Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 03-11-26

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

CONTENTS

[01] Cyprus President to hold talks with Greek Premier

[02] US senior official discusses Cyprus with EU

[03] Euro Parliamentarian warns Turkey over Cyprus

[04] Bank of Cyprus reports increase in core profits

[05] US Congressmen seek positive steps from Turkey

[06] Greece-Cyprus believe Ankara consolidates Denktash's intransigence

[07] Cyprus Stock Exchange

[08] Weather and Temperatures for Cyprus

[09] Simitis: 2004 will be milestone for Cyprus

[10] President Papadopoulos awarded city of Athens medal

[01] Cyprus President to hold talks with Greek Premier

0815:CYPPRESS:01

Cyprus President to hold talks with Greek Premier

by Athena Arsalidou

Athens, Nov 26 (CNA) -- Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos, in Athens on a three-day official visit, will hold talks today with Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis.

The talks are expected to focus on developments in the Cyprus problem and Cyprus' entry into the European Union.

President Papadopoulos is accompanied by Foreign Minister Giorgos Iacovou, Unndersecretary to the President Christodoulos Pashiardis, Government Spokesman Kypros Chrisostomides and Director of the President's Diplomatic Office Tasos Tzionis.

President Papadopoulos and his entourage will hold talks for approximately one hour with Premier Simitis and a greek delegation, consisting of Foreign Minister Giorgos Papandreou, Alternate Foreign Minister Tasos Giannitsis, and other officials.

After short statements to the press, Premier Simitis and his wife Daphne, will host a working lunch in honour of Cyprus President and First Lady Fotini.

In the afternoon President Papadopoulos will have separate meetings with New Democracy Party leader Constantinos Karamanlis, President of Coalition of Left, Movements and Ecology, Nicos Konstantopoulos, and representative of Greek Communist Party Orestis Kolozof.

Earlier in the afternoon Athens Mayor Dora Bakoyiani will award the Cyprus President the Golden Medal of Value of the City of Athens.

[02] US senior official discusses Cyprus with EU

0925:CYPPRESS:02

US senior official discusses Cyprus with EU

by Nicos Bellos

Brussels, Nov 26 (CNA) -- US State Department Special Coordinator for Cyprus Thomas Weston exchanged views Tuesday on Cyprus and Turkey related issues with European Union Commissioner responsible for enlargement Gunter Verheugen and other EU officials.

Weston told CNA that he conveyed his impressions and his assessment of the discussions he has had in Athens, Ankara and Nicosia over the past week to EU officials, who in turn briefed him about recent developments with regard to Cyprus and Turkey as they evaluated them.

The American diplomat believes that all interested parties should show political will to achieve the accession of a reunited Cyprus into the EU on May 1 next year, and pledged he would work towards this direction.

Prior to his visit to Brussels, Weston was in Paris and The Hague for talks with government officials on the question of Cyprus. His meetings are part of his ongoing contacts with the EU.

Asked to comment on the EU warning to Turkey that the absence of a political settlement in Cyprus could be a serious obstacle to its European aspirations, Weston said Wasthington agrees with the Commission's outlook on the matter and believes that a settlement should be reached by May 1, 2004.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37 per cent of its territory.

CNA MM/GP/2003 ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

[03] Euro Parliamentarian warns Turkey over Cyprus

0945:CYPPRESS:03

Euro Parliamentarian warns Turkey over Cyprus

by Nicos Bellos

Brussels, Nov 26 (CNA) -- Jacques Poos, rapporteur of the European Parliament for Cyprus, has said that Turkey should not be given the green light to begin accession negotiations with the European Union unless it takes positive steps towards a political settlement in Cyprus.

A press release by the parliamentary group of PASOK (Greek Socialist Party) at the European Parliament said Poos, who was speaking to Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot journalists visiting Brussels, expressed fears that the role of the military in Turkey could be strengthened following last week's terrorist attacks.

[04] Bank of Cyprus reports increase in core profits

1020:CYPPRESS:04

Bank of Cyprus reports increase in core profits

Nicosia, Nov 26 (CNA) -- The Bank of Cyprus Groups core profit (profit before provisions for bad debts and before tax) for the nine months 2003 amounted to 71.6 million pounds (122.5 m. euros), registering a 10% increase, a bank press release has said.

[05] US Congressmen seek positive steps from Turkey

1350:CYPPRESS:05

US Congressmen seek positive steps from Turkey

Nicosia, Nov 26 (CNA) -- Two US Congressmen have called on Turkey to demonstrate its sincere desire to respect the rule of law and comply with a European Court of Human Rights decision as an indication of its will to do just that.

Congressmen Frank Pallone and Michael Bilirakis also warn Ankara that failure to act might jeopardise US-Turkey relations.

[06] Greece-Cyprus believe Ankara consolidates Denktash's intransigence

1445:CYPPRESS:06

Greece-Cyprus believe Ankara consolidates Denktash's intransigence

by Athena Arsalidou

Athens, Nov 26 (CNA) -- Athens and Nicosia believe that Turkey continues to back and strengthen the intransigent positions of Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash with regard to a political settlement in Cyprus.

Speaking at a press conference here today after talks with Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos, Greek Premier Costas Simitis said that they discussed the prospects for the resumption of the UN-led peace talks for a solution, the case of Titina Loizidou, next month's European Union summit, international developments, issues relating to enclaved persons in the Turkish-occupied northern part of Cyprus, bilateral ties and other matters.

President Papadopoulos said there was an excellent spirit of cooperation between the two countries.

Simitis expressed the readiness of both governments to return to the negotiating table on the basis of a UN peace proposal and said the illegal regime in occupied Cyprus continues to grant so-called Turkish Cypriot citizenship to Turkish settlers ahead of next month's ''parliamentary elections.''

Simitis and Papadopoulos stressed in their remarks that member states of the Council of Europe have an obligation to implement decisions of the European Court of Human Rights without preconditions, especially those states wishing to join the EU.

[07] Cyprus Stock Exchange

1520:CYPPRESS:07

Cyprus Stock Exchange

Nicosia, Nov 26 (CNA) - The Cyprus Stock Exchange (CSE) All Share
Index closed at today's stock exchange meeting as follows:

CSE General Index                               82,27   (-1,67)

Traded Value                  CYP    831.255

FTSE/CYSE 20                  CYP    406.179   330,94   (-1,65)
FTSE Med 100                                 5.717,36   ( 1,14)

Sectoral Indices

Banks                         CYP    364.523    94,29   (-2,52)
Approved Investment
Companies                 CYP     10.845    70,32   (-2,02)
Insurance Companies           CYP      1.971    15,58   (-1,27)
Manufacturing Companies       CYP      5.894    57,36   ( 0,53)
Tourism Companies             CYP        653    71,78   ( 0,45)
Trading Companies             CYP      5.719    20,68   (-1,57)
Building and Cement Companies CYP      2.952    71,50   (-0,35)
Énformation Technology
Companies                 CYP     15.597     3,31   (-3,22)
Financial Services Companies  CYP     12.946    11,73   (-1,10)
Fish Culture Companies        CYP          0    11,50   ( 1,05)
Hotels                        CYP      5.592    38,55   (-1,63)
Other Companies               CYP    395.861    75,25   (-1,51)

* The third column presents the percentage variation of

[08] Weather and Temperatures for Cyprus

1530:CYPPRESS:08

Weather and Temperatures for Cyprus

Nicosia, Nov 26 (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                20           10         FAIR
Larnaca                21           12         FAIR
Limassol               21           13         FAIR
Paphos                 21           13         FAIR

[09] Simitis: 2004 will be milestone for Cyprus

1720:CYPPRESS:09

Simitis 2004 will be milestone for Cyprus

by Athena Arsalidou

Athens, Nov 26 (CNA) The year 2004 will be a milestone for Cyprus since its European course will be completed, European councils will decide on issues which concern the solution to the Cyprus problem and the Euro-Turkish relations, said here Wednesday Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis.

In a press conference after talks with Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos who is on a state visit to the Greek capital, Simitis pointed out that there is full identity of views, while during their talks they pointed out the encouragement of the peace process on Cyprus and the completion of the accession course, as well as the active participation of Cyprus in European affairs.

[10] President Papadopoulos awarded city of Athens medal

1940:CYPPRESS:10

President Papadopoulos awarded city of Athens medal by Athena Arsalidou

Athens, Nov 26 (CNA) Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos, on an official visit to Athens, was awarded today the golden medal of merit of the Greek capital city.

Conferring the medal, Athens Mayor Dora Bakoyiani said it was the duty of every Greek to work for a peaceful and prosperous future for Cyprus.

Bakoyiani said ''the new winds of realism in Cyprus'', the long experience of its leaders and a consistent strategy in solving the Cyprus problem constituted ''fundamental prerequisites'' in creating a better future for all Cypriots.

She assured Papadopoulos that ''we are determined and united, and we believe in the victory of justice'' for Cyprus.

The Mayor of Athens praised Papadopoulos for his long career in politics, noting the medal was awarded to him in recognition of his personal struggles and hope in a better future for Cyprus.

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