Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 08-12-27

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

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

CONTENTS

[01] PRESIDENT CYPRUS ISSUE

[02] HOUSE PRESIDENT CYPRUS SOLUTION

[03] LABOUR MINISTER UNEMPLOYMENT

[01] PRESIDENT CYPRUS ISSUE

President Christofias after his election to the Presidency of the Republic of Cyprus last February, engaged in UN-led direct talks with the Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat. So far, 13 meetings have taken place focusing on the issue of Governance and Power-Sharing.

``The difficulties we face in the negotiations are regretful but they do not disappoint us and do not lead us to any thoughts about withdrawing from the talks,`` the President said addressing a conference of the Pancyprian Federation of University Student Unions.

He stressed that ``the response to these difficulties is the continuation of hard and sincere efforts we exert for a just, viable and functional solution and the continuation of our efforts with consistency to the principles for a Cyprus settlement, determination and flexibility,`` he stressed.

``There is no road to a solution other than negotiations. Stagnation and the absence of dialogue favour those seeking for division. And, we are adversaries of division,`` the President underlined.

Christofias also said that a possible withdrawal from the talks would be ``destructive,`` because it would give the impression that the Greek Cypriot side is not interested in a solution to the Cyprus problem as well as ``would destroy everything we achieved with our initiatives to turn the negative international climate for us.``

[02] HOUSE PRESIDENT CYPRUS SOLUTION

Addressing a conference of the Pancyprian Federation of University Student Unions, Garoyian said the direct negotiations, which started on September 3 between President Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot Mehmet Ali Talat, will show whether Turkey has the will for a solution on the basis of principles, the UN resolutions, the high level agreements and the principles and values of the EU.

``So far the Turkish side has not shown any such sign,`` he said, adding that Turkey remains intransigent seeking a two-state solution and a parthenogenesis (the creation of a new state). The Cypriot House President noted that the Greek Cypriot side, through President Christofias, has proved that it participates in the direct negotiations with a ``clear will for the finding of a functional and viable solution on the basis of principles.``

[03] LABOUR MINISTER UNEMPLOYMENT

``The figures so far are very good and do not advocate for any drastic change,`` the Minister said, invited to comment on a statement made by Finance Minister Charilaos Stavrakis that the first aim for 2009 is tackling the threat of unemployment.

``It is premature and dangerous to say anything`` about unemployment in 2009 Charalambous added, explaining that traditionally Cyprus shows a small rise in unemployment in the last months of the year due to the seasonal nature of tourism, which leads some hotels to suspend their operations. ``If the implementation of development projects starts on time -and this is the big challenge- we will not face a dramatic change in unemployment,`` she added.

The Labour Minister also said that a small rise of unemployment in the construction sector has been recorded adding however that ``it is very premature to say that this (rise) is due to the completion of big projects or it constitutes a trend which will continue in the next few months.``

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