Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 99-04-21

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From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>

Wednesday, 21 April 1999

CONTENTS

• [01] Foreign Minister: The Turkish Cypriot side should respond to the G8 call for a Cyprus settlement
• [02] Cyprus - EU Joint Parliamentary Committee Meeting begins
• [03] Cyprus and Syria sign a memorandum on illegal immigration

[01] Foreign Minister: The Turkish Cypriot side should respond to the G8 call for a Cyprus settlement

In his speech during the 15th meeting of the Cyprus-European Union (EU) Joint Parliamentary Committee in Paphos, Mr Kasoulides referred to the initiative expected on the part of the G8 and pointed out that "the G8 will call on the two sides to attend an unconditional dialogue, under UN auspices, and the General Secretary to invite the two sides for talks based on UN resolutions, somewhere in New York."

He expressed the hope that the Turkish Cypriot side "will respond, not only to the invitation itself, but also to come forward with the political will to negotiate".

The EU "should send Turkey a clear message that its negative stance in efforts to settle the Cyprus problem will not create any obstacles in Cyprus' accession talks", Mr Kasoulides said stressing that Cyprus expects its accession talks with the EU to continue unimpeded.

On its part the Cyprus government will continue its efforts and positive stance in the bid to find a just and lasting settlement to the Cyprus problem and to inform the Turkish Cypriots on the accession procedure.

The decision not to deploy the S300 Russian defence missile system has proved that the "government of Cyprus, as a candidate for accession, is ready to contribute, despite the cost it had to face, to a common EU foreign and security policy.," he said.

[02] Cyprus - EU Joint Parliamentary Committee Meeting begins

During the committee's opening session, discussions focused on Cyprus' European Union accession course, its efforts to harmonise its legislation with the acquis communautaire, the Cyprus problem and the Yugoslav crisis. The Committee also examined the economic and technical aspects of Cyprus' accession talks and the participation of Cyprus in EU programmes.

[03] Cyprus and Syria sign a memorandum on illegal immigration

Speaking to the press Mr Christodoulou expressed satisfaction with the results of his visit and said that an agreement for a wider co-operation on the issue is being discussed.

According to the memorandum, the Syrian government is ready to accept back people who illegally arrive in Cypriot ports once it is proven that they are Syrian citizens. It will also accept the return of Syrian nationals who come to Cyprus posing as tourists and in reality are proven to be illegal workers.

In addition nationals of third countries who use Syrian ports or airports to arrive in Cyprus illegally or whose last visa has been issued in Syria will also be accepted back. The same criteria would also apply to Cypriot nationals who go to Syria illegally, the Minister said.

Finally he expressed satisfaction with the fact that in the past few years the number of Syrians arriving and working in Cyprus illegally has decreased.

From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/

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