Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 07-09-29

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

CONTENTS

[01] TURKISH CLAIMS - CYPRUS` RESPONSE

[02] RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES - CYPRUS

[01] TURKISH CLAIMS - CYPRUS` RESPONSE

He pointed out that Turkeys insistence to press on with some kind of recognition of its local subordinate administration in Turkish occupied Cyprus testifies to Anakras absence of a desire for a solution.

The self-styled Turkish Cypriot regime is nothing more than territory of the Republic of Cyprus which Turkey occupies since 1974 and which the Security Council has condemned, Mavryiannis said, adding that Turkey`s Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan remains stuck in the past and continues to refer to a UN-proposed solution plan, which was rejected by the overwhelming majority of the Greek Cypriots in a referendum in April 2004 as unfair and biased in Turkeys favour.

What the Prime Minister has failed to reveal is the fact that Turkey wishes to have this plan returned because it was prepared with a view to meet its interests and as such Ankara was at no risk, had it been approved, he pointed out.

The plan, he explained, did not contain any adverse repercussions for Turkey.

Mavroyiannis described Erdogans remarks about the reasons that led the Greek Cypriots to reject the plan, the Annan plan as being outside diplomatic norms and offensive to the Greek Cypriot community, stressing that the Turkish Premier has no right to talk about intransigence when the absence of a solution is due to Turkeys refusal and that of the Turkish Cypriots to negotiate the substance of the Cyprus problem.

It is ironic to see the Turkish Premier calling for the resumption of negotiations at a time when his country is leading talks on a UN-brokered agreement between the Greek Cypriot and the Turkish Cypriot sides to a ruin, Mavroyiannis added.

The agreement, clinched in July last year, is the only available process at this stage which could lead to substantive negotiations through the gradual rapprochement based on progress which could lead to a comprehensive settlement, he said.

On Erdogans allegations that the Turkish Cypriots are isolated because of restrictions imposed by the Greek Cypriots, the Ambassador had this to say: the so-called isolation is the result of Turkeys invasion and many Turks would envy the per capita income of the Turkish Cypriots.

He called on Erdogan to lift the obstacles the Turkish occupation army is imposing on Cyprus northern part, if he indeed he wishes to see the Turkish Cypriots develop further economically.

The Turkish Cypriots enjoy social and other protection afforded to them by the government of the Republic in a way that does not serve the interests of the illegal Turkish Cypriot regime, Mavroyiannis said.

The Ambassador rejected claims by Erdogan that attempts by Cyprus to explore and exploit possible oil and natural gas reserves in its exclusive economic zone would destabilise the region of the Eastern Mediterranean.

Mavroyiannis pointed out that Cyprus is acting within its sovereign rights and international law and order.

We are not asking anything more than peaceful existence while Turkey is trying raise obstacles towards this goal, he concluded.

Erdogan, in his speech, said he wanted the Security Council to endorse the Annan plan, which he said was impartial, and expressed support for UN efforts for a settlement, while criticiSing the Greek Cypriots for rejecting the plan.

He claimed that Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos had rejected a proposal by the Turkish Cypriot leader to resume substantial negotiations to reach a comprehensive settlement and called on the international community to take urgent steps to remove restrictions imposed on the Turkish Cypriots.

[02] RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES - CYPRUS

Addressing a conference on ``Renewable Energy Sources and Energy Efficiency``, Michaelides pointed out that Cyprus is not connected to any networks of electricity or gas and the only exploitable indigenous energy resource it has is the solar, wind and biomass energy. The cost of imported energy is a significant burden on the island`s economy. Every year approximately 500 million euro is spent on energy imports, which represents about 12% of the total cost of imports, he added.

The Minister said that in its effort to diversify energy sources, the government is considering to build a liquefied natural gas receiving/storing/regasification terminal. In addition to this, the National Action Plan for RES and energy efficiency calls for doubling of RES contribution to the countrys energy balance from 4,5% to 9% by 2010 and increasing the contribution of RES in electricity production to 6% by 2010, he said. At present, he said, the 6% target for RES electricity contribution, by year 2010, is considered difficult but attainable.

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