Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 05-05-06

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

CONTENTS

[01] UN report: further UNFICYP transformation possible

[02] President appoints new Attorney General

[03] Cyprus Stock Exchange

[04] Weather and Temperatures for Cyprus

[05] New Attorney General pledges to act impartially, according to the law

[06] Cyprus question, UN reforms focus of FM meetings

[07] Property issue raised with US senior official

[08] Cyprus President expects Turkey to respond to goodwill moves

[09] Cypriot Finance Minister sees benefits from joining ERM II

[10] Croatian State Secretary visits Cyprus

[01] UN report: further UNFICYP transformation possible

1240:CYPPRESS:01

UN report: further UNFICYP transformation possible

United Nations, May 6 (CNA) -- The UN General Assembly has appropriated around 44 million US dollars gross for the maintenance of the UN peace-keeping force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) for the period July 2003 to end of June 2004, according to a report by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, released Wednesday as an official UN document.

One third of the net appropriation, equivalent to 14,567,500 was funded through voluntary contributions from the Government of Cyprus and the amount of 6.5 million was funded by Greece. Expenditures for the period totalled 45,464,200 gross.

Expenditure for the period totaled 45,464,200 gross.

''Another review of UNFICYP will take place in mid-2005, aimed at proposing a further transformation of UNFICYP, including the possible further downsizing of the Mission, based on the experience gained with the new structure that is being implemented from March 2005, and taking into account new developments from that time'', the report adds.

[02] President appoints new Attorney General

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President appoints new Attorney General

Nicosia, May 6 (CNA) -- Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos has appointed Petros Clerides as Attorney General of the Republic.

An official press release says Clerides, who was until now Deputy Attorney General, will be giving his affirmation during a ceremony next week.

It adds that the President will not be appointing a new Deputy Attorney General at this stage.

Clerides is succeeding Solon Nikitas, who resigned from his position earlier this week.

[03] Cyprus Stock Exchange

1450:CYPPRESS:03

Cyprus Stock Exchange

Nicosia, May 6 (CNA) -- The Cyprus Stock Exchange (CSE) All Share
Index closed at today's stock exchange meeting as follows:

INDICES BASE VALUES: FTSEMed=5000, OTHERS=1000

TRADED VALUE                       224.177,35

GSE GENERAL INDEX                       86,20     0,64    215.146,92
FTSE/CySE 20                           408,05     0,58    125.480,57
MAIN MARKET INDEX                    1.222,70     0,63    118.019,48
PARALLEL MARKET INDEX                1.049,72     0,46     13.086,98
INVESTMENT COMPANIES MARKET INDEX    1.007,67     0,65      9.080,31
MAIN AND PARALLEL MARKETS INDEX      1.216,08     0,63    131.106,46
BANKS INDEX                          1.245,26     0,59     76.005,92
HOTELS INDEX                           990,60     1,03      3.208,74
ALTERNATIVE MARKET INDEX             1.020,21     0,33     82.678,43
FTSE Med (5/5/2005)                  7.289,07     0,82

* The second column presents the percentage variation of the indices
as compared to the last meeting.

[04] Weather and Temperatures for Cyprus

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Weather and Temperatures for Cyprus

Nicosia, May 6 (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                 29          12          FINE
Larnaca                 23          12          FINE
Limassol                25          15          FINE
Paphos                  22          12          FINE
---------------------------------------------------------------

[05] New Attorney General pledges to act impartially, according to the law

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New Attorney General pledges to act impartially, according to the law

Nicosia, May 6 (CNA) -- Newly appointed Attorney General Petros Klerides said he would exercise his high duties in accordance to the law and would serve the public interest.

In his first remarks, following the announcement of his appointment to the post, Klerides said he would dedicate all his strength to meet the challenges ahead and administer justice to the best of his ability.

[06] Cyprus question, UN reforms focus of FM meetings

1850:CYPPRESS:06

Cyprus question, UN reforms focus of FM meetings

Nicosia, May 6 (CNA) -- UN reforms and the question of Cyprus were at the core of discussions Foreign Minister George Iacovou has had with his counterparts from Malasia Syed Hamid Albar and the Philippines Alberto Romulo.

Iacovou, in Kyoto to attend the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), had a lengthy discussion with Syed about Cyprus, in view of next month's ministerial meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Conference.

[07] Property issue raised with US senior official

1855:CYPPRESS:07

Property issue raised with US senior official

Nicosia, May 6 (CNA) -- The exploitation of Greek Cypriot property in Turkish occupied Cyprus was one of the issues President Tassos Papadopoulos has raised with a senior US State Department official, according to Government Spokesman Kypros Chrysostomides.

''President Papadopoulos pressed on with this issue most forcefully at his meeting with US Deputy Assistant Secretary Laura Kennedy, saying that exploitation of Greek Cypriot properties, which seems to have the tacit approval of the Turkish Cypriot leader, proves that he is not sincere in his protestations that he is genuinely seeking a solution,'' the spokesman said.

[08] Cyprus President expects Turkey to respond to goodwill moves

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Cyprus President expects Turkey to respond to goodwill moves

Nicosia, ̀ay 6 (CNA) -- Turkey must respond to the goodwill displayed by the government of Cyprus, President Tassos Papadopoulos said here today, adding that the Republic's accession to the European Union and Ankara's start of membership talks provide a framework for normal bilateral ties and a political settlement.

Papadopoulos reiterated his commitment to a solution of bicommunal bizonal federation and said he will spare no effort to find a solution that would meet the hopes and expectations of all Cypriots.

Receiving the credentials of the first Ambassador of Mauritania to Cyprus Yahya Ngam, stationed in Rome, he said the Cyprus problem has never had anything to do with religious conflict.

[09] Cypriot Finance Minister sees benefits from joining ERM II

1940:CYPPRESS:09

Cypriot Finance Minister sees benefits from joining ERM II

by Costas Stavrinos

Nicosia, May 6 (CNA) - Cypriot Minister of Finance Iacovos Keravnos has said there would be multiple and significant benefits for the economy from the Cyprus pound joining the Exchange Rate Mechanism II (ERM II), which is the lobby for accession to the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), noting that public finances would have to be ironed out in order for Cyprus to join the Eurozone.

In an interview with CNA on the first anniversary from Cyprus' accession to the European Union (EU), Keravnos refers to a number of benefits from joining ERM II, including the stability of the Cyprus pound's exchange rate, the convergence of Cypriot interest rates with those of the Eurozone, the restraint of production costs, improved competitiveness, and the attraction of foreign capital for investment purposes.

He also reveals the promotion of a joint twinning programme between the Cypriot and Maltese Ministries of Finance with Ireland for the introduction of the Euro, and mentions that a meeting took place on April 21 in Cyprus for this reason.

Keravnos furthermore touches upon Cyprus drawing on the experience of Greece in EMU, as well as the huge challenge for the Ministry of Finance, which is submitting the first comprehensive national action plan on the Lisbon Strategy by the end of June 2005.

[10] Croatian State Secretary visits Cyprus

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Croatian State Secretary visits Cyprus

Nicosia, May 6 (CNA) -- Croatia's State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Hido Biscevic arrives here today for talks with the government, at the invitation of the Permanent Secretary at the Cyprus Foreign Ministry Ambassador Sotos Zakheos.

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