties to be resolved on the core issues.

The Secretary General obviously wants to hear about what those difficulties are and to hear from the leaders what ideas they have for overcoming those difficulties, he noted.

Cyprus has been divided since Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. UN led talks have been underway since 2008 with an aim to reunify the island under a federal roof.

President of the Republic Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu are expected to meet with UN SG Ban Ki-moon in New York at the end of October in the context of the ongoing process.

[02] FM - LIBYA

The end of Muammar Gaddafi signals the end of an obscure chapter in the history of Libya that accreted pain and grief to its people, with whom we have strong traditional ties of friendship, the statement notes.

It is added that the Libyan people and the leadership of the National Transitional Council, who took on the difficult task of leading the country into stability, progress, democracy and prosperity, must now see the future with confidence and determination.

[03] MINISTER OF INTERIOR TRAFFICKING

Speaking during the seminar, Interior Minister Neoklis Sylikiotis said that the parameters which cause and worsen this problem are poverty, financial and social humiliation and the lack of prospects for the potential victims.

He said that there are two types of human trafficking in Cyprus, sexual and labour exploitation. Sylikiotis said that a small state like Cyprus cannot combat mechanisms on which the international organized crime network is based by itself.

He also underlined the responsibility of the society which supports, as he noted, the perpetuation of this type of crime, noting at the same time that during the last three and a half years the state has made important steps of progress towards combating this phenomenon. However there are many things to be done, he noted.

[04] EUROSTAT CYPRUS DATA

Public deficit fell to 923 million euro, amounting to 4.6% of GDP in 2010 compared to 1,030 million euro and 5.4% of GDP in 2009.

Public debt on the other hand reached 10,653 million euro in 2010, amounting to 61.5% of GDP compared to 9,865 million euro and 58.5% of GDP in the previous year.

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