Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 11-01-13

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

CONTENTS

[01] BRITAIN - CYPRUS ISSUE

[02] KYPRIANOU - EGYPT

[03] CYPRUS - MOODY`S

[04] KAMINARA - T/C PARTY

[01] BRITAIN - CYPRUS ISSUE

``We are committed as a government and as a country to a settlement by Cypriots for Cypriots to deliver a prosperous and united Cyprus,`` Lidington said speaking on Wednesday at a meeting at the House of Commons called by the All Party Parliamentary Group for Cyprus presided over by conservative MP David Barrowes.

Minister for Europe also declared his governments commitment to the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the two countries in 2008, which calls for the cooperation between them to unify the island.

``I want to assure you,`` Lidington said, ``that the Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary and I are all actively engaged in support of both President Christofias and Mr Eroglou as they work together within the UN framework to reach an agreement acceptable to all the people of the island.``

``Turkey has a role to play and the Britain continues to urge it to meet its obligations under the Ankara protocol and encourages the leader of the Turkish community to be bold in the negotiations. Now is a critical moment in the history of the island and I commend the two leaders for the effort they are making,`` he said.

``We all understand the domestic pressure they are under. But, the situation calls for strong leadership and I offer support by the government I represent for bold action which could lead to a settlement,`` he added. The Minister said that he would be visiting Cyprus quite soon.

Shadow Minister for Europe Wayne David speaking at the same meeting said that former Foreign Secretary Jack Straws article proposing official support to a partition solution for Cyprus is only his personal view, which is not supported by the leader of the party Ed Miliband or by the Shadow Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper.

``The invasion was wrong and illegal and can not be legitimised in any way. A settlement can be reached if there is political will on both sides. The role of the United Kingdom is not to dictate what a party may or may not do but give all possible support to both sides in getting together and having a mutually acceptable agreement. The new Government has essentially taken forward the approach of the Labour administration,`` he added.

``In the crucial period of the next two months we are with the government to ensure that there will be a lasting peace in Cyprus, peace based on reconciliation, mutual respect and, above all, on the reunification of the island,`` he noted.

David also said that the disruption of the Christmas service at the Rizokarpaso church was a cross human rights violation.

[02] KYPRIANOU - EGYPT

According to an official announcement, in Cairo Kyprianou will meet with his Egyptian counterpart Ahmed Aboul Gheit, with whom they will discuss bilateral relations, relations between the European Union and Egypt, the Middle East peace process and the Cyprus problem.

During his visit, the Foreign Minister will also have separate meetings with the Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa Theodoros II, the Grand Imam Sheikh of Al-Azhar, Bishop Moussa of the Coptic Church, as well as the Presiding Boards of the Hellenic Community and the Cyprus Brotherhood of Cairo.

[03] CYPRUS - MOODY`S

Moody`s decision to put the Cypriot economy on review was taken in view of the macroeconomic challenges concerning the improvement of public finances, the long-standing competitiveness issues and the size of the island`s banking sector and its exposure to macroeconomic stress in Greece.

``The review complies with the political commitment of the government to fiscal consolidation of public finances and the solution of structural problems facing the Cypriot economy for decades,`` the Finance Ministry says.

Concerning Moody`s comments regarding the banking sector, the Ministry notes that the government ``is convinced that the sector remains robust and it is positioned to overcome possible shocks which may arise.``

[04] KAMINARA - T/C PARTY

In statements after the meeting, she said that it took place in the framework of the contacts which the Representation has with Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot parties and that they discussed issues which concern Turkish Cypriots.

Some of these problems are the difficulties which Turkish Cypriots face when buying goods from the government-controlled areas of the Republic, since when they return to the occupied areas they are subject to control by the occupation authorities at the crossing points, separating the occupied areas from the free areas of the Republic, which operate to facilitate movement of people to and from these areas, she noted.

She also said that they discussed the problems which Turkish Cypriots face with regard to the economy and the situation in general in the Turkish Cypriot community.

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