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Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 03-05-06
From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>
[01]Tuesday, 06 May 2003 President Papadopoulos meets party leaders
[02] Government demands opening of air routes and ports in Turkey
[01] President Papadopoulos meets party leaders
The President of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr Tassos Papadopoulos, held
separate meetings yesterday with the General Secretary of AKEL (Progressive
Party of Working People) and House President, Mr Demetris Christofias, the
President of DISY (Democratic Rally), Mr Nicos Anastasiades, the Deputy
President of DIKO (Democratic Party), Mr Nicos Cleanthous, and the
President and the Honorary President of KISOS (Movement of Social
Democrats), Mr Yannakis Omirou and Mr Vassos Lyssarides. The President's
meetings with party leaders were aimed at exchanging views and assessing
the situation on the Cyprus problem following the partial lifting of
restrictions on free movement by the occupation regime, the Government's
package of measures to support Turkish Cypriots, and the impending illegal
visit of the Turkish Prime Minister, Mr Erdogan, in the occupied areas.
[02] Government demands opening of air routes and ports in Turkey
The Minister of Communications and Works, Mr Kikis Kazamias, reiterated
yesterday the Cyprus Government's proposal for the opening of air routes
that had been arbitrarily shut by the Ankara air control centre after the
1974 Turkish invasion. The aforementioned proposal was put forward during
the war in Iraq, when Turkey had closed some of the air routes used by the
Civil Aviation. Turkey, Mr Kazamias noted, could open up the air routes as
a sign of good will within the framework of the developments over the
recent weeks. The Cyprus Minister further said that he had been authorised
by President Papadopoulos to ask, at the forthcoming informal meeting of
the EU Transport Commercial Navigation Ministers, for his counterparts'
backing in the Cyprus Government's request for the lifting of the embargo
on anchoring ships bearing the Cypriot flag at Turkish ports.
He also stressed that if Turkey continued to veto the anchoring of ships
bearing the Cypriot flag, it would mean that the 25% of the European
Union's fleet could not be serviced at Turkish ports. "A country that
aspires to become an EU member cannot prohibit the anchoring of ships
belonging to a member state", Mr Kazamias added.
From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/
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