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Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 03-07-01
From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>
[01]Tuesday, 01 July 2003 Foreign Minister meets Sri Lankan counterpart
[02] Cyprus and Sri Lanka to sign civil aviation agreement
[03] Employment and Social Affairs Director General says Cyprus' harmonisation
with social acquis is very advanced but some gaps remain to be addressed
[04] Washington is trying to resolve the Cyprus problem, says State
Department spokesman
[01] Foreign Minister meets Sri Lankan counterpart
The Foreign Minister, Mr Georgios Iacovou, met yesterday in Nicosia with
his Sri Lankan counterpart, Mr Tyronne Fernando, with whom he discussed the
Cyprus problem, Cyprus' EU accession course, bilateral relations and
prospects for future cooperation. Speaking after the meeting, Mr Iacovou
said that the situation in Sri Lanka, regarding the problems caused by a
national minority living in that country, was also discussed.
The Sri Lankan Foreign Minister, who was on an official visit to the island,
said that the two countries had had close ties for many years, particularly
as members of the Non-Aligned Movement and the Commonwealth, and that they
faced similar problems. Mr Fernando noted that there were about 15,000 Sri
Lankan workers in Cyprus, expressing the belief that this bilateral
cooperation could expand towards skilled workers and professionals as
well. He also congratulated Mr Iacovou on Cyprus' accession to the European
Union and hoped that Cyprus would not forget its old friends.
[02] Cyprus and Sri Lanka to sign civil aviation agreement
Cyprus and Sri Lanka will sign in the next few weeks a civil aviation
agreement, providing for the creation of a direct air connection between
the two countries via their national air carriers. Cyprus' Communications
and Works Minister, Mr Kikis Kazamias, mentioned the above after a meeting
with the Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka, Mr Tyronne Fernando, yesterday in
Nicosia. On his part, the Sri Lankan FM said that the world was turning
into a global village and it was, therefore, essential for people to be
able to travel quickly from one country to another. He also expressed
certainty that the direct air connection between Cyprus and Sri Lanka would
enhance bilateral ties.
[03] Employment and Social Affairs Director General says Cyprus' harmonisation
with social acquis is very advanced but some gaps remain to be addressed
The Director General for European Commission DG Employment and Social
Affairs, Ms Odile Quintin, has welcomed the progress made regarding Cyprus'
harmonisation with the EU social acquis, but noted that there were still
gaps that had to be filled prior to the island's accession to the Union on
1 May 2004. Speaking yesterday at a press conference in Nicosia, Ms Quintin
said that the remaining gaps concerned the issue of combating discrimination
on grounds of race and ethnic origin, religion, age, sexual orientation,
disabilities, ideology and beliefs.
Regarding the island's labour law, she acknowledged that a lot of progress
had been made in implementing the relevant acquis but noted that more had
to be done in other sectors such as gender equality and working hours. With
regard to the issue of health and safety at the workplace, the Commission
official said that although the relevant legislation was in place, there
was a problem of implementation of those laws. Referring to the issue of
pensions, she noted that the elderly were at a high risk of reaching the
poverty limit, adding that other groups were facing the same danger such as
single-parent families, persons with disabilities and foreign workers.
She also made reference to the EU Social Fund, saying it could offer
financial support to the areas of labour and employment. At the same time,
she stressed the need for setting up the necessary administrative
structures to handle those funds. Ms Quintin told journalists that Cyprus
was the last stop on her tour of acceding countries, which aimed at
assessing the progress of harmonisation of each of those countries in the
areas of labour and social affairs. She noted that she would be drafting a
relevant assessment report, which will be issued by the European Commission
in November.
[04] Washington is trying to resolve the Cyprus problem, says State
Department spokesman
The US State Department's Spokesman, Mr Richard Boucher, has noted that the
Cyprus problem was an important matter for the USA and that efforts were
being made for the resumption of the peace negotiations and the achievement
of a solution. Replying to a press question yesterday regarding reports
that Washington was trying hard for a solution to the Cyprus problem,
especially through efforts by the US Undersecretary for Political Affairs
Mr Marc Grossman, Mr Boucher said, "Mr Grossman has been pursuing this
question of the Cyprus problem all along. It's been an important matter for
all of us. And yes, the United States is making efforts to try to return to
negotiations, to try to encourage the parties to work with the Secretary-
General in the efforts that he's been making, and to try to resolve the
Cyprus problem. I can confirm that we are indeed trying to resolve the
Cyprus problem".
From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/
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