Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 10-04-07

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

CONTENTS

[01] NATIONAL COUNCIL - MEETING

[02] CMP PROJECT - REPORT

[03] YOUTH - ACCIDENTS

[04] EUROSTAT - CYPRUS GDP

[01] NATIONAL COUNCIL - MEETING

Speaking after Wednesday`s National Council meeting, Government Spokesman Stephanos Stephanou said that the President briefed the members of the Council on the latest developments and views were exchanged, adding that the new meeting of the National Council will be held on April 26, 27 and 28.

Replying to questions, Stephanou said that the members of the National Council were fully briefed on the course of the negotiations for a solution of the Cyprus problem, and the positions of both sides.

Asked about possible changes in the positions of the Turkish Cypriot side if Dervis Eroglu wins the so-called elections in the Turkish occupied areas of the Republic later this month, Stephanou said he preferred not to comment on a hypothetical scenario. ``When we have the facts before us, we will be able to evaluate them,`` he noted.

To questions regarding different views among the members of the National Council concerning the handling of the Cyprus problem, Stephanou said he did not wish to comment on the interpretations given by political parties and that ``these issues are discussed at the National Council.``

He reiterated President Christofias` position that ``nothing is agreed until everything is agreed.``

Asked if the government hoped that the unity of the internal front could be achieved during the three-day meeting, Stephanou said that this was the aim and that ``there is no other way than dialogue and discussion through mutual respect.``

[02] CMP PROJECT - REPORT

To date, 217 remains of individuals exhumed within the framework of the CMP project have been identified through this process (166 Greek Cypriots and 51 Turkish Cypriots).

Third Member of the Committee Christophe Zirod said that we still have lot of work and we are exhuming. Of course we could always do better.

But I can say it is going ok, given the fact that we have to recruit the people, to hire the diggers or to buy them. I think it is quite impressive what the Cypriots have done in three years. Of course from the family view point you always hope that it goes quicker and faster. Unfortunately these things take always more time than we think, Girod noted.

On his part, Greek Cypriot member of the Committee Elias Georgiades said that eight crews are currently conducting the exhumations, six of them in the Turkish occupied areas and two in the government controlled areas of the island.

[03] YOUTH - ACCIDENTS

To this end, a convention was signed with a view to carry out a study aiming at drafting an action plan in order to reduce the number of road accidents in which young drivers are involved.

The convention was signed by Minister of Communications and Works Erato Kozakou-Marcoulli, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry Makis Constantinides and Kostas Christofides on behalf of Cyprus University.

The study that will be carried out will be completed in nine months and will cost 26,680 euro. Every year an average of 24 young people up to 25 years old are killed due to road accidents.

[04] EUROSTAT - CYPRUS GDP

On a yearly basis, Cyprus` GDP in Q4 2009 shrank by 2.8% compared to same period of 2008, whereas the first estimate showed a decline of 2.7%.

Meanwhile, the recovery in the Eurozone seems extremely slow as in the fourth quarter of 2009 it showed zero growth, whereas the EU27 showed a 0.1% GDP growth.

On a yearly basis, Eurozone`s GDP shrank by 2.2% (initial estimates stood at 2.1%), while the EU27 GDP declined by 2.3% equaling the initial forecasts. According to Eurostat`s figures, in Q4 Ireland showed the biggest GDP decline with 2.3%, with Greece following with 0.8%. On a yearly basis, Latvia showed the biggest GDP decline with 17.1% and Estonia with 9.5%.

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