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Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 03-05-26
From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>
[01]Monday, 26 May 2003 President Papadopoulos departs for Athens
[02] Foreign Minister protests to UN about occupation regime's "black
list"
[03] Cyprus gives financial assistance to South Africa
[01] President Papadopoulos departs for Athens
The President of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr Tassos Papadopoulos, departed
for Athens yesterday morning for talks with the Greek Premier and current
EU President, Mr Costas Simitis. He will also be meeting with the Greek
President, Mr Constantinos Stephanopoulos. Speaking upon departure at
Larnaca Airport, President Papadopoulos noted in reply to a question that
although the European Union had a strong interest in developments on the
Cyprus problem, it would not undertake any role that would substitute the
UN initiatives. Asked to comment on reports that one of the reasons of his
trip to Athens was a more active involvement by the EU in the efforts to
resolve the Cyprus issue, possibly in the form of an EU observer on the
Cyprus problem, Mr Papadopoulos said: "The issue of assigning an observer
is one of the issues to be discussed, not just by us but also by the EU.
There are quite a few observers but that is separate from the negotiations,
and the negotiations are rightly taking place under the auspices of the
UN". Invited to say whether he perceived a US intervention in developments
on the Cyprus issue, the President pointed out that the United States had
always shown an interest for Cyprus developments.
On the forthcoming visit to the island of the State Department's Special
Coordinator for Cyprus, Mr Thomas Weston, and the latter's meeting with the
Cyprus Foreign Minister, Mr George Iacovou, the President said that it had
been arranged about a month ago after a request by Nicosia.
[02] Foreign Minister protests to UN about occupation regime's "black
list"
The occupation regime yesterday refused entrance into the occupied part of
Cyprus to Greek Cypriot Andreas Pieri, who resides in Britain since 1948,
saying that his name is included in Mr Denktash's so called ''black list'.
In another incident, a Turkish Cypriot who lives in the free areas was
beaten up at the check point by so called police officers of the occupation
regime and was not allowed to enter the occupied areas. The Minister of
Foreign Affairs, Mr George Iacovou, who was in Athens yesterday morning,
contacted the Acting Special Representative in Cyprus of the UN Secretary-
General, Mr Zbigniew Wlosowicz, and denounced the incidents and the general
stand taken by the occupation regime. Mr Iacovou raised the enormous
problem created by Mr Denktash's so called black list on the basis of which
the occupation regime acts in an arbitrary manner. The Minister of Foreign
Affairs, after explaining to Mr Wlosowicz that such attitude far from
constituting a step conducive to freedom of movement proved the true
intensions of the occupation regime, asked the United Nations to take
appropriate action.
[03] Cyprus gives financial assistance to South Africa
Cyprus' Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Sotos
Zackheos, handed over last Friday a cheque of $94,500 to the Director of
the UN World Food Program NY, Ms Judith Cheng Hopkins, as an expression of
Cyprus' support to the people of South Africa and responding to their
increased needs due to a further deterioration in living standards and the
HIV/AIDS virus. In a short address, Mr Zackheos expressed Cyprus'
solidarity with the South African people and pointed out that Cyprus is
reassessing the issue of humanitarian and development aid, in light of its
EU membership in 2004.
From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/
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