|
|
|
Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 03-09-09
From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>
[01]Tuesday, 09 September 2003 Cyprus' EU Harmonisation Coordinator holds
contacts in Brussels
[02] Foreign Ministry satisfied with three-year extension of US import
restriction on Byzantine material from Cyprus
[03] New Cyprus' Permanent Representative to UN presents credentials
[01] Cyprus' EU Harmonisation Coordinator holds contacts in Brussels
The Coordinator for Cyprus' harmonisation with the European Union, Mr Takis
Hadjidemetriou, is currently in Brussels for a series of meetings with
European Commission officials, in light of the preparation of the
Commission's evaluation report for Cyprus, which is to be published on 5
November 2003. The main objective of Mr Hadjidemetriou's visit is to inform
Community officials on the progress achieved by Cyprus as regards the
adoption and implementation of the acquis communautaire and to ensure that
the last evaluation report prior to accession by the Commission would be a
positive one. Speaking yesterday to reporters prior to a meeting with the
Head of Cyprus' Accession Team, Mr Leopold Maurer, Mr Hadjidemetriou noted
that during his contacts with EU officials special emphasis would be given
on the issues of telecommunications, immigration and asylum, and environment.
"With our interventions today we have started to exert a positive influence
on the formation of the [Commission] report, as EU officials are now seeing
that our considerable efforts recently have been responding to their own
demands ", he added.
[02] Foreign Ministry satisfied with three-year extension of US import
restriction on Byzantine material from Cyprus
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has expressed satisfaction with the
decision of the US government to extend for three years an emergency import
restriction on Byzantine ecclesiastical, ritual and ethnological material
from Cyprus unless such material is accompanied by an export permit issued
by the Government of the Republic of Cyprus. The emergency restriction
first went into effect in April 1999, in response to a request from the
Cyprus Government seeking protection of its cultural heritage under Article
9 of the 1970 UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing
the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property.
The three-year restriction is the maximum allowable by US law.
The categories of Byzantine ritual, ecclesiastical and ethnological
material subject to the import restriction include objects of metal, wood,
ivory and bone, textiles, stone (mosaics), and frescos (wall paintings),
ranging in date from approximately the 4th century A.D. through approximately
the 15th century A.D.
[03] New Cyprus' Permanent Representative to UN presents credentials
Ambassador Demetris Droushiotis presented, on 2 September, his credentials
to the Director General of the UN Office in Geneva, Mr Sergei Ordzhonikidze,
as the new Permanent Representative of the Republic of Cyprus to the UN in
Geneva. In a meeting following the presentation of credentials, Mr
Droushiotis informed Mr Ordzhonikidze on the latest developments regarding
the Cyprus problem and reiterated Cyprus' dedication to the principles,
objectives and ideals of the United Nations.
He further expressed Cyprus' appreciation over the efforts of the UN
Secretary-General, Mr Kofi Annan, for resolving the Cyprus problem. On his
part, Mr Ordzhonikidze reassured the Cypriot diplomat that the UN continued
to have an interest in Cyprus and to make efforts for the peaceful
resolution of the Cyprus problem.
From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/
|
