Cyprus Government Spokesman Daily Briefing, 03-12-02

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From: "HR-Net News Distribution Manager" <dist@hri.org>

Daily briefing of the Press by the Government Spokesman

2 December 2003

At the beginning of today´s briefing of the Press, the Government Spokesman Mr Kypros Chrysostomides stated inter alia that President Papadopoulos´ meeting with the Prime Minister of Italy Mr Silvio Berlusconi would not take place due to Mr Berlusconi´s illness and that he would meet with the Vice President of the Italian Government Mr Gianfranco Fini.

Mr Chrysostomides said that President Papadopoulos would then travel to Abuja, in Nigeria, to participate in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. The Government Spokesman underlined, among other things, the importance of participating in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, for the purpose of promoting the efforts for finding a solution to the Cyprus problem, and also for the exercise of foreign policy. Mr Chrysostomides recalled the fact that on many occasions the Commonwealth had issued resolutions condemning the Turkish invasion in Cyprus and the self-proclaimed "TRNC".

Mr Chrysostomides stated that the Minister of Public Order of Greece Mr Florides would arrive on Thursday to Cyprus for an official two day visit and that he would meet with his counterpart in Cyprus and the President of the House of Representatives Mr Christofias.

Mr Chrysostomides pointed out the importance of the day of the commencement of the process of implementing the Ottawa Convention for the de-mining and the destruction of stockpiled anti-personnel mines. He said that the ceremony for the commencement of the process would take place at the shooting range of Vizakia in the presence of the Acting President of the Republic Mr Christofias and of the President - Designate of the First Review Conference of the Ottawa Convention Mr Wolfgang Petritsch. Mr Chrysostomides also said that Mrs Jody Williams, who won the Nobel prize for her struggles for the destruction of anti-personnel mines, would also be present at the ceremony. The Government Spokesman said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would organize Seminars on the following day on the destruction of stockpiled mines and the process of de-mining of the areas concerned.

Asked if he was informed about the mobilisation of Turkish Cypriot workers in the occupied areas, Mr Chrysostomides said a number of Turkish Cypriots working in the free areas of the Republic were prevented by the Denktash regime from going to their work and were asked to fill a document for tax purposes. The Government Spokesman said there was a demonstration in front of Mr Eroglu´s office and around one hundred persons crossed to the free areas.

Invited to comment if it was another provocative act on behalf of the occupation regime, Mr Chrysostomides said that it was an unjustified act on the part of the occupation regime and that he did not know what it was aiming at. The Spokesman reiterated the Government´s policy on the employment of Turkish Cypriots in the free areas of the Republic and added that employment opportunities for the Turkish Cypriots were broadening in the free areas of the Republic. Invited to comment on whether this act by Dentkash fell in the context of the efforts on the part of the occupation regime to prevent the free movement and the communication between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, Mr Chrysostomides replied in the affirmative adding, however, that he was not aware of the real intentions of the occupation regime.

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