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Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 09-02-24Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org.cy>CONTENTS
[01] CHRISTOFIAS - REFUGEES - RIGHTSPresident of the Republic of Cyprus Demetris Christofias said on Tuesday that the Greek Cypriot side expects the Turkish Cypriot side to respect the right of the refugees to decide what to do with their own properties.President Christofias, who was giving a lecture at the Political Science Department of the Belgrade University, referred to the direct talks for a Cyprus settlement and the issue of properties, noting that ``our position is clear, the rights of the displaced to their properties is sine qua non.`` ``These rights are safeguarded through international and European treaties, international law and the decisions of international courts of law. We are defending this principle and we expect the Turkish Cypriot community to respect, in its proper dimension, the right of the legal owners of property to decide if they wish to resettle in their property, exchange it for another property or get compensation,`` he pointed out. The issue of property is currently being discussed during the UN-led talks, underway in Cyprus, between the President and the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community. President Christofias said it has been clarified with Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat that the basis of a solution will provide for a bizonal bicommunal federation with a single citizenship, sovereignty and international identity, with political equality, as set out in UN resolutions. Turkey, he noted, wants the creation of two states in Cyprus. Replying to questions, President Christofias said he remained optimistic and that in the direct talks there has been convergence on many issues. [02] CENTRAL BANK - FITCH - ECONOMYGovernor of the Central Bank of Cyprus Athanasios Orphanides and representatives of Fitch Ratings reached the conclusion on Tuesday, during a meeting in Nicosia, that the economy of Cyprus appears to be affected by the global financial crisis but to a lesser degree compared to other European economies.According to a Central Bank press release, ``important factors that contributed to this development were the proper supervision of our banking system and our accession to the Eurozone.`` During the meeting, various issues concerning the banking system and the Cypriot economy were discussed, in the light of conditions created due to the global financial crisis, with special emphasis on ``safeguarding the stability and the adequate liquidity of our banking system through the effective supervision framework implemented by the Central Bank of Cyprus.`` Regarding Cyprus` accession to the Eurozone, the Central Bank notes that the common view was that ``it protected our economy from the serious transaction convulsions faced by other small and open economies, even some with extremely good fundamental macroeconomic indices.`` [03] CHRISTOFIAS - CVETKOVIC - BUSINESSPresident of the Republic of Cyprus Demetris Christofias and Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic, addressing a Cyprus-Serbia Business Forum in Belgrade, referred to the prospects to further enhance economic and commercial cooperation between their two countries.President Christofias, speaking at the Forum organised on the occasion of his official visit to Belgrade, said his meetings in the Serbian capital have created better conditions to enhance and strengthen political relations, as well as the ties in the economic and tourism sector. He assured that ``we will continue the effort to improve the framework of cooperation`` between Cyprus and Serbia. Cvetkovic noted that commercial cooperation between the two countries in 2008 did not reach the desired level, adding that the governments of Cyprus and Serbia could make a positive contribution to the economic activities between the two countries. [04] GREEK FM - TURKEY - CYPRUSGreeces Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyiannis has said that her countrys support to Turkeys European aspirations cannot be unconditional and it is up to Turkey to honour its commitments.Addressing an event entitled Collective Security in the 21st Century: Building New Bridges hosted by the Center on the United States and Europe (CUSE) at Brookings Institution in Washington, Bakoyannis, who is also the chairperson-in-office at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE ) spoke about the tasks facing the organization. She said that Greece wholeheartedly supports Turkeys EU prospects but pointed out that our support to Turkey was offered under the same conditions and principles which apply for every candidate state. It is the same procedure that is still valid and the same one that Greece went through too. Connected with (Turkeys) EU prospects is the continued occupation of Cyprus. A fair, long-lasting and functional solution for the reunification of the island after 35 years of occupation is long overdue, Bakoyiannis underlined. Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |