Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 03-06-20

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From: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org.cy>

CONTENTS

[01] Cyprus President addresses European Council session

[02] US remains actively engaged in Cyprus settlement

[03] Cyprus Stock Exchange

[04] Weather and Temperatures for Cyprus

[05] Papadopoulos says Cyprus disagrees with Constitution points

[06] UN Assembly approves peacekeeping funding

[07] Gronholm takes early lead in Cyprus Rally

[08] EU leaders urge Turkish side to support UN chief's Cyprus plan

[09] EU leaders approve reference on Cyprus

[10] EU leaders call on Turkey to continue reform process

[11] EU leaders approve reference on Turkey

[12] EU leaders urge acceding states to keep up efforts

[01] Cyprus President addresses European Council session

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Cyprus President addresses European Council session

by Rebekah Gregoriades

Porto Carras, Jun 20 (CNA) -- Cyprus, with its experience in illegal immigration issues, is participating in significant initiatives to combat the phenomenon, President Tassos Papadopoulos said, noting that Cyprus looks forward to the cooperation of the EU in the matter.

Speaking during yesterday's session of the Salonica European Council, taking place in Porto Carras, President Papadopoulos reaffirmed the full compliance of Cyprus with Convention 1951 and the 1967 Protocol on refugees, immigration and asylum.

[02] US remains actively engaged in Cyprus settlement

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US remains actively engaged in Cyprus settlement

Nicosia, Jun 20 (CNA) -- US Ambassador to Cyprus Michael Klosson has reiterated Washington's firm engagement in the search of a viable solution in Cyprus, stressing this is at a high level of government.

Klosson said that US-Cyprus relations would expand further as a result of the Republic's accession to the European Union and noted that discussions with Ankara aim at moving things in a positive direction.

''The US remains very vigorously and actively engaged in seeking and promoting a comprehensive and durable settlement for the Cyprus question,'' Klosson said after a meeting with Social Democrats Movement leader Yiannakis Omirou.

[03] Cyprus Stock Exchange

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Cyprus Stock Exchange

Nicosia, Jun 20 (CNA) - The Cyprus Stock Exchange (CSE) All Share
Index closed at today's stock exchange meeting as follows:

CSE General Index                               85,63    (-0,23)

Traded Value                  CYP    217.769

FTSE/CYSE 20                  CYP    122.557   349,23   (-0,28)

Sectoral Indices

Banks                         CYP     51.179   101,40   (-0,49)
Approved Investment
Companies                 CYP     10.569    72,63   ( 0,23)
Insurance Companies           CYP      4.075    13,94   (-3,33)
Manufacturing Companies       CYP     42.778    55,73   ( 0,32)
Tourism Companies             CYP     20.926    89,08   (-1,49)
Trading Companies             CYP      6.392    18,07   ( 0,72)
Building and Cement Companies CYP      1.175    68,07   ( 0,21)
Énformation Technology
Companies                 CYP      1.264     2,76   ( 0,00)
Financial Services Companies  CYP     12.121    13,66   ( 2,32)
Fish Culture Companies        CYP        865    11,44   ( 0,70)
Hotels                        CYP      9.453    41,52   (-0,65)
Other Companies               CYP     43.485    78,81   (-0,44)

* The third column presents the percentage variation of

[04] Weather and Temperatures for Cyprus

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Weather and Temperatures for Cyprus

Nicosia, Jun 20 (CNA) - Today's weather and temperatures for Cyprus, according to the Meteorological Service at Larnaca International Airport are:

Temperatures (degrees Celcius)

Station Maximum Minimum Weather (At 1200 UTC)

Nicosia 35 21 FAIR Larnaca 30 21 FINE Limassol 31 21 FINE Paphos 28 20 FINE

[05] Papadopoulos says Cyprus disagrees with Constitution points

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Papadopoulos says Cyprus disagrees with Constitution points

by Rebekah Gregoriades

Porto Carras, Jun 20 (CNA) - Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos said today that there were points in the draft EU Constitution, approved today by the Salonica European Council, which the Republic of Cyprus did not agree with, especially regarding matters of principle and institutional arrangements.

Speaking during the second session of the European Council, taking place in Porto Carras, President Papadopoulos said the draft Constitution was a good basis to begin the Intergovernmental Conference and noted that the Treaty should be adopted before May 2004 and signed later but nevertheless before the European Parliament elections, so that the new members of the EU could sign the Treaty as equal partners.

The President noted that the draft was a good basis to begin the Intergovernmental Conference and noted that it should not be discussed if it is a «basis for negotiations» or a «basis of an agreement», because Cyprus had plenty experience regarding these terms, that is through negotiations to solve the Cyprus problem.

President Papadopoulos suggested that the Intergovernmental Conference should not be convened before October, so that the citizens of each country are given the opportunity to be fully informed and in order to properly prepare the Conference.

He also noted that there were many points on matters of principle and institutional arrangements that the Republic of Cyprus could not accept.

According to the Treaty of Nice, each member state has the right to participate in the European Commission with one member and this should be maintained, so that each EU member is represented.

The President noted that this was important because the Commission had competences and was dealing with issues related to the member states and thus each people should have a say.

He added that, as provided for in the Treaty of Nice, all Commissioners have a vote based on the principle one country - one vote».

We do not agree with the suggestion that there will be Commissioners with a vote and Commissioners without a vote, the President said, noting that those without a vote would be nothing more than upgraded ambassadors with better pay.

President Papadopoulos added that the provisions of the Treaty of Nice have not yet been implemented and thus there is no experience, so one should maybe wait until the year 2009 when in any case the relevant article on voting and non-voting Commissioners would come into effect, so as to take the right decisions after the experience gathered by then.

Regarding the President of the Council, a post for which there is a proposal for a long-term office instead of a rotating presidency, the Cypriot President said it was important to clearly determine the competencies and duties of the Council President so that there was no conflict of competencies with the Commission President or even identical duties.

Referring to the European Parliament, President Papadopoulos suggested that the allocation of seats be maintained based on the Treaty of Nice, that is the minimum number of European MPs is five for each small country, which means six in the case of Cyprus.

The President did not agree with the proposal to reduce the minimum number of EuroMPs to four, saying that this would cause a disproportionate small representation for the small states that are only six, especially because the number of seats remains the same, that is 736 EuroMPs.

Referring to the joint competencies of the European Parliament and the national parliaments, President Papadopoulos suggested that issues concerning drugs and equality of sexes be included in these. This, he said, could be done with an Intergovernmental Conference decision.

[06] UN Assembly approves peacekeeping funding

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UN Assembly approves peacekeeping funding

Nicosia, Jun 20 (CNA) -- The UN General Assembly adopted Thursday a budget of some 2.17 billion dollars to finance 11 active peacekeeping missions for 2003/2004, including the UN peacekeeping force in Cyprus (UNFICYP).

UNFICYP's total budget amounts to 45.77 million dollars, for the period 1 July 2003 to 30 June 2004. This includes 43.8 m. for the maintenance of the force, 1.51 m. for the support account and 462.400 for the logistics base.

The Assembly decided also that 1.78 m. would be returned to the government of Cyprus and 853.400 to Greece.

[07] Gronholm takes early lead in Cyprus Rally

1910:CYPPRESS:07

Gronholm takes early lead in Cyprus Rally

Arai ahead in the Production class: Britain's Dale retires

Limassol, Jun 20 (CNA)-- Finland's Marcus Gronholm led the Cyprus Rally, the seventh round of the FIA World Rally Championship, after four special stages held in intense heat and dusty conditions through the Troodos mountains, a FIA press release said here Friday.

The defending World Champion moved 6.8 seconds ahead of team-mate Harri Rovanpera on the final stage of the day in his Marlboro Peugeot Total 206 WRC. Partnered by Risto Pietilainen and driving the third of the Peugeots, Rovanpera was fastest on the opening three special stages, as stifling heat and punishing rocky ground, with cars often unearthing rocks the size of footballs, caused a catalogue of problems for the 51 starters.

[08] EU leaders urge Turkish side to support UN chief's Cyprus plan

1925:CYPPRESS:08

EU leaders urge Turkish side to support UN chief's Cyprus plan

by Themis Themistocleous

Porto Carras, Jun 20 (CNA) -- EU leaders meeting in Chalkidiki, Greece, called for an early resumption of talks for a solution to the Cyprus problem on the basis of proposals by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, urging Turkey and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash to strongly support Annan's efforts for a comprehensive settlement in line with Security Council resolutions on Cyprus and EU principles.

The 25 leaders of EU member and acceding states noted in their final conclusions adopted here this evening that the Union will contribute to a viable and functional settlement, reiterating the willingness to accommodate the terms of a solution in line with the principles on which the EU is founded.

[09] EU leaders approve reference on Cyprus

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EU leaders approve reference on Cyprus

Porto Carras, Jun 20 (CNA) -- The European Council approved here today the following reference on Cyprus:

IV. CYPRUS

[10] EU leaders call on Turkey to continue reform process

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EU leaders call on Turkey to continue reform process

By Themis Themistocleous

Porto Carras, Jun 20 (CNA) -- EU leaders meeting in Chalkidiki, Greece, have called on Turkey to continue the reform process necessary to open accession negotiations, noting that ''significant further efforts are still required'', despite progress achieved.

In its final conclusions, the European Council welcomes ''the commitment'' of the Turkish government to carry forward the reform process, in particular the remaining legislative work by the end of 2003 and expresses support for Ankara's ''ongoing efforts to fulfil the Copenhagen political criteria for opening accession negotiations with the EU''.

[11] EU leaders approve reference on Turkey

1950:CYPPRESS:11

EU leaders approve reference on Turkey

Porto Karras, Jun 20 (CNA) -- The European Council approved here today the following reference on Turkey:

38. TURKEY

[12] EU leaders urge acceding states to keep up efforts

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EU leaders urge acceding states to keep up efforts

By Themis Themistocleous

Porto Carras, Jun 20 (CNA) -- EU leaders meeting at Chalkidiki, Greece, called on the ten acceding states, including Cyprus, to keep up their efforts so that they are fully prepared to assume the obligations of membership by accession on May 1, 2004.

The EU summit noted that with a view to making a success of enlargement, the monitoring of these preparations by acceding countries has been intensified on the basis of reports submitted regularly by the Commission in Brussels.

In their final conclusions, the members of the European Council said that following the signature in Athens on April 16 of the Accession Treaty, the results of referendums in Malta, Slovenia, Hungary, Lithuania, Slovakia, Poland and the Czech Republic ''lend additional momentum'' to the ratification process.

They noted that this process must be completed in time for the ten countries to join the Union next May.

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