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Thursday, 26 December 2024
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Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 12-03-23Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org.cy>CONTENTS
[01] Greece disappointed over Cyprus talksGreece’s Foreign Minister Stavros Dimas has expressed disappointment over the lack of progress at UN-led direct talks to solve the Cyprus problem.His position was outlined at a meeting in Brussels with the UN Secretary General`s Special Advisor for Cyprus Alexander Downer, with whom he met on the sidelines of the European Council on Foreign Relations meeting. Downer briefed the Minister on the latest developments in the Cyprus problem, the course of the negotiations and his thoughts on a report he is preparing on the progress of the talks, to be submitted to the UN Secretary General. Dimas expressed disappointment over the lack of progress, which he points out is due to the intransigent stance of the Turkish Cypriot side. He also expressed Greece’s displeasure with the continuous statements made by Turkish officials about ``Plan B``, who even talk about annexation of Cyprus’s northern Turkish occupied areas. [02] Cyprus concerned about violence in SyriaThe latest developments in Syria and Belarus were the main issues discussed during Friday`s EU Council of External Affairs, during which Cypriot Minister of Foreign Affairs Erato Kozakou Markoullis expressed Cyprus` concern regarding escalating violence in Syria.The Council adopted conclusions on Syria, deploring the situation, the violent attacks and the violation of human rights by the Syrian regime, and calls for a UN resolution on Syria. Markoullis briefed the Council on her recent trip to Lebanon, which is deeply concerned about the situation, and reiterated the readiness of Cyprus to contribute to EU policy regarding Syria. She also said Cyprus could play a strategic role in case Syria was to be evacuated of EU citizens. Regarding Belarus, the Council adopted conclusions, including a package of sanctions against businesspeople, companies and state officials, who are involved in violations of human rights and the oppression of civil society. The Council has also called for the immediate release of political detainees and urged the authorities to begin a national dialogue and cooperate with the OSCE. [03] Cyprus expects EU to terminate referralThe Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and the Environment expects the termination of the process of referring Cyprus to the Court of Justice of the EU for failing to transpose a Directive on the protection of the environment, since the relative bill was passed into law on Thursday by the House of Representatives.The Directive ensures that serious breaches of EU environmental law are considered criminal offences and are punished. In a press release, the Ministry notes that the Directive should have been incorporated into national law by the member states by 26 December 2010. ``In Cyprus, the relative bill was prepared and submitted to the House of Representatives in October 2011, and the discussion was concluded with its voting into law yesterday, March 22,`` the Ministry says. It adds that it expects that now ``the process will be terminated and the Commission will recall its decision to refer Cyprus to the Court.`` Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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