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Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 00-04-17Cyprus Press and Information Office: News Updates in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>Monday, 17 April 2000CONTENTS[01] Foreign Minister on an official visit to CubaCyprus Foreign Minister Mr Ioannis Kassoulides paid a one-day official visit to Cuba yesterday. During his visit Mr Kassoulides held talks with Cuban counterpart Mr Felipe Perez Roque with whom he discussed the Cyprus problem and the country's efforts to join the EU.The two Ministers exchanged views on issues of mutual interest and signed a Protocol of cooperation between their respective Ministries. [02] EU - Cyprus Joint Parliamentary Committee to discuss the Republic's accession courseThe EU Cyprus Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) will hold its 17th meeting today in Nicosia.The meeting will discuss the political situation in Cyprus and current EU/Cyprus relations as well as the Intergovernmental Conference. [03] British government strongly committed to achieving an end to the division of CyprusBritish Foreign Secretary Mr Robin Cook stated on 13 April that his government is strongly committed to both trying to achieve an end to the division on Cyprus and also to promote the accession of Cyprus to the European Union without preconditions Mr Cook, who was speaking to the press after a meeting with the new Secretary General of the Commonwealth Mr Don Mackinnon, also said that «talks will soon be beginning again on the third round of the UN process on the division of the island, we will be making a special effort to try and make sure that this time they do make progress and that we do see the way forward. Cyprus is a valued member of the Commonwealth and that is why when the Commonwealth meets we have always committed ourselves to support for an end to the division of the island and to the restoration of a single sovereign Cyprus".[04] Excavations at Idalion bring to light Phoenician fortificationExcavations at Ancient Idalion conducted in May, June and December 1999 under the direction of Dr. Maria Hadjicosti unearthed a substantial part of the fortification of the Phoenician Administrative Centre.A substantial part of the fortification wall, 34m long was fully uncovered to the north, while the west part of the large rectangular tower, excavated in 1998 north of Rooms 10 and 11 of the Phoenician Administrative centre, was investigated. The earliest phase consists of a smaller tower occupying its southwest corner. During the second phase the fortification was substantially extended to the north by the addition of a new tower and a fortification wall. The fortification wall, 2,2.5m 3m wide, has an east-west direction and was strengthened by parallel walls of north-south direction which abut an earlier parallel wall to the south. The results of the 1999 excavation season indicate that below and around the remains of Phoenician Administrative Centre of the 5th 4th century B.C. there are more impressive architectural remains of an earlier fortified building complex. This building complex could be interpreted as the Palace of the Kingdom of Idalion. The fortification, interpreted in previous years as the inner city wall, seems to represent part of the Palace, which developed into a stronghold at the end of the Cypro-Archaic -beginning of the Cypro-Classical period. The conclusions of the 1999 excavation season coincide with the epigraphical information that Idalion in this period was continuously at war with the Phoenicians of Kition. 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 |