Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 12-05-30

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

CONTENTS

[01] Daul: We count on the success of the Cypriot Presidency

[02] President: The vulnerable will not shoulder the problems created

by banks

[03] FM: Ankara is going to create tension during Cyprus' EU Presidency

[04] General Affairs Council discusses multiannual financial framework

[01] Daul: We count on the success of the Cypriot Presidency

Daul, currently on a visit to Cyprus in view of the Cyprus' EU Presidency to begin July 1st, will participate in the Conference of the Presidents of the Political Parties of the European Parliament to take place 31 May and 1 June in Nicosia and will hold contacts with the political leadership.

According to a press release by the EPP in Brussels, speaking ahead of talks with the Cypriot Government on the priorities of the upcoming rotating Presidency of the EU Council, Daul has outlined the crucial necessity of a more integrated Europe, politically, fiscally and socially.

``Cyprus is taking over its first EU Presidency at a crucial time for all of us, and only two weeks after key elections in Greece``, outlined the Chairman of the EPP Group.

``Our citizens, in these difficult times, expect their national and European leaders to show solidarity, but also responsibility, in their decisions. They also rightly demand that what has been decided by the 27 should be swiftly implemented", he noted.

Daul also underlined that the Cypriot Presidency will work under the `Better Europe` motto towards a more efficient Europe.

"We count on the success of the Cypriot Presidency, which really should have one main priority: reinforcing the political integration of Europe``, said the Chairman of EPP.

[02] President: The vulnerable will not shoulder the problems created by banks

Addressing a charity gala of the Pancyprian Association for the Famine Relief, in Nicosia, the President said that the financial crisis and rising unemployment rates have hit low incomes, increasing the risk of vulnerable groups to come face to face with poverty and social exclusion.

He added that the government will not cease to protect such vulnerable groups, striving with all its efforts and through concrete policy measures to defend the social state and the display of solidarity.

The President of the Republic praised the contribution of social groups and volunteers to this aim. He added that the Association has provided throughout its 30 years of existence, aid worth 6.5 bln US dollars to African and Asian countries.

[03] FM: Ankara is going to create tension during Cyprus' EU Presidency

Speaking at a lunch for the members of the press, Markoullis expressed the view that Ankara will follow a provocation tactic against the Cyprus government in order to create problems.

However she added that diplomatic circles have expressed the opinion that Ankara will not try to provoke the whole of the EU in order to avoid negative reactions, thus her actions will be controlled.

The Cypriot FM reiterated that the government will be closely monitoring the Turkish movements and will be reacting accordingly.

[04] General Affairs Council discusses multiannual financial framework

Today's negotiations on the EU`s multiannual budget addressed for the first time the first full text draft, including the revenue side. Negotiations focus on how to use the budget most effectively to promote growth and employment in Europe. Progress is good, even though negotiations also showed that there is still a long way to go before a final deal can be settled.

Mavroyiannis congratulated the Danish Presidency for the presentation of the comprehensive negotiating package, underlining that it constitutes a good basis on which progress can be achieved at the negotiations.

He stressed that the package much address Cyprus and its particularities as a small island member state with a fairer and more equal way. He expressed the view that there are more flexible ways to handle the case of Cyprus without any particular impacts on the overall budget.

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