Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 04-06-18

Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

CONTENTS

[01] European Council coclusion on Turkey (FULL TEXT)

[02] EU leaders invite Turkey to have customs union with Cyprus too

[03] Pat Cox describes as ''wonderful'' the turnout of voting in Cyprus and Malta

[04] Cyprus Stock Exchange

[05] Cyprus President's Intervention at IGC

[06] EU Commissioners Schreyer and Kyprianou to visit Cyprus

[07] Cyprus protests over Sierra Leone's FM's illegal visit to occupied north

[08] Cyprus President: Not the time to begin a ''war of letters''

[09] Weather and Temperatures for Cyprus

[10] Cyprus President: It takes two to reach an agreement

[01] European Council coclusion on Turkey (FULL TEXT)

1330:CYPPRESS:01

European Council coclusion on Turkey (FULL TEXT)

by Emilia Christofi

Brussels, Jun 18 (CNA) -- Following is the full text of the conclusions on Turkey approved today by the EU leaders in Brussels:

22. The European Council welcomes the significant progress made to date by Turkey in the reform process, including the important and wide-ranging constitutional amendments adopted in May. It welcomes the continued and sustained efforts of the Turkish Government to meet the Copenhagen criteria. In this context, the European Council emphasises the importance of concluding the remaining legislative work and of accelerating efforts to ensure decisive progress in the full and timely implementation of reforms at all levels of administration and throughout the country.

23. The European Union will continue to assist Turkey in its preparations and to work towards full implementation of the pre-accession strategy, in particular as regards strengthening the independence and functioning of the judiciary, the overall framework for the exercise of fundamental freedoms (association, expression and religion), cultural rights, the further alignment of civil-military relations with European practice and the situation in the Southeast of the country.

24. The Union reaffirms its commitment that if the European Council decides in December 2004, on the basis of a report and recommendation from the Commission, that Turkey fulfils the Copenhagen political criteria, the EU will open accession negotiations with Turkey without delay.

25. The European Council encourages the Turkish Government to remain firmly committed to macroeconomic and financial stabilisation, including full implementation of the structural reform agenda.

26. The European Council invites Turkey to conclude negotiations with the Commission on behalf of the Community and its 25 Member states on the adaptation of the Ankara Agreement to take account of the accession of the new Member States.

[02] EU leaders invite Turkey to have customs union with Cyprus too

1330:CYPPRESS:02

EU leaders invite Turkey to have customs union with Cyprus too

By Emilia Christofi

Brussels, Jun 18 (CNA) -- The European Council has invited Turkey to conclude negotiations with the EU Commission in order to include all 25 EU member-states, including Cyprus, in its customs union agreement.

The statement is included in the conclusions of the European Council for Turkey, approved today in Brussels.

The conclusions say that ''the European Council invites Turkey to conclude negotiations with the Commission on behalf of the Community and its 25 Member states on the adaptation of the Ankara Agreement to take account of the accession of the new Member States''.

The European Council welcomes the Turkish government's positive contribution to the efforts of the UN Secretary-General to achieve a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem.

In the conclusions, the ''European Council welcomes the significant progress made to date by Turkey in the reform process, including the important and wide-ranging constitutional amendments adopted in May.''

Furthermore, the Council ''welcomes the continued and sustained efforts of the Turkish Government to meet the Copenhagen criteria. In this context, the European Council emphasises the importance of concluding the remaining legislative work and of accelerating efforts to ensure decisive progress in the full and timely implementation of reforms at all levels of administration and throughout the country.''

The EU notes that it ''will continue to assist Turkey in its preparations and to work towards full implementation of the pre-accession strategy, in particular as regards strengthening the independence and functioning of the judiciary, the overall framework for the exercise of fundamental freedoms (association, expression and religion), cultural rights, the further alignment of civil-military relations with European practice and the situation in the Southeast of the country.''

In addition, ''the Union reaffirms its commitment that if the European Council decides in December 2004, on the basis of a report and recommendation from the Commission, that Turkey fulfils the Copenhagen political criteria, the EU will open accession negotiations with Turkey without delay.''

[03] Pat Cox describes as ''wonderful'' the turnout of voting in Cyprus and Malta

1435:CYPPRESS:03

Pat Cox describes as ''wonderful'' the turnout of voting in Cyprus and Malta

by Emilia Christofi

Brussels, Jun 18 (CNA)-- European Parliament President Pat Cox described as ''wonderful'' the turnout of voting in Cyprus and in Malta during last week's European elections throughout the 25 EU member states.

Speaking during a press conference, Cox said during this morning's discussions at the European Council, they ''noted that the European Parliament election was the largest transnational exercise of democracy in Europe, a 158 million citizens participating, but none the less, on two counts there will be a pause for thought.''

[04] Cyprus Stock Exchange

1450:CYPPRESS:04

Cyprus Stock Exchange

Nicosia, Jun 18 (CNA) - The Cyprus Stock Exchange (CSE) All Share
Index closed at today's stock exchange meeting as follows:

CSE General Index                               75,81   (-0,37)

Traded Value                  CYP    233.472

FTSE/CYSE 20                  CYP    173.782   337,10   (-0,33)
FTSE Med 100                                 6.453,73   (-0,50)

Sectoral Indices

Banks                         CYP     118.976   97,74   (-0,10)
Approved Investment
Companies                 CYP      24.027   70,93   (-0,77)
Insurance Companies           CYP       2.768   11,95   (-1,24)
Manufacturing Companies       CYP      28.425   49,87   (-0,52)
Tourism Companies             CYP       1.051   44,52   (-3,22)
Trading Companies             CYP       3.853   20,87   (-0,67)
Building and Cement Companies CYP         627   62,28   (-0,64)
Énformation Technology
Companies                 CYP       2.550    2,23   ( 0,45)
Financial Services Companies  CYP       7.956    7,44   (-1,33)
Fish Culture Companies        CYP          00   11,32   ( 0,44)
Hotels                        CYP       5.312   25,66   (-0,27)
Other Companies               CYP      36.208   63,28   (-0,49)

* The third column presents the percentage variation of

[05] Cyprus President's Intervention at IGC

1550:CYPPRESS:05

Cyprus President's Intervention at IGC

by Emilia Christofi

Brussels, Jun 18 (CNA) -- Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos told the Intergovernmental Conference working session on Thursday that Cyprus is in favour of a modest increase of seats in the European Parliament.

President Papadopoulos made the statement during his intervention at the IGC session, which examined the pending issues in the draft Constitutional Treaty prepared by the Irish Presidency. The Cypriot president referred to provisions of the proposed treaty and submitted Cyprus' views.

Referring to the composition of the European Commission, President Papadopoulos said Cyprus insists on the system one Commissioner for each member state to be maintained.

[06] EU Commissioners Schreyer and Kyprianou to visit Cyprus

1620:CYPPRESS:06

EU Commissioners Schreyer and Kyprianou to visit Cyprus

[07] Cyprus protests over Sierra Leone's FM's illegal visit to occupied north

1650:CYPPRESS:07

Cyprus protests over Sierra Leone's FM's illegal visit to occupied north

Nicosia, Jun 18 (CNA) The Cyprus government will make representations over Sierra Leone's Foreign Minister's illegal visit in the Turkish occupied part of the island ''which violates UN Security Council resolutions'', Government Spokesman Kypros Chrysostomides has said.

Asked to comment US State Department Special Coordinator Thomas Weston's visit to the illegal regime's offices in Washington, the Spokesman referred to a statement by spokesman Richard Boucher that the visit took place within the framework of ''regular contacts'' Weston has with Turkish Cypriots in Washington, a comment which Chrysostomides described as ''non satisfactory''.

[08] Cyprus President: Not the time to begin a ''war of letters''

1720:CYPPRESS:08

Cyprus President: Not the time to begin a ''war of letters''

by Emilia Christofi

Brussels, Jun 18 (CNA)- Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos said now is not the time to begin a ''war of letters'', referring to the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan's reply to his letter where the latter insists on his report regarding his good offices mission for Cyprus.

In a press conference on the sidelines of the ongoing European Council, President Papadopoulos said that ''we gave our replies to his report, cogently and providing our own views on the way that the negotiations were conducted and the inaccuracies and distortions of our views that are contained in the report.''

''The SG elected not to respond to the accusations and it is his right or shows that they could not respond to the detailed and cogent views which were expressed in our reply,'' the President said.

Regarding the presidency of the European Commission, President Papadopoulos said the Republic of Cyprus supports the candidate who will command the biggest majority from member states, to be reinforced in his work and handle the challenges which the EU has to face in the future.

President Papadopoulos also said he is satisfied with the response his intervention had during the working sessions of the Intergovernmental Conference as regards to the Constitutional Treaty.

[09] Weather and Temperatures for Cyprus

1725:CYPPRESS:09

Weather and Temperatures for Cyprus

Nicosia, Jun 18 (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                 38            20          FINE
Larnaca                 30            20          FINE
Limassol                29            22          FINE
Paphos                  27            21          FINE

[10] Cyprus President: It takes two to reach an agreement

1945:CYPPRESS:10

Cyprus President: It takes two to reach an agreement

by Emilia Christofi

Brussels, Jun 18 (CNA)- Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos said now is not the time to begin a ''war of letters'', referring to the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan's reply to his letter where the latter insists on his report regarding his good offices mission for Cyprus.

In a press conference on the sidelines of the ongoing European Council, President Papadopoulos said that ''it takes two to reach an agreement'' adding that he wants to have a new initiative which will lead to removing from the Annan plan the ''provisions that cement the division on the island and substitute provisions which will push together reunification of Cyprus and the two communities.''

He added that the EU believes that a new initiative for Cyprus should be left to the United Nations.

Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article