Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 12-02-23

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

CONTENTS

[01] President on Turkey’s EU aspirations

[02] Commission`s Interim Forecast on Cyprus economy

[01] President on Turkey’s EU aspirations

While addressing the book presentation of the Head of the Presidency’s office of research on Turkish policy, Nikos Moudouros on “The transition of Turkey, from Kemalist dominance to Islamic neoliberalism”, the President spoke on the role of the Turkish leadership in sidelining the former leader of the Turkish Cypriot Community Rauf Denktash, while promoting the acceptance of the Annan Plan in 2004.

He characterized the developments of the time as a turning point in Turkey’s shift concerning its Cyprus position, in favor of a solution with an ill-defined content and the parallel promotion of the illegal state entity Ankara set up in the occupied areas of Cyprus, following the island’s 1974 invasion.

The President went on by saying that Turkey is violating all relevant UN resolutions concerning Cyprus, while he noted that Ankara aims at provoking tension in the region, on the occasion of the Republic’s activities in its exclusive economic zone.

This behavior is detrimental to Turkey’s EU aspirations, President Christofias said, while he noted that the burden of its illegal activities in Cyprus hinders Ankara from assuming a role in political brokerage in the region.

Turkey, whose troops occupy Cyprus’ northern part since they invaded in 1974, does not recognize the Republic of Cyprus.

Recently, Nicosia announced in the Official Journal of the EU a call for an international tender for off-shore hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation within the Republic’s Economic Exclusive Zone, signaling the initiation of a second round of licensing, after 2007.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry said Nicosia’s new licensing round for exploration activity in the area could lead to tension in the region.

In response to Cypriot exploration activities, Ankara has in the past deployed warships in the Eastern Mediterranean and has signed an illegal agreement with the Turkish Cypriot regime in occupied Cyprus to delineate what it calls continental shelf.

The government of Cyprus has protested to the UN and the EU Turkey’s moves, saying it has a sovereign right to exploit its natural resources, pointing out that Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots will benefit from any benefits that may come from oil drilling.

Cyprus has signed an agreement to delineate the Exclusive Economic Zone with Egypt and Israel with a view to exploit any possible natural gas and oil reserves in its EEZ. A similar agreement has been signed with Lebanon but the Lebanese Parliament has not yet ratified it.

[02] Commission`s Interim Forecast on Cyprus economy

According to the Forecast, the downward revision relative to the autumn 2011 forecast is explained by the worsening of the external environment and by the adoption of additional consolidation measures, not accounted for in the autumn 2011 forecast.

Furthermore, the deterioration in financial markets and the tightening of credit conditions may raise the cost of financing to the private sector and limit access to it.

The Forecast notes that recovery should set in slowly, during the second half of 2012, with the improvement of the external environment, the start of the tourist season and the resumption of investment projects as uncertainty dissipates.

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