Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 02-10-16

Cyprus Press and Information Office: News Updates in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

Wednesday, 16 October 2002

CONTENTS

• [01] President meets with UN Special Envoy
• [02] Cyprus Government condemns Bali attacks
• [03] Cyprus has highest GDP of all accession candidates
• [04] Seminar on EU enlargement for Cypriot and Spanish journalists

[01] President meets with UN Special Envoy

Speaking to the press after the meeting, Mr. de Soto said that both the Greek Cypriot and the Turkish Cypriot sides would nominate their representatives to the committees the soonest possible and that, although preparations were already under way, it was unlikely that the two committees would start working this week.

Invited to comment on reports about UN intentions to put forward a solution plan, the UN envoy said that he would not like to contribute to such speculations and refrained from answering that question.

[02] Cyprus Government condemns Bali attacks

The Government and the people of Cyprus express their warm and sincere condolences to the families, the relatives and the countries of origin of the victims.

With the opportunity of this appalling act, the Cyprus Government reiterates its active commitment to the collective struggle for combating and eradicating every form of terrorism.

[03] Cyprus has highest GDP of all accession candidates

Eurostat sustains that Cyprus' GDP per capita is more than double from the equivalent average of the other candidate states, which comes to 7 600 Purchasing Power Standards (PPS).

Specifically, in the year 2001 Cyprus had the highest GDP per capita with 18 460 Purchasing Power Standards, followed by Slovenia with 15 970 PPS.

[04] Seminar on EU enlargement for Cypriot and Spanish journalists

The seminar was addressed by the Head of the EC delegation to Spain, Mr. Miguel Molto, the Cyprus Ambassador to Spain, Mrs. Athena Mavronicola, the Director of the Press and Information, Mr. Yiannakis Solomou, and the President of the Union of Cyprus Journalists, Mr. Andreas Kannaouros.

The journalists were briefed, by the Cyprus Foreign Minister Mr. Ioannis Kasoulides, on the latest developments with regard to the Cyprus problem and Cyprus' accession course. The Chief Negotiator of Cyprus' accession to the EU Mr. George Vassiliou also spoke at the seminar on the harmonization process and the work done so far.

On the sidelines of the seminar, the Spanish journalists visited, yesterday, the Turkish occupied areas to meet with their Turkish Cypriot counterparts, but were told by the illegal regime to abandon the area.

Asked to comment on the incident at a press briefing in Brussels, the Enlargement Commissioner's spokesman, Mr. Jean-Christophe Filory, said that if the reports in the Spanish press were accurate, then the European Commission cannot but express its regret. "Something of this kind goes against the principle of free movement of the European Union", Mr. Filory added.

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

Cyprus Press and Information Office: News Updates in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article