Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 11-11-14

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

CONTENTS

[01] PRESIDENT CHRISTOFIAS - CYPRUS - EU PRESIDENCY

[02] COMMERCE MINISTER - NATURAL GAS

[03] FIRST MEDICAL STUDENTS - 2013

[04] CNA - ANBA-SE MEETING

[01] PRESIDENT CHRISTOFIAS - CYPRUS - EU PRESIDENCY

``Turkey must realize that in any case Cyprus will assume the Presidency. This is clear both by the European Council and the Republic of Cyprus of course,`` he said, replying to questions during an Economist Conference on Sustainable, competitive and secure energy in Europe taking place in Nicosia.

Noting that Cyrus stands ready to solve the problems with Turkey, he noted that ``the reason for the non-solution of these problems, or if you will, their transformation to more complex ones is Turkey`s policy.``

``Unfortunately, as Turkey is being upgraded and its role in the region becomes more crucial, Ankara is playing an expansionist role instead of a peacemaking one,`` he noted.

He made clear that the EU Presidency cannot be exploited by Cyprus over Turkey, in the sense that the Presidency represents the whole of the EU.

``We do not want, and we will not, give a message that we are trying to exploit the Presidency to pressure Turkey. Turkey puts pressure on itself,`` he said, recalling Ankara`s declaration that it would freeze its relations with the EU if Cyprus assumes the EU Presidency.

He added that by then, Cyprus would like Turkey to ``listen to reason`` so that it would normalise its relations with the Republic of Cyprus.

``We will exercise an EU Presidency which will bear the signature of Cyprus and not one which would simply serve the Cypriot interests,`` he said.

Stating that ``it is way too risky for the Cypriot Presidency to live its seal in relation to Turkey,`` Christofias added that ``for this reason we will be very cautious.``

Replying to the same question, House of Representatives President Giannakis Omirou described Turkey attitude as a provocation against the EU.

``As a candidate country, Turkey should respect and implement the decisions of competent European collective institutional bodies,`` Omirou said, recalling that Turkey refuses to implement its obligations towards the EU and Cyprus stemming from the 2006 European Council conclusions, that is, to implement the Ankara Protocol and open its ports and airports to Cypriot shipping and Cypriot aircraft.

Noting that during the second half of 2012 the EU Presidency will be exercised by state, a part of which is under occupation by another state which is candidate for EU accession, Omirou added that it is not possible for UN Security Council resolutions and decisions by EU collective institutional bodies to be excluded from the Presidency`s agenda.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded and occupied 37 per cent of its territory. Turkey, which does not recognize the Republic of Cyprus, has threatened it would freeze its relations with the EU during the Cypriot EU Presidency.

[02] COMMERCE MINISTER - NATURAL GAS

Speaking to the press at the sidelines of the Economist Conference on Sustainable, competitive and secure energy in Europe, Antoniadou said the proposal concerns the preparation of the application forms for the second licensing round.

The Minister refrained from elaborating on the number of blocks of Cyprus` EEZ to be included in the second licensing round, referring to the press release to be issued by the Government.

Along the same line, speaking to the conference, Antoniaou said that the Cypriot government will proceed with the second licensing round for additional blocks in its EEZ, adding that first indications from the exploratory drilling in block 12, which began on 18 September, will be ready by mid December.

[03] FIRST MEDICAL STUDENTS - 2013

The issue of the establishment of the Faculty of Medicine was discussed this morning in a meeting at the Ministry of Health, with the participation of Minister of Health Stavros Malas, Minister of Education Giorgos Demosthenous and University of Cyprus Rector Constantinos Christofides, and other officials.

In statements to the Press following the meeting, Malas noted that the goal of establishing a Faculty of Medicine in Cyprus has been declared by the government and added that he is working along with the Minister of Education towards this goal.

[04] CNA - ANBA-SE MEETING

Address the Assembly, the Secretary General of the Association of ABNA-SE Maxim Minchev noted that this meeting takes place at a time of heavy financial-and-economic crisis, which concerns all media, and in particular, news-agency business.

However, he added, ``our meeting is neither meaningless, nor trivial. Not at all``, adding that ``each opportunity - especially now - to meet, comment, discuss and exchange experience, is extremely important for our informational business``.

Minchev stressed that ``today, 80% of the world-aired information is shared by the news agencies.

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