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Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 99-01-18Cyprus Press and Information Office: News Updates in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>Monday, 18 January 1999CONTENTS[01] EU commends Cyprus' efforts towards harmonisationThe European Union Chief Negotiator for Cyprus, Leopold Maurer has expressed his vivid support for Cyprus' efforts to harmonise its legislation with the acquis communautaire, praising at the same time the serious approach Cyprus has so far demonstrated towards accession negotiations.Mr. Maurer, who paid a four-day visit to the island (14-17 January), stressed that Cyprus has advanced more rapidly than the other candidate countries in the accession process noting that negotiations on five chapters of the acquis communautaire have already been completed. The Austrian EU official, who was speaking at the House of Representatives Committee for Foreign and EU Affairs last Friday, stated however that Cyprus must liberalise its telecommunications sector earlier than the proposed date. Outlining the current goals of his mission, Mr. Maurer said that part of his mission was to present a progress report on Cyprus by mid-February on four chapters including freedom of movement, company law and competition policy. Moreover speaking at a joint press conference with Mr. George Vassiliou, Cyprus' Chief Negotiator for the EU, Mr. Maurer repeated the EU stance that accession ought to benefit both communities in Cyprus and welcomed President Clerides' long-standing invitation to the Turkish Cypriot side to participate in the negotiations. [02] President's letter to Kofi Annan formally states acceptance of UN resolutionsForeign Minister Ioannis Kassoulides said last Friday that a letter by President Clerides to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan was written to formally state the Greek Cypriot side's acceptance of the recent Security Council resolutions 1217 and 1218.Speaking to the press, Mr. Kassoulides said that the letter - made public by press reports- also aimed at stating that Cyprus reserves its right to proceed with the arms purchase programme, unless the Turkish side accepts resolution 1218. If the latter is achieved, Mr. Kassoulides added, then we will enter a new phase of negotiations that might lead to a reduction of armaments and military forces on the island. UN resolution 1218, adopted in December 1998, requests the UN Secretary General to work intensively with the two sides on the island on an "undertaking to refrain from the threat or use of force or violence as a means to resolve the Cyprus problem" and on "a staged process aimed at limiting and then substantially reducing the levels of all troops and armaments on Cyprus". [03] Web site on Cyprus-EU accession processThe Office of the Chief Negotiator for the EU has launched a new web page on the internet to help inform the public and especially the Turkish Cypriots on the latest developments of Cyprus' EU accession course.The new site covers issues of major importance like the screening process and the substantive negotiations.The information is available in Greek, Turkish and English .The Website address is . From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/Cyprus Press and Information Office: News Updates in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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