Cyprus Government Spokesman Daily Briefing, 03-10-27

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From: "HR-Net News Distribution Manager" <dist@hri.org>

Daily briefing of the Press by the Government Spokesman

27 October 2003

At the beginning of todays briefing of the press, the Government Spokesman Mr Kypros Chrysostomides stated, inter alia, that President Papadopoulos had an important meeting at the Presidential Palace with Mr Wu Guanzheng, one of the nine members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee. Mr Chrysostomides said there was a broad exchange of views on international problems and on issues that were of concern to China such as the issue of Taiwan and the Cyprus problem and particularly the non recognition of the occupation regime. The Government Spokesman added that China welcomed the fact that Cyprus would be a full EU member on 1 May 2004 and that it expected that through Cyprus mediation its relations with the EU would be reinforced. He also said that President Papadopoulos and Mr Guanzheng discussed economic matters such as the balance of trade between Cyprus and China as well as the increase of tourist arrivals from China to Cyprus.

Invited to comment on Mr Westons interview in the «Turkish Daily News» newspaper in which he stated that Turkey needed a strong indication from the European Union that it would be given a date for accession negotiations in December 2004 in order to take steps in the Cyprus problem and that this indication could be given to Turkey as early as now in the progress report of next November, the Spokesman replied that Mr Westons position was well known, namely that the EU should take steps towards Turkey so that the process of the solution to the Cyprus problem would also be facilitated, adding, however, that this was a request to the European Union.

Asked whether there was discussion in the EU of setting December 2004 from now as the date on which the definite date for the commencement of accession negotiations with Turkey would be announced, Mr Chrysostomides stated that there was not yet any official information on the matter. He added, however, that he was certain Mr Weston must have raised the matter before the European Union in Brussels.

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