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Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 03-05-09
From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>
[01]Friday, 09 May 2003 President Papadopoulos says hasty moves can lead to
new deadlock
[02] There is no embargo on the occupied areas, says EU Spokesman
[03] Monetary Policy Committee decisions
[01] President Papadopoulos says hasty moves can lead to new deadlock
The President of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr Tassos Papadopoulos, has
reiterated his readiness to engage in new negotiations on the basis of the
Annan plan, but warned that any untimely moves and initiatives could lead
the whole peace effort to yet another deadlock. "What many of our
interlocutors are concerned about, and we share these concerns, is the
possibility that any hasty moves and pre-mature initiatives could lead the
whole effort for resuming the dialogue to a deadlock or a very undesirable
outcome", President Papadopoulos noted, replying to questions after a
ceremony of the Cyprus Red Cross Society yesterday. He also pointed out
that the Annan plan should be amended to comply with the EU acquis
communautaire and to reflect the latest developments on the island.
Asked why he did not take any initiative for the resumption of the UN-led
peace talks, Mr Papadopoulos stressed that the UN Secretary-General was
fully aware of the Greek Cypriot side's readiness to engage in new
negotiations, adding that sending a letter to the Secretary-General was not
any "magic formula for resuming the process". With regard to the Government's
support measures for Turkish Cypriots, the Cyprus President said that the
consent of the European Union was required for their implementation, and
for that reason talks would be held in Brussels with EU officials on 10-12
May. Invited to comment on the Turkish Premier's visit to the occupied
areas today, President Papadopoulos underlined that it was an illegal visit
and that it would not be wise for Greek Cypriot political parties to meet
with Mr Erdogan.
[02] There is no embargo on the occupied areas, says EU Spokesman
Mr Jean-Christophe Filori, Spokesman for the EU Enlargement Commissioner Mr
Gunter Verheugen, emphatically denied yesterday, during the daily briefing
of the press, that there was an embargo on the occupied areas of Cyprus.
Invited to comment on a report by a British daily according to which the
Turkish Foreign Minister Mr Abdullah Gul had asked the EU to lift the so-
called "embargo" on the northern part of the island, Mr Filori made the
following statement: "I can formally deny that there is an embargo on the
northern part of Cyprus. This is simply not true. There is a ruling of the
Court of Justice, dating 1994, about the question whether or not export-
certificates issued by the authorities controlling the northern part of
Cyprus could be validated and accepted by the EU. The answer in this court-
ruling of the Court of Justice was no, since we do not recognise the
authorities controlling the northern part of Cyprus. Which doesn't mean
that the products are embargoed. It just means that they can not be
exported through the authorisation issued by these authorities. So, I deny
strongly the word embargo. These products could be exported to the EU but
of course not through this authorisation paperwork by the authorities
controlling northern Cyprus."
[03] Monetary Policy Committee decisions
According to a press release of the Central Bank of Cyprus, the Monetary
Policy Committee convened yesterday and reached the following monetary
policy decisions: 1. The key official interest rates of the Central Bank,
that is the interest rates of the marginal lending facility (Lombard) and
the deposit facility, remain unchanged at 4,50% and 2,50% respectively.
2. The reference value for the annual growth rate of bank credit remains at
11%.
From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/
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