Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 11-11-09

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

CONTENTS

[01] BRITAIN - CYPRUS - EEZ

[02] FRANCE - CYPRUS ISSUE

[03] KAZAMIAS - TAXES

[04] CYPRUS - TOURISM

[01] BRITAIN - CYPRUS - EEZ

He further noted that Britain welcomes the talks that have taken place recently under the auspices of the UN Secretary General and looks forward to further progress in those talks.

The remarks were made after Hague met in London Cypriot Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis who agreed that bilateral relations with Britain need to be strengthened.

I am very satisfied with our talks and I believe we can start a new effort in our relations, which are, of course on a high level, but there is room to improve them, she added.

Hague told Marcoullis it is very important to reinforce our bilateral relations which are strong and important for many reasons. Being in the EU and the Commonwealth together but also because of our common interests in so many regional affairs.

He remarked that we have got a very good basis for those bilateral relations-the Memorandum which President Christofias and former Prime Minister Gordon Brown signed three years ago. We want to build on that.

The British Foreign Secretary said the two had a good discussion about many issues, in particular about the forthcoming Presidency of the EU for Cyprus in the second half of 2012.

We wish to support that and help in any way that we can at a very difficult time in European affairs, he added.

Hague said he and Marcoullis have discussed the situation around the Middle East particularly in Syria, Egypt and Libya.

On the Cyprus issue, Hague said in the UK as in all the countries in Europe we want to see a settlement in Cyprus. The lines along which we want to see that are very well established. We welcome the talks that have taken place recently under the auspices of the UN Secretary General. We look forward to further progress in those talks.

In her remarks, Marcoullis said they had a very thorough discussion on a number of issues of mutual concern, primarily the Cyprus question and the developments regarding the negotiations and the meetings in New York.

At the same time, she added, we have important project of exploratory drilling in the EEZ of Cyprus and the UK reiterated its support for the sovereign rights of the Republic of Cyprus in its EEZ both orally and in many other ways and we are very grateful for this support on the part of the UK.

The Cypriot FM said they also discussed bilateral relations noting both countries have a very good level of relationship but we have agreed that there is a lot of room for working harder in the direction of strengthening these relations and I think through both the Ministries, but also the High Commissioners here in London and in Nicosia will be working very hard under our guidance to do exactly that.

Asked what Britain can do, as a guarantor power, towards a solution to the Cyprus problem, Hague said Britain welcomes any progress made and we understand that some progress has been made. We will continue to encourage all parties to make such progress.

He underlined that we cannot lay down such things ourselves, this is for all the parties concerned to take forward. It cannot be decided here in London or by the UK. Those days are gone. We support a settlement through a process of negotiation; we will always continue to advocate that. But I think that that is our best contribution to it rather than to try to intervene directly in it in any way».

To a question about Turkish threats against Cyprus for starting exploratory drilling in its Exclusive Economic Zone, Hague said that as the Minister has said we support fully and unequivocally the rights of Cyprus to its EEZ. That has been reaffirmed in the Commonwealth, it has been reaffirmed in the EU on many occasions in the past. So, we support that without any qualification and we want that to be well-known and understood in all countries.

He underlined that Britain supports the right to develop such a zone and to enjoy the resources of it. We welcome the statement by President Christofias that measures will be taken to make sure that the proceeds of it can be shared by all Cypriots in the future. We think that this is the right way to approach the matter. And, of course, we will urge on any countries concerned, a moderate and sensible course of action».

[02] FRANCE - CYPRUS ISSUE

Eliades, who was in Paris on Monday at the invitation of Longuet, reviewed with his French counterpart defense cooperation and security issues as well as issues of mutual interest. He thanked his French counterpart for his countrys firm support and principled positions on the Cyprus problem and the issue of Cyprus` Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). He then briefed his French counterpart on the latest developments in the Cyprus issue.

On the issue of natural gas and oil exploration in Cyprus EEZ, Eliades stressed that Cyprus exercises its sovereign rights with responsibility and full commitment to international law.

He added that Cyprus seeks peace and cooperation in the region and calls on Turkey to contribute substantially to achieving a solution to the Cyprus problem.

[03] KAZAMIAS - TAXES

In his speech during a meeting of the Council of Ministers for Economic and Financial Affairs of the EU (ECOFIN), Kazamias agreed that there is a need to impose a tax on financial transactions, stressing however that such taxation should be applied worldwide, since financial markets are now linked to each other.

He pointed out that imposing this tax could encourage a leakage of financial transactions from EU Member States to third countries, and therefore Europe should take all necessary measures.

According to Kazamias, the framework of a new financial transactions tax should ensure prevention of tax evasion and double taxation and should minimize distortions in competition.

[04] CYPRUS - TOURISM

Speaking at a dinner hosted by Cyprus Tourism Organisation, in London, where she traveled on the occasion of the World Travel Market, Antoniadou said that one of the lessons that the financial crisis has taught us is the need to base growth on real sectors of the economy rather than on paper and its derivatives. Tourism is one such solid real sector.

With this awareness in mind, Cyprus places great importance both on sustaining its current markets and also on reaching out to new ones, not just in geographical terms but also in terms of interests and purpose she said.

As she noted, Cyprus may be blessed with the sun and the sea, yet she added it has a well-developed infrastructure in terms of its two modern airports, extensive road network and high tech telecommunications. A series of top star hotels, the marina currently being constructed in Limassol, which will be ready in a years time, and increase in the number of golf courses add to the whole picture.

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