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Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 03-03-21
From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>
[01]Friday, 21 March 2003 Acting Cyprus President departs for Brussels
Spring European Council
[02] UK says Cyprus is not directly affected by Iraq war
[03] No violation of Cyprus airspace by American fighter planes, says
Communications Ministry
[04] Foreign Ministry announcement for Cyprus citizens living in Iraq wider
region
[05] MacShane regrets failure to reach a Cyprus settlement
[06] Cyprus gives financial aid for Palestinian refugees
[01] Acting Cyprus President departs for Brussels Spring European
Council
The Acting President of the Republic of Cyprus and House President, Mr
Demetris Christofias, departed for Brussels yesterday afternoon to attend
the European Council meeting with the ten acceding and three candidate
countries. He was accompanied by the Foreign Minister, Mr Georgios Iacovou
and the Finance Minister, Mr Markos Kyprianou. The meeting will be held
today in the form of three separate lunches on the levels of Heads of State
and government, Foreign Ministers and Finance Ministers, and will cover the
Cyprus problem, Iraq, the Middle East, North Korea, the Lisbon process and
the European Convention for the Future of Europe.
Speaking yesterday, upon departure at Larnaca airport, Mr Christofias said
that his trip to Brussels was taking place at a difficult period, amidst
the Iraqi war, and added, "I want to express my regret and the Cyprus
Government's and House of Representatives' great concern over the
declaration of this war, which has not been authorized by the relevant body,
namely, the UN Security Council, and which does not comply with the norms
of international law." He further said that he joined the voices of
opposition expressed by leaders of States that are members of the UN
Security Council, as well as of other states worldwide, calling for an end
to the war. As regards the European Union, Mr Christofias pointed out that
it was going through difficult times, as it had not managed to formulate a
common position on foreign policy issues, and particularly on the Iraqi
situation. Replying to a question on the approval by the Cyprus Council of
Ministers, earlier yesterday, of a US request to allow American aircrafts
to use Cyprus' national airspace during their military operations in Iraq,
Mr Christofias said that the particular decision was "entirely European",
and that it was the "minimum" the Republic could do to fulfill the US
demands. On his visit to Brussels, he noted that he would hold talks with
the Greek Prime Minister and EU President, Mr Costas Simitis, the Greek
Foreign Minister, Mr George Papandreou and the European Parliament
President, Mr Pat Cox.
During all the meetings to be held in Brussels, Mr Christofias said, the
Cyprus delegation would try to convey the position that the UN Secretary-
General's peace efforts in Cyprus failed due to the intransigent stance of
the Turkish side, and to reiterate that "despite the fact that war is
appalling and something to which we resist, the Cyprus problems will still
be there on the following day". He also said that a report on Cyprus by the
UN Secretary-General to the Security Council would soon be submitted.
Mr Christofias stressed that he was in close contact with the President, Mr
Tassos Papadopoulos, regarding the deliberations to take place in Brussels.
President Papadopoulos is currently in the US for medical reasons.
[02] UK says Cyprus is not directly affected by Iraq war
"Cyprus is not directly affected by the situation in Iraq. We therefore see
no reason for holiday plans to be changed", the British Foreign and
Commonwealth Office (FCO) has stated. In an update of its travel advice on
Cyprus, posted this week on their official website, the FCO noted that "the
vast majority of visits to Cyprus are trouble-free" and that "the terrorist
threat is low".
[03] No violation of Cyprus airspace by American fighter planes, says
Communications Ministry
"There was absolutely no violation of Cyprus' national airspace by American
fighter plans or a landing by American military planes at the illegal
airport of Lefkoniko", the Cyprus Ministry of Communications and Works
stated yesterday, contradicting reports by the media on that issue. The
press release, issued by the Ministry, further noted that on Wednesday, two
Turkish military planes and six civil planes landed at the illegal airport
of Lefkoniko. The Communications Ministry called on journalists to be more
careful in transmitting information that could possibly harm the image of
the Cyprus Republic.
[04] Foreign Ministry announcement for Cyprus citizens living in Iraq wider
region
Due to the Iraqi crisis, citizens of the Republic of Cyprus living in the
wider region, and particularly in locations where the Republic does not
maintain diplomatic missions, can appeal to the diplomatic missions of the
European Union member states for assistance. The Cyprus Ministry of Foreign
Affairs urges all citizens who are directly affected by the situation in
Iraq to contact the Ministry at the following telephone numbers:
During working hours: 22 300709
Outside working hours: 99 660129
[05] MacShane regrets failure to reach a Cyprus settlement
The British Minister for Europe, Mr Dennis MacShane, expressed his regret
that a comprehensive Cyprus settlement, in time for a reunited island to
sign the Treaty of Accession with the EU on 16 April, could not prove
possible, noting at the same time that Cyprus would accede to the EU with
the acquis suspended in the north of the island, as was decided by the
Copenhagen European Council last December. Replying to a question posed
before the House of Commons last Wednesday by Labour MP, and a friend of
Cyprus, Mr Tom Cox, as to what discussions the Secretary of State for
Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs planned to have with EU member states on
the role the Union would play in future negotiations regarding the island,
Mr MacShane said that "the UK and the EU remain committed to efforts to
achieve a comprehensive settlement within the framework of the UN Secretary-
General's proposals of 26 February". "The Commission will, in consultation
with the government of Cyprus, consider ways of promoting economic
development of the northern part of Cyprus and bringing it closer to the
Union", the British Minister added. Expressing his regret on the failure to
reach a settlement at the meeting in The Hague, he pointed out that "as Mr
Annan made clear in his concluding statement in The Hague, an opportunity
like the one so recently missed is unlikely to recur for some time."
[06] Cyprus gives financial aid for Palestinian refugees
The Republic of Cyprus offered financial aid amounting to $27,750 to the
United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near
East (UNRWA), as a token of its support to the Palestinian people and in
response to their increasing needs due to the continuing isolation of the
Palestinian areas. The cheque of $27,750 - almost double the amount of last
year's contribution - was handed by Cyprus' Permanent Representative to the
UN, Ambassador Sotos Zackheos, to Mr Nasser Maher, representative of the
UNRWA. In a short speech, Ambassador Zackheos conveyed Cyprus' sympathy
towards the Palestinian people for their economic plight and hoped that the
peace process would be resumed.
From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/
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