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Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 12-01-18Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org.cy>CONTENTS
Mediterranean [01] Defence Minister: Cyprus to contribute to peace in Eastern MediterraneanThe Ministry of Defence and the government of the Republic of Cyprus aim at contributing towards peace, security and stability in the region of the Eastern Mediterranean, Minister of Defence Demetris Eliades stressed on Wednesday.Welcoming guests at a reception he hosted for military attaches serving in Cyprus, to usher in the new year, Eliades expressed the wish that 2012 will be the year of freedom and the reunification for Cyprus, which has been divided since the 1974 Turkish invasion. He underlined that 2012 is also important in the sense that we need to assist the peoples in the area of the Eastern Mediterranean to develop democratic societies and states. The Ministry as well as the government of the Republic want to contribute towards peace, security and stability in the region, he pointed out, noting at the same time that to achieve this goal the Ministry of Defence looks forward to developing and enhancing cooperation with all military attaches in Cyprus. Let us unite our forces and our efforts for peace, justice and prosperity for our peoples and for the peoples of the world he said. Eliades expressed his appreciation to all military attaches for their cooperation with the Ministry of Defence in an effort to maintain conditions of peace, security and stability in the region based on international law. [02] Cypriot Foreign Minister to visit LibyaMinister of Foreign Affairs Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis will travel to Tripoli, Libya, on Thursday on a two-day working visit.An official press release, issued here on Wednesday, states that during her visit Markoullis is due to meet Libyan Prime Minister Abdurrahim El Keib, her counterpart, Ashour Saad Ben Khayal, and Minister of Social Affairs Mabrouka Jibril. Ben Khayal will host an official dinner for Markoullis. The Cypriot FM concludes her visit to Libya on Friday and returns home Saturday. On Sunday Marcoullis departs for Brussels where on Monday she will participate in an EU Foreign Affairs Council. [03] Justice Ministry presents plans for EU presidencyMinister of Justice and Public Order Loukas Louka briefed members of the House Committee on Legal Affairs on the priorities of his Ministry during the six-monthly rotating Cypriot presidency of the Council of the EU.Committee members were also briefed by the Police and the Law Office on issues which Cyprus will handle as far as justice and security are concerned. The Minister talked about two priorities, regarding the new legal framework for the protection of personal data and the recovery/confiscation of crime-products. Louka said his Ministry will be responsible for the EU Council of Justice and Home Affairs and will organise seven meetings, including an Informal JHA Council in July in Cyprus. [04] Air traffic controllers strike affects flightsOver five thousand passengers and a total of 38 flights to and from Larnaca and Paphos International airports are affected on Wednesday, by the four-hour work stoppage of air traffic controllers, who protest against government austerity measures.In statements to the press, airport Spokesman Adamos Aspris said flights to and from various destinations including Athens, Moscow, Salonica, Vienna, Tel Aviv, London, Birmingham, Beirut, Amman, Abu Dhabi, Heraklion and Rhodes, will be affected by the strike. Twenty-six flights, 14 departures and 12 arrivals, are to be affected at Larnaca airport, on the southern coast, and twelve flights, six departures and six arrivals, at Pafos airport, on the western coast. Aspris also said that an estimated five thousand passengers are going to be affected from the strike. Speaking to CNA, air traffic controllers spokesman Giorgos Georgiou said that nothing changed since they announced the strike, adding they would wait for an invitation from the Minister of Communications and Works Efthymios Flourentzou to discuss ``the substance of the arguments`` in order to find a satisfactory solution to the deadlock. Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |