|
|
|
Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 13-04-05
CONTENTS
[01] Canada offers Cyprus full support on energy matters
[01] Canada offers Cyprus full support on energy matters
Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird has offered his Cypriot counterpart
Ioannis Kasoulides his government's full support and experience gained
on energy matters. Baird, who was addressing a Cyprus - Canada Business
Association at the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in Nicosia,
on Thursday, also spoke of the current predicament in which Cyprus finds
itself today, when asked to comment on it.
He spoke of the time when he was first elected and Canada faced a major
fiscal crisis saying his views is to "tackle it quickly than to tackle
it slowly". Looking back, he noted, "if I have any regrets is that
we didn't do more, faster to tackle the problem". "The one benefit
is that you have a government which is very early on in its mandate,
people will acknowledge that these problems didn't start in February,
these challenges didn't begin in February," he said. But, he continued
"they have five years so they can hopefully make some difficult decisions
that need to be made so that they can see the results in their term of
office, which is very healthy in my judgment".
Baird referred to developments in the energy sector in Cyprus, saying
that "we take significant note of exciting times going on in the energy
sector in this country and of the coast of this country". He spoke about
the role Canada plays as a major energy super power, adding that "in
meetings with my counterpart we offered the support of our government
on what we have learnt on dealing with delicate jurisdictions, not only
with the United States but we are a federation in Canada, so we have
significant experience dealing with our provinces and territories as
far as natural reserves off our coast".
|
