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Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 12-01-10Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org.cy>CONTENTS
[01] President to attend opening of Danish EU PresidencyPresident of the Republic Demetris Christofias will attend the official opening ceremony of the Danish Presidency of the European Union, to take place in Copenhagen Wednesday.As a tradition to symbolically mark the takeover of the Presidency an official Opening Ceremony will take place. The Opening Ceremony will be held on 11 January at the DR Concert Hall. Approximately 400 invited guests are expected to attend. Besides the Danish Government, the Polish Government, the Government of Cyprus, the EU Commission and the European Parliament will be represented at the highest level. President Christofias will meet Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt to discuss issues concerning cooperation in the framework of the trio EU presidency, the economic crisis in the Eurozone and there will be an exchange of views on further promoting cooperation between the two countries in the framework of Cyprus assuming the EU presidency. The meeting will also examine developments in the Cyprus issue. President Christofias will also have on Wednesday a meeting with Prime Minister of Poland Donald Tusk in Denmark, in the context of the cooperation of the EU Trio Presidency, on the sidelines of the official opening ceremony. The Cypriot President and the Polish Prime Minister are expected to discuss issues relating to the evaluation of the work of the Polish presidency. Christofias will brief Tusk on the progress of preparations by Cyprus for its forthcoming EU Presidency Issues of cooperation between Cyprus and Poland under the Trio will also be discussed. Developments in the Cyprus problem ahead of the meeting at Greentree Estate in New York with the UN Secretary General will also be discussed at the meeting. The Opening Ceremony will include speeches by the Polish Prime Minister marking the handover of the Presidency, the Danish Prime Minister, the President of the EU Commission and the President of the European Parliament. Afterwards a concert performed by the DR Symphony Orchestra and the DR Girls Choir will take place. [02] Spokesman: No deadline at Greentree meetingThe Greek Cypriot side will never agree to a deadline during a meeting later this month between the UNSG and the islands two community leaders, Government Spokesman Stephanos Stephanou has said. Speaking to the press on the sidelines of an event at Cyprus News Agency to usher in the new year, Stephanou said the UN are very well aware of our positions regarding deadlines, arbitration or intervention.He referred to the letter the UNSG has sent to both leaders in Cyprus, noting that Ban-Ki Moon himself refers to no deadlines. The Spokesman also said that during the negotiations, our side will not divert from either the basis of the solution or the procedure as it was agreed with the UN, which does not include any deadlines. Replying to a question, Stephanou said that no bridging proposals can be accepted, underlining that it is up to the two sides to reach an agreement regarding the internal aspects of the Cyprus problem so that an international conference can take place, as UNSG himself states in his letters to the leaders. The letters to the two communities were sent ahead of a meeting later this month with the two leaders in Greentree, New York, in an effort to make headway towards a negotiated settlement in Cyprus to reunite the country, divided since the 1974 Turkish invasion. [03] Israel visit productive says Defence MinisterThis year has been described as a year of strategic decisions, Minister of Defence Demetris Eliades has said, adding that locating natural gas in Cyprus Exclusive Economic Zone creates new particulars. In statements on his official visit to Israel, Eliades has said that the atmosphere during his visit was friendly and talks were productive.Finding natural gas in the Exclusive Economic Zone of the two countries creates new facts on the economic, the security and peace front, he pointed out. Eliades said that he had meetings and talks with Israel`s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Ehud Barak, with the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs Avigdor Lieberman. As he stated, Cyprus and Israel signed two agreements concerning defence cooperation and the protection and exchange of classified information. [04] ECHR orders Turkey to compensate Greek Cypriot refugeesTurkey has been ordered to pay thousands of euro in damages to Greek Cypriots for violating their human right to peaceful enjoyment of their property in Cyprus northern Turkish occupied areas.The European Court of Human Rights on Tuesday delivered its judgment regarding the allegation by 13 Greek Cypriot applicants (Lordos and Others v. Turkey) that the Turkish occupation of the northern part of Cyprus following the 1974 conflict had deprived them of their homes and properties. In its judgment today, the Court awarded each of the applicants between EUR 100,000 and EUR 8,000,000 for pecuniary and non-pecuniary damages and EUR 15,000 jointly to all applicants for costs and expenses. In its principal judgment, delivered on 2 November 2010, the Court held in particular that there had been a violation of Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 (protection of property) as concerns eight of the applicants and a violation of Article 8 (right to respect for private and family life) with regard to seven of the applicants. Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |