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Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 98-01-08Cyprus 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/>News UpdateThursday, 08/01/98CONTENTS[01] Foreign envoys to visit Cyprus in MarchPresident Glafcos Clerides has said that foreign envoys will come to Cyprus at the end of March to prepare the new round of UN-sponsored direct talks.He added that he had been officially informed that the UN Secretary- General's Special Advisor for Cyprus, Diego Cordovez, would be in Cyprus at the end of March. Cordovez's visit would be followed by that of Britain's special representative for Cyprus, Sir David Hannay, and then by US Presidential Emissary, Richard Holbrooke. [02] German Parliamentarian has contacts in CyprusThe President of the External Affairs Committee of the German Bundestag, Karl Heinz Hornhues has said that if the participation of Turkish Cypriots in the Cyprus -European Union (EU) accession talks will help efforts for a Cyprus settlement, that would be a positive element.Mr Hornhues, who is currently on a brief visit to Cyprus, was received yesterday by President Glafcos Clerides and House of Representatives President, Spyros Kyprianou. Hornhues said the President briefed him on efforts to solve the Cyprus problem, expected to begin after the February presidential elections, the role of the international community, as well as Cyprus' relations with the EU. Asked what Germany thinks of Cyprus' proposal that Turkish Cypriots participate in the EU - Cyprus accession talks, scheduled to begin in spring, Hornhues said that anything that contributes towards a true settlement of the Cyprus problem is positive. "If the participation of Turkish Cypriots contributes towards a solution of the problem, then we agree with it", he said. Hornhues added that Germany agrees with whatever formula is acceptable by the Cypriot side". Commenting on Hornhues' statements, Government Spokesman, Manolis Christofides, repeated the government's readiness to discuss ways of finding a formula for Turkish Cypriot participation in the EU accession talks. He said they would be welcome provided there is no recognition of the illegal state unilaterally declared in 1983 in the areas of Cyprus occupied by Turkey since its 1974 invasion and occupation of the island. [03] House debates 1998 state budgetsThe House of Representatives yesterday started a three-day debate on the 1998 state budgets, namely the Ordinary Budget, the Development Budget and the Relief Fund.The budgets tabled by the government on 11 December 1997, provide for 1,08 billion Cyprus pounds (some 2,16 billion US dollars) in revenues and 1,63 billion (3,26 billion US dollars) in expenditure. The Ordinary Budget envisages 1,26 b. pounds expenditure and 1,07 b. pounds revenues. The Development Budget provides for 261 million pounds expenditure, 12, 5 per cent up, compared with that in 1996. The expenditure for the Relief Fund is 91 million pounds, with its revenues reaching 7 million pounds. 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 |