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Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 03-09-23
From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>
[01]Tuesday, 23 September 2003 President Papadopoulos departs for New
York
[02] Foreign Minister begins contacts in New York
[03] Mr Iacovou addresses UN General Assembly summit on AIDS
[04] Reception to be held on the occasion of Cyprus' Independence
Day
[01] President Papadopoulos departs for New York
The President of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr Tassos Papadopoulos, departed
yesterday for New York, where he will participate in the 58th UN General
Assembly and meet with the UN Secretary-General, Mr Kofi Anan, US State
Department officials and leaders or representatives of foreign governments.
"The main objective of my contacts will be to explain our positions on the
Cyprus problem and to exercise preemptive policy for the forthcoming
Islamic Conference to be held in Malaysia", Mr Papadopoulos noted speaking
to the press at Larnaca Airport upon his departure. He further noted that
he would return to Cyprus on 30 September and then leave for Rome to take
part in the EU Intergovernmental Conference on 4 October.
Asked what he expected from his meeting with Mr Kofi Annan, the President
said, "nothing in particular, but I believe that every meeting with the UN
Secretary-General is always useful and advantageous". Replying to another
question on the Annan plan, he noted that "the changes we are pursuing to
improve the plan do not necessarily mean that we are removing rights from
Turkish Cypriots, but they aim at rendering the plan functional and thus
more viable", adding that an improved plan would be "in favour of both
communities". President Papadopoulos underlined that the Greek Cypriot side
was "ready at any time to participate in negotiations on the basis of the
Annan plan under the auspices of the United Nations, either before or after
December". Invited to say what significance he allocated to the so-called
"elections" in the Turkish-occupied areas, he noted, "If the 'elections'
are won by parties that believe in the need for a solution within the
context of the Annan plan, then that would surely be in the interest of
both communities".
[02] Foreign Minister begins contacts in New York
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Georgios Iacovou, met yesterday in New
York with his Israeli counterpart, Mr Silvan Shalom, launching a series of
meetings with his counterparts in the sidelines of the UN General Assembly
at UN Headquarters. During the meeting, the Israeli Foreign Minister
congratulated Cyprus on its accession to the European Union, noting that
Israel looked forward to a closer cooperation on a bilateral and a
Community level. He added that Israel acknowledged Cyprus' role in the
region. Mr Iacovou and Mr Shalom also discussed the Cyprus problem and the
situation in the Middle East.
Later yesterday, Foreign Minister Iacovou met with his counterparts from
Moldavia, Jordan and Pakistan, whom he briefed on the latest developments
regarding efforts to find a solution of the Cyprus problem as well as
Cyprus' EU accession course. Mr Iacovou and his Moldavian counterpart, Mr
Nicolae Dudau, also discussed the possibilities emanating from Moldavia's
current Presidency of the Ministerial Committee of the Council of Europe in
ensuring Turkey's compliance with the relevant decisions of the European
Court of Human Rights on Cyprus. Mr Iacovou also expressed satisfaction
with the fact that the Moldavian President had accepted President
Papadopoulos' invitation to visit Cyprus in November.
During his meetings with his Jordanian and Pakistani counterparts, Mr
Marwan Muasher and Mr Khurshid Mehmud Kasuri respectively, Mr Iacovou made
particular reference to their countries' role at the forthcoming Islamic
Conference in promoting the drafting of a resolution on Cyprus which would
respond to the relevant UN Security Council decisions and reflect the "true
positions" of the parties involved, as expressed in the UN Secretary-
General's report. The Foreign Minister also attended a working luncheon
yesterday hosted by the American Jewish Committee. Present in the luncheon
were inter alia Cyprus' Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador
Andreas Mavroyiannis, the Chairmen of organisations of overseas Cypriots
living in the US, and Foreign Ministry officials.
[03] Mr Iacovou addresses UN General Assembly summit on AIDS
Foreign Minister Georgios Iacovou represented Cyprus at the high-level
meeting to evaluate the AIDS combating programme, which was held yesterday
at UN Headquarters within the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
Addressing the meeting, Mr Iacovou reiterated the determination of the
Cyprus Government "to preserve an active interest on a national and
international level in order to maximize the efficacy of our actions" and
noted the significant role of the United Nations in fighting the pandemic.
Briefing the audience on the situation of HIV/AIDS in Cyprus, Mr Iacovou
said that since the diagnosis of the first AIDS case in 1986, Cyprus had
considered the issue to be among its highest priorities, albeit the island
remained a very low prevalence country with 0,1% of the population
infected. "We have proceeded to establish the National AIDS Committee of
Cyprus, which comprises all competent governmental authorities and
departments in Cyprus, as well as private institutions and NGOs, and set up
a specialized agency responsible for policy in the field", he said, adding
that the agency's primary function was to offer HIV/AIDS patients "the most
advanced combination of medical treatments and the necessary social support
to sustain their quality of life". "Moreover, Cyprus is currently drafting
a new Strategic Plan, which will incorporate all new developments regarding
HIV, and will stress multilevel interventions and intersectoral collaboration",
Mr Iacovou further said and noted that all initiatives had been conducted
in close co-operation with the World Health Organisation.
The Foreign Minister said that Cyprus welcomed the achievements of the
Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS and suggested that it should
also encompass regional and national Programmes. He also pointed out the
significance of ensuring the implementation of existing agreements aiming
to make HIV medication affordable in developing countries, "an endeavour
that could prolong the lives of millions of sufferers in some of the most
deprived areas".
[04] Reception to be held on the occasion of Cyprus' Independence
Day
On the occasion of the anniversary of Cyprus' Independence Day, the
President of the Republic, Mr Tassos Papadopoulos and the First Lady, Mrs
Fotini Papadopoulou, will host a reception at the Presidential Palace on
Wednesday, 1 October 2003, at 19.00-21.00. The reception will be open to
all and no personal invitations will be sent.
From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/
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