Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 98-12-21

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From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>

Monday, 21 December 1998

CONTENTS

• [01] Council of Europe Committee of Ministers on the case of "Loizidou vs Turkey"
• [02] Cyprus and EU sign project for the protection of Cyprus' bio- diversity
• [03] Cyprus presents its negotiating positions to the EU Council
• [04] European Council continues to support bicommunal bizonal federation

[01] Council of Europe Committee of Ministers on the case of "Loizidou vs Turkey"

Although Turkey had been ordered by the Court to pay the Greek Cypriot refugee Titina Loizidou a large sum of money as compensation for depriving her of acceding to and enjoying her property in the Turkish occupied part of Cyprus, Turkey has refused to comply with the ruling and has not yet paid up the compensation to Loizidou.

Cyprus' Permanent Representative to the Council of Europe Mrs Thalia Petrides stressed during the meeting of the Committee of Ministers' Deputies, that Turkey's refusal to comply with the Court's decision was unacceptable and "would endanger the democratic principles and values in Europe".

She urged the Committee to secure Turkey's compliance with both the Court ruling and the country's obligations resulting from its Council of Europe membership.

As a great number of representatives supported these positions, the Committee decided to discuss the Loizidou case again during its next meeting on February 8-9, 1999.

[02] Cyprus and EU sign project for the protection of Cyprus' bio- diversity

The contract was signed on Friday 18 December by the Minister of Agriculture, Natural Resources and the Environment Costas Themistocleous and the Head of the European Commission delegation to Cyprus Donato Chiarini.

The project is one of the eleven proposals submitted by Cyprus in 1998 within the framework of the Union's environmental programme "Life". It will cost 318.250 ECU to which the European Union will contribute 158.650 ECU, nearly half the total cost.

The project's aim is the preservation and protection of bio-diversity in Cyprus and its principle objective is to provide information on habitats and species of flora and fauna. To this end existing data will be evaluated and processed, a list of sites to be designated as special areas of conservation will be drawn up and a national archive of ecological data will be established.

[03] Cyprus presents its negotiating positions to the EU Council

Negotiations for the eight chapters are expected to begin in the first six months of 1999 during the German Presidency of the European Union.

[04] European Council continues to support bicommunal bizonal federation

Replying to questions on Cyprus, Mrs Waldner said that it was very sad that a political solution to the Cyprus problem had not been reached before the beginning of accession negotiations with Cyprus but expressed the belief that the accession of Cyprus will benefit both communities and contribute to peace and reconciliation on the island.

The Austrian Deputy Foreign Minister stressed that the EU Council aspires for the accession to the European Union of Cyprus as a whole adding that "no third country can veto the enlargement of the Union".

From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/

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