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Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 03-11-21
From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>
[01]Friday, 21 November 2003 US envoy begins talks in Nicosia with
President and Foreign Minister
[02] President Papadopoulos to pay official visit to Greece on 25-27
November
[03] Finance Minister presents 2004 state budget to House plenary
[01] US envoy begins talks in Nicosia with President and Foreign Minister
The US State Department's Special Coordinator for Cyprus Mr Thomas Weston,
who arrived yesterday in Cyprus, was received by the President of the
Republic Mr Tassos Papadopoulos and the Foreign Minister Mr Georgios
Iacovou. Mr Iacovou, speaking after his meeting with the US envoy, said he
and Mr Weston had discussed the new developments ensuing from the recent
reports of the European Commission on Cyprus and Turkey as well as from
statements on Cyprus by Enlargement Commissioner Gunter Verheugen at the
Council and the European Parliament. "We also conveyed our impression that
most Europeans view the non-solution of the Cyprus problem as an obstacle
to Turkey's European aspirations. Mr Weston shared that view and said that
the United States have told Turkey that it simply did not help its case by
maintaining that stance for years", Mr Iacovou noted.
The Foreign Minister further pointed out that Mr Weston did not appear sure
about the outcome of the voting process in the occupied areas and seemed
less optimistic about prospects for a settlement than he was the last time
he had visited the island. "Mr Weston views January 2004 as a possible date
for a new initiative and believes that Turkey would submit its own
proposals, which would fall outside the UN process", Mr Iacovou said.
He added that according to the US envoy, Turkey was trying to comply with
the recommendations of the European Union on Cyprus, citing as an example
the use of the term "Good Offices" of the UN Secretary-General by Turkish
officials.
[02] President Papadopoulos to pay official visit to Greece on 25-27
November
The President of the Republic Mr Tassos Papadopoulos will pay an official
visit to Greece on 25-27 November, at the invitation of the President of
the Hellenic Republic Mr Costis Stephanopoulos. The Government Spokesman Mr
Kypros Chrysostomides said yesterday, at the daily press briefing, that
President Papadopoulos would meet, while in Athens, with the Greek
President and the Prime Minister Mr Costas Simitis. The final programme of
the President's visit will be announced in time, Mr Chrysostomides further
noted.
[03] Finance Minister presents 2004 state budget to House plenary
The Minister of Finance, Mr Marcos Kyprianou, presented yesterday to the
plenary of the House of Representatives the state budget for 2004, which he
described as "particularly important" because it was the first budget that
the Cyprus Government would implement as an EU member state and it
reflected the socio-economic philosophy and fiscal policy of the new
Government. Speaking before the plenary, Mr Kyprianou stressed that the
goal of the Government, the House and the social partners should be one and
only, namely, "the dignified presence of Cyprus in the EU, especially in
the economic field, fiscal consolidation and economic growth, the
modernization of economic structures and the implementation of the
necessary structural changes". Referring to the performance of the Cyprus
economy for 2003, Mr Kyprianou said the rate of growth was expected to be
around 2%, unemployment would reach 3,5% and the rate of inflation 4%-4,5%.
The fiscal deficit for 2003 was expected to exceed the 5% of the Gross
Domestic Product (GDP), the Finance Minister further noted, while the
public debt would reach 63,5% of the GDP, thus moving beyond the 60% limit
of the relevant Maastricht criterion. Mr Kyprianou expressed the view that
fiscal indicators would comply with the relevant Maastricht criteria by the
end of 2005, through the implementation of the Government's Fiscal
Consolidation Programme which is based on three pillars, namely, the
improvement of the efficiency of the taxation system, the combating of tax
evasion, and the retention of public consumer expenditure. As regards
economic forecasts for 2004, the Finance Minister predicted that the
improvement of the international environment would allow for more
favourable conditions. "The state economic services assess that with the
anticipated improvement of the international environment, the rate of
growth in 2004 would rise to 4%, thus resulting in an improvement of the
state income", Mr Kyprianou said, adding that the rate of inflation for the
same year was expected to drop to around 2%, while unemployment would note
a slight decrease reaching 3,4%. He further said that the fiscal deficit
for 2004 would be limited to 3,7% of the GDP and the public debt would also
decrease to approximately 62,5% of the GDP.
In general, the Finance Minister explained that the Government's macroeconomic
policy was aimed at achieving, inter alia, an improvement of the living
standards of the Cyprus people, high rates of economic growth, conditions
of domestic and external macroeconomic stability, substantial improvement
of public finances, compliance with the Maastricht criteria and participation
in the Eurozone the soonest possible after Cyprus' accession to the EU, and
social cohesion through enhanced cooperation with the social partners.
From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/
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