Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 12-03-12

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

CONTENTS

[01] Markoullis protests violation of religious rights in occupied Cyprus

[02] CIPA to request one-stop shop

[01] Markoullis protests violation of religious rights in occupied Cyprus

Addressing an informal meeting of her EU counterparts, she said that since the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus, 300 Orthodox Christians and 100 Catholic Maronites live enclaved in the Republic’s northern third, occupied by Turkey, which violates their religious rights by prohibiting religious liturgies and violently terminating church services.

The meeting took place in Copenhagen Friday and Saturday.

The Foreign Minister also pointed out that 500 churches – Orthodox, Catholic, Maronite and Armenian - in the occupied areas have been completely looted and others are in danger of collapsing.

Markoullis stressed that those enclaved in Cyprus’ northern third are European citizens whose religious rights are violated by Turkey and the EU cannot remain indifferent. She pointed out that the EU must play an important role in universally promoting human rights and emphasized that such an approach should be consistent and coherent.

The Minister announced that Cyprus intends to organize a seminar on the role of women in conflict resolution and peace processes, based on the UN Security Council Resolution 1325. Participants will include Greek-Cypriots, Turkish-Cypriots, Israelis, Palestinians and other women who had a role in the developments in the Arab Spring.

As she stressed, EU enlargement policy, aiming to unite Europe, is a priority. Especially for Cyprus, she noted, relations with countries neighboring the EU are extremely important, given Cyprus’ geographic location near the Middle East and North Africa. The EU must play an even more active role in the Middle East, Markoullis remarked, pointing out that military intervention in Syria must be avoided, since that would lead to a civil war, with very serious chances to expand in the region, beginning from Lebanon.

EU foreign ministers agreed this weekend to sharpen the focus on human rights in EU foreign policy.

Ministers discussed how to strengthen EU foreign policy in times of economic crisis. The foreign ministers also discussed current crises situations, including Syria. There was broad agreement to continue the gradual sharpening of sanctions against the Assad regime and increase the focus on the central priorities for EU Foreign policy, including targeted support for the political developments in EU’s neighbourhood and expansion of the relationship with emerging powers.

They also agreed that human rights should be the silver thread in EU foreign policy.

[02] CIPA to request one-stop shop

Amid financial crisis and a contracting economy in 2011, attracting foreign investment is seen by the Ministry of Finance as one of the key-drives for economic growth in 2012.

The CIPA Board of Directors will be received later today by Cyprus President Dememtris Christofias to discuss the prospects of foreign investment to Cyprus, as recent press reports suggest that an array of prospective foreign investors are interested in Cypriot projects.

``I will request from the President a decision by the Council of Ministers (on the One-stop shop service) with immediate effect, which would give CIPA certain coordination competences,`` CIPA Chairman Christodoulos Agkastiniotis has told CNA, adding he believes that One-stop shop service should be fully implemented within the next two to three months.

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