Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 09-09-09

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From: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org.cy>

CONTENTS

[01] CHRISTOFIAS - CYPRUS TALKS - TURKEY

[02] BERLUSCONI - CYPRUS TALKS

[03] PRESIDENT - TURKEY - UNITY

[04] CYPRUS - COMPETITIVENESS

[01] CHRISTOFIAS - CYPRUS TALKS - TURKEY

President Christofias, who concluded Wednesday his official visit in Italy, was speaking at the University of Perugia, where he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of communication systems in international relations by the University for Foreigners of Perugia.

In order to pave the way for a Cyprus solution, three preconditions have to be met, he said, adding that Ankara has to change its policy and allow the Turkish Cypriot leader to negotiate on the basis of the agreed framework.

``Ankara has a motive to change its policy. It is its ambition to enter the EU. In order for its European course to have perspective, it has to practically contribute to efforts to reach a solution of the Cyprus problem. As long as the problem remains unresolved, Ankara will be faced with an additional and important obstacle during its European course, he pointed out.

President Christofias added that the government of Cyprus is not willing to give every time its consent with regards to EU Turkey relations, if Ankara continues to follow the same policy on Cyprus.

The second precondition, President Christofias added, is that the Turkish Cypriot side must submit to the negotiating table proposals and positions, which promote and serve the aim of a solution based on a federal state and not proposals, which lead to confederal approaches.

The third precondition is for the international community to exert pressure on Turkey, the Cypriot President went on to add.

He said that the international community has to bear in mind that not only its geostrategic interests have to be served, which have to do with Turkey, but also international law has to be served, so that a problem ceases to exist, a problem which endangers for decades now peace in the region of the Eastern Mediterranean.

Noting that the Cyprus problem remains in the framework of the UN, he said that the EU has an important role to play also in efforts to achieve a solution.

[02] BERLUSCONI - CYPRUS TALKS

According to a press release issued by the Italian Prime Ministers Office after the working dinner, discussion with President Christofias focused on the negotiation between Cypriots, the main issues which concern bilateral cooperation and main issues on the international agenda. Prime Minister Berlusconi stressed the firm ties between the two countries, their common European and Mediterranean character, the press release says.

It is also added that the Prime Minister expressed his satisfaction with the effort made by the leaders of the two communities at the negotiating process and their willingness to insist on that effort. The press release notes that President Christofias reaffirmed his commitment to continue the negotiating process in order to reach an overall solution of the Cyprus problem.

[03] PRESIDENT - TURKEY - UNITY

In statements to Italian and Cypriot journalists on his arrival at the University for Foreigners of Perugia, President Christofias pointed out that real unity in Cyprus - which will be founded on a functional state in the framework of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation - must be the unity of the state, the people, and the institutions.

That unity, he added, must take into consideration what differentiates as well as what unites Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, namely common interests and common civilisation built by both communities. It must be a state which will be founded on a sociopolitical instead of a national context, he noted.

Such unity will be a guarantee for the security and the prosperity of the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots, in the framework of the European Union, he added.

[04] CYPRUS - COMPETITIVENESS

The report places Cyprus in the 34rth position with 4.57 points in an index of 133 countries. The competitiveness of the Cypriot economy advanced six positions compared to the 2008-2009 report.

Switzerland tops the overall ranking, while the United States fell one place to second position. Singapore, Sweden and Denmark complete out the top five.

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