Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 12-01-06

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

CONTENTS

[01] House President warns of dangers over Cyprus issue

[02] President hopes 2012 is year of solution

[03] Unemployment increase in Cyprus one of the highest in EU

[04] Minister of Agriculture calls for prudent use of water

[01] House President warns of dangers over Cyprus issue

He underlined that it is time to establish a new sound basis for the negotiations, as provided by the National Council`s (top advisory body to the President of the Republic on the handling of the Cyprus problem) joint communique, issued in September 2009. Moreover he expressed the belief that the Cyprus problem is now in a much worse phase than when UN-led direct negotiations began, in September 2008.

The National Council had stressed in September 2009 that there must be restoration of the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and unity of the Republic of Cyprus, noting that there can be no guarantors or guarantees for the united Republic of Cyprus, an EU member state. Moreover it had said that the settlement of the Cyprus problem must be achieved through an agreement between the leaders of the two sides and not be imposed from outside, and rejected any form of settlement that will legalize the status quo or will constitute a two-state settlement.

Cyprus was divided when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third in 1974. UN led talks have been underway with an aim to reunify the island under a federal roof.

Cyprus President Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu are due to meet with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon at the end of January in Green Tree, to discuss progress achieved in the talks so far.

[02] President hopes 2012 is year of solution

President Christofias said in his address that he hoped 2012 would be the year of the solution, adding that this is possible. He noted that despite the problems, we shall work more intensively to find a common language, the Cypriot language in order to overcome the difficulties.

Furthermore, he thanked the UN for working with us in this longstanding issue, adding that a Cyprus solution would give the international organisation the ability to work in other areas of the world, where peacemaking operations are required

[03] Unemployment increase in Cyprus one of the highest in EU

Cyprus unemployment in November 2011 stood at 9.1% in relation to 6% in November 2010. This percentage still falls under the EU average of 9.8%. Unemployment in young people under 25 also increased in Cyprus between September 2010 (15.3%) and September 2011 (23.1%).

The EU average stood in November 2011 at 22.3% recording an increase of 1.3% from November 2010 (21%). Men and women were equally hit by unemployment in Cyprus with unemployment in men recorded at 9.2% and in women at 9.1% in November 2011. The corresponding period of last year saw unemployment in men at 5.7% and in women at 6.4%.

[04] Minister of Agriculture calls for prudent use of water

Aletraris, said that we have had significant amounts of rainfall and significant flow of water (in the dams) but I must say that we are well behind last years levels and people ought to continue to be prudent with the use of water. Thankfully, he added, the construction of new desalination units is underway, so we will not have any water cuts again.

Asked when the new desalination units will be ready, Aletraris said that there are two units under construction. The desalination unit being built in Episkopi, Limassol District, is due to be ready by May 2012 and the other one at Vassiliko, also in Limassol District, is expected to be ready by the end of 2012.

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