Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 12-01-11

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

CONTENTS

[01] President Christofias meets with Danish PM in Copenhagen

[02] Downer calls for political will to help solve the Cyprus problem

[03] FinMin welcomes EC`s decision to clear Cyprus over excessive

deficit

[04] Greece and Cyprus to promote cooperation on energy issues

[01] President Christofias meets with Danish PM in Copenhagen

The meeting took place in the framework of an official event to mark the commencement of the Danish Presidency of the Council of the EU.

According to an official press release, during the meeting Christofias and Thorning Schmidt reaffirmed their common goals for a better Europe during the assumption of their EU presidencies.

Both countries would strive for a better Europe which, by addressing the economic crisis and launching actions of social cohesion, could return to growth and be more concentrated on EU citizens, the press release says.

The Prime Minister of Denmark accepted an invitation by President Christofias to visit Cyprus so that the cooperation between the two countries is further enhanced, especially in the framework of their trio EU presidency.

Apart from EU issues, they discussed about the economic crisis in the eurozone, as well as the recent developments of the Cyprus problem.

Cyprus will assume the six monthly rotating presidency of the Council of the EU in the second half of this year. Cyprus will be the third country of the current trio presidency (Poland, Denmark, Cyprus).

The Republic of Cyprus became a full EU member state in May 2004. In July Cyprus will hold the EU presidency for the first time in its history.

[02] Downer calls for political will to help solve the Cyprus problem

The UN also believe that there cannot be a conclusion of the ongoing Cyprus peace process without an international conference, with the participation of the three guarantor powers of Cyprus independence Greece, Turkey and Britain.

In an interview with CNA, ahead of the Greentree meeting, UN Secretary Generals Special Advisor on Cyprus Alexander Downer said it is possible to clinch an agreement on pending core issues if there is political will and a spirit for compromise.

The meeting at Greentree will be either a success or a failure, Downer said, rejecting expressions such as make or break with regard to the peace process.

He clarified once again that the UN are there to help the two sides.

[03] FinMin welcomes EC`s decision to clear Cyprus over excessive deficit

Speaking to CNA, Kazamias said that Cyprus can be optimistic over the course of the public finances, underlining that the priority shifts towards the strict implementation of the fiscal consolidation measures and towards the measures that would stimulate economic growth.

Cyprus, along with Belgium, Hungary, Malta and Poland were placed under excessive deficit procedure by the Commission, following its 2011 Autumn forecasts which showed that these states were at risk of not meeting their obligation to correct their excessive deficits. After approving two fiscal consolidation packages, the Cypriot House of Representatives approved the 2012 state budget along with further cuts in state expenditure, reducing Cyprus` deficit from 4.7% of GDP, provided for in the EC`s autumn forecasts, to 2.7%.

``I was expecting this decision. It is pleasing to the extent that it confirms that the right corrective measures have been taken,`` Kazamias told CNA, adding that ``the priority now is non other than the need for strict and disciplined implementation of these correct decisions.``

[04] Greece and Cyprus to promote cooperation on energy issues

The two countries will evaluate financially and technically the prospect of interconnecting Cyprus and Cretes electricity networks, a move which will open prospects for an electricity interconnection of Crete with the rest of Greece in the future, Greek Minister of Environment, Energy and Climate Change George Papaconstantinou said in statements after talks with Commerce, Industry and Tourism Minister Praxoulla Antoniadou.

Papaconstantinou said they discussed all issues concerning energy and specifically natural gas, electricity and renewable energy sources. He noted that various ideas have been submitted on natural gas pipelines, noting that there are also discussions on technical, financial and geostrategic issues.

As regards natural gas, he said that Greece is following Cyprus experience with interest, after the discovery of oil reserves in its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

He noted that Greece is moving forward with procedures for seismic research and exploration in specific blocks, in the hope that by the end of the year they will be able to begin drilling.

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