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Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 11-06-03Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org.cy>CONTENTS
[01] PRESIDENT CHRISTOFIAS - HOUSE PRESIDENT - MEETINGThe President of the Republic, Demetris Christofias, has received the new President of the House of Representatives Yiannakis Omirou, elected to the post by the House plenary on Thursday.In his statements after the meeting, Omirou said that he will aim to have a harmonious, smooth, institutional and political cooperation with the President of the Republic, to serve the interests of the people of Cyprus and society at large. I anticipate that this relationship between the two institutions of the Republic will be maintained both by myself and the President of the Republic, based on the separate powers and competences each institution (the parliament and the state) exercises, he added. Omirou expressed hope that this spirit of cooperation will be observed by both sides. Replying to a question about todays meeting with the leaders of the parliamentary parties, Omirou said that there was consensus regarding the allocation of the House Committees` chairs and the number of committees to be set up. It is expected that this process will be completed next Thursday, he said. The 56 newly elected MPs assumed on Thursday their duties at the first House plenary, during which they elected Omirou as the House President. [02] DEFENCE MINISTER - ARGONAUT 2011The Republic of Cyprus makes every effort to contribute with all means in the preservation of world peace, despite the problems the country faces due to the continuous illegal occupation of part of its territory by the Turkish armed forces, Defence Minister Costas Papacostas said today. The Minister was speaking at the Lieutenant General Evangelos Florakis Naval Base, in the southeastern coast of Cyprus, during the final stage of the multinational exercise Argonaut 2011. Referring to Argonaut 2011, Papacostas said that it aims at developing communication and understanding, in order to establish concerted and effective civil-military cooperation amongst the participants. This objective has been achieved once more this year, the Minister noted.Global security is affected by recent revolts in the countries of North Africa and the Arab world, as well as by domestic instability observed in various countries, the Minister underlined, adding that this situation allows for the spread of new forms of organized crime. Cyprus interest in strengthening international law and international peace and security treaties is testified by its participation in the UN, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and especially the EU, Papacostas said. He added that Cyprus actively participates in all Common Security and Defence Policy operations, which, he noted, turned into a reliable, widely accepted and stabilizing factor, playing an important role in the global scene. Papacostas said that with the country forming the southern border of the EU, Cyprus contributes in all EU and UN missions by providing its infrastructure, such as ports, airports and facilities. Regarding the exercise, Papacostas underlined that the Argonaut is being held for the fourth consecutive year, this time with the cooperation of nine Ministries and 16 departments of the Republic, and the participation of Greek and UK naval and air forces. Finally, the Minister thanked all the participants and observers, inviting them to join next years exercise, which, as he said, will be part of Cyprus EU Presidency agenda. [03] CYPRUS - POLAND - AGREEMENTCyprus and Poland signed today an agreement of cooperation in the fields of education, science and culture, also discussing ways of cooperation in these areas during the Trio Presidency of the EU. On behalf of Cyprus, the agreement was signed by Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education and Culture Olympia Stylianou, while the Polish side was represented by the Director of the Foreign Ministrys Department of Public and Cultural Diplomacy Alexandra Piatkovska. The ceremony took place at the Ministry of Education, in Nicosia.Following the signing of the agreement, Stylianou said that the two sides have been discussing during the last two days ways of extending their cooperation in the fields of science, education and culture. She added that good spirit of cooperation prevailed in the discussions, which described as necessary and very helpful ahead of the EU Trio Presidency, held by Poland, Denmark and Cyprus. Stylianou said that, during the talks, the two sides elaborated on wider policy issues in the areas of interest and discussed ways of cooperation, in the framework of the Trio Presidency. Piatkovska said that the two sides conducted fruitful talks and added that the signing of the agreement is the result of good cooperation between the two countries. She finally wished that further cooperation would benefit both two sides. The Republic of Cyprus will hold the Presidency of the European Council during the second term of 2012, forming a Trio Presidency along with Poland and Denmark. [04] TOURISM - APRIL - INCREASERevenue from tourism in April 2011 climbed by 53.5% on a yearly basis, boosting the tourist revenues for the fist four months of the current year by 23.7%, according to data released by Cyprus` Statistical Service. In the wake of the 43% increase in tourist arrivals in April 2011 year on year, revenue from tourism reached 136.7 million euro in April 2011 compared to 89.0 mn euro recording an increase of 53.5% compared with April 2010. For the period January April 2011 revenue from tourism is estimated at 269,8 mn euro compared to 218,2 mn euro in the corresponding period of 2010, recording an increase of 23.7%.Revenue from tourism in March 2011 increased by 1.3%, 8.8% in February and 0.4% in January, compared with the corresponding months of 2010, recording an in increase of 17.7%. Total per capita expenses in April 2011 was at 684.5 euro, compared with 637.6 euro in April 2010, recording an increase of 7.32%, whereas total per day expenditures rose to 73.8 euro, compared with 62.7 euro in April 2010. With regard to Cyprus` main tourists markets, per day expenditures from the UK rose to 59.6 euro from 52.2 euro in April 2010, tourist per day expenditures from Greece reached 63.2 euro from 50.7 euro, per day expenditures of tourists from Germany rose to 79.1 euro from 79.1 euro, while tourists from Russia recorded the highest per day expenditure with 102.8 euro from 92.1 euro. Per capita expenditures for tourists from UK in April 2011 increased to 0.96% to 630.4 euro compared with 624.4 euro in April 2012, per capita expenditure for Greek tourists rose by 15.22% to 460.2 euro from 399.4 euro, per capita expenditures from German tourists rose by 1.8% to 731.5 euro from 718.7 euro and expenditures from Russian tourists increased by 18.5% to 916.7 euro in April 2011 from 773.6 euro in April 2010. Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |