Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 04-07-07

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

CONTENTS

[01] EU Commission proposes measures to help Turkish Cypriots

[02] Cyprus Stock Exchange

[03] Verheugen: Measures not to promote directly or indirect recognition

[04] Weather and Temperatures for Cyprus

[05] Athens 2004: The Olympic Torch will not travel to Cyprus occupied areas

[06] Verheugen: Measures aim to contribute to Cyprus reunification

[01] EU Commission proposes measures to help Turkish Cypriots

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EU Commission proposes measures to help Turkish Cypriots

Nicosia, Jul 7 (CNA) -- The European Commission today proposed a comprehensive package of aid and trade measures which aim to put an end to the isolation of the Turkish Cypriot community and to facilitate the reunification of Cyprus, a press release issued in Brussels has said.

''These measures will facilitate trade from the northern part of the island and strengthen its economic integration through financial assistance of 259 million. They also set specific rules for goods crossing the green line separating the Greek Cypriot and the Turkish Cypriot communities,'' it said.

Enlargement Commissioner Gunter Verheugen said it would have been unfair to leave the Turkish Cypriots out in the cold, since they had expressed overwhelming support for the UN Plan to reunify Cyprus.

[02] Cyprus Stock Exchange

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Cyprus Stock Exchange

Nicosia, Jul 7 (CNA) - The Cyprus Stock Exchange (CSE) All Share
Index closed at today's stock exchange meeting as follows:

CSE General Index                               72,96   (-0,52)

Traded Value                  CYP     295.255

FTSE/CYSE 20                  CYP     194.054  321,80   (-0,78)
FTSE Med 100                                 6.339,92   ( 0,03)

Sectoral Indices

Banks                         CYP     163.600   93,60   (-0,91)
Approved Investment
Companies                 CYP      28.060   72,27   ( 1,25)
Insurance Companies           CYP       2.846   11,51   ( 1,68)
Manufacturing Companies       CYP      14.427   46,34   (-0,41)
Tourism Companies             CYP         833   45,08   (-1,18)
Trading Companies             CYP      45.605   20,57   ( 0,44)
Building and Cement Companies CYP       2.747   61,96   (-0,48)
�nformation Technology
Companies                 CYP       3.918    2,30   (-0,86)
Financial Services Companies  CYP       1.596    7,03   ( 0,86)
Fish Culture Companies        CYP           0   11,14   (-3,13)
Hotels                        CYP       3.479   25,60   (-0,12)
Other Companies               CYP      18.598   59,59   (-0,57)

* The third column presents the percentage variation of

[03] Verheugen: Measures not to promote directly or indirect recognition

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Verheugen: measures not to promote direct or indirect recognition

Nicosia, Jul 7 (CNA) European Union Enlargement Commissioner Gunter Verheugen said a package of comprehensive measures adopted today by the Commission did not run any risk of leading to the recognition, direct or indirect, of the entity in the Turkish occupied north of Cyprus.

He told a press conference in Brussels that the measures, which had broad support, aimed to bring an end to the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots and that the Commission "has not the slightest interest in seeing a mini-turkish state in the north of Cyprus.

Verheugen said the acquis communautaire was not in force in the northern part of the island, hence this part of Cyprus had to be treated as a third country, something he described as normal trade policy of the EU.

He explained that when the specific quotas have to be decided, the Republic of Cyprus will be involved and said that the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce was in a position to issue the necessary certificates in this regard.

Verheugen expressed the hope the package would contribute to the solution of the Cyprus problem and finally the reunification of the island, noting it continues to be the policy of the Commission to see a united Cyprus member of the EU.

The Commissioner stressed the package had a very strong political importance, adding that the Commission believed that a precondition for a solution which will be useful is to eliminate the very strong economic disparities between Cyprus' two communities.

Verheugen said the economic package would help reduce the concerns of the Greek Cypriots with regard to the cost of a solution.

Asked if the measures implied the opening of all ports in the north, the Commissioner replied free trade, yes, everything.

Verheugen described as ''interesting'' a proposal by Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos for joint operation of the occupied port of Famagusta and said he backed this initiative.

[04] Weather and Temperatures for Cyprus

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Weather and Temperatures for Cyprus

Nicosia, Jul 7 (CNA) - Today's weather and temperatures for Cyprus,
according to the Meteorological Service at Larnaca International
Airport are:

Temperatures (degrees Celcius)
---------------------------------------------------------------
Station               Maximum     Minimum       Weather
(At 1200 UTC)
---------------------------------------------------------------
Nicosia                 42            22          FINE
Larnaca                 34            23          FINE
Limassol                35            23          FINE
Paphos                  31            22          FINE

[05] Athens 2004: The Olympic Torch will not travel to Cyprus occupied areas

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Athens 2004: The Olympic Torch will not travel to Cyprus occupied areas

Nicosia, Jul 7 (CNA)-- The Olympic Torch arrives tomorrow in Cyprus, its last stop of its journey before returning to Greece, but will not pass through the occupied part of the island.

ATHENS 2004 Marketing General Manager Georgios Bolos said that the torch would not be passing through the occupied areas because the Turkish Cypriots have rejected a proposal made to them by the Committee.

Speaking to a joint press conference with Cyprus Olympic Committee (COC) President Kikis Lazarides, Bolos said that the Athens 2004 Committee accepted a proposal made by the COC for the Torch to pass through the occupied areas and presented to the Turkish Cypriots a proposal for a Torch relay of 3,5 kilometres in occupied Nicosia with 10 Turkish Cypriot Torchbearers.

[06] Verheugen: Measures aim to contribute to Cyprus reunification

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Verheugen: Measures aim to contribute to Cyprus reunification

Nicosia, Jul 7 (CNA) Enlargement Commissioner, Gunter Verheugen said the political importance of the comprehensive measures adopted today by the Commission is to contribute to the solution of the Cyprus conflict.

He was speaking at a press conference after the European Commission today proposed a comprehensive package of aid and trade measures which aim to put an end to the isolation of the Turkish Cypriot community and to facilitate the reunification of Cyprus.

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