|
|
|
Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 03-09-10
From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>
[01]Wednesday, 10 September 2003 Greek Foreign Minister arrives today in
Cyprus for two-day visit
[02] Cabinet approves 2004 State Budget
[03] Cyprus elects member in CoE committee
[01] Greek Foreign Minister arrives today in Cyprus for two-day visit
The Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr George Papandreou, arrives in
Cyprus early this afternoon for a two-day visit during which he will be
received by the President of the Republic Mr Tassos Papadopoulos and also
address a bicommunal event taking place at the Ledra Palace hotel in the
buffer zone. Mr Papandreou will arrive at Larnaca Airport at 14.00 local
time and after making statements to the press he will head to Nicosia for
talks with his Cypriot counterpart, Mr Georgios Iacovou. At 16.30 he will
be received by President Papadopoulos at the Presidential Palace. The Greek
FM will then meet with the leader of the Socialist Movement EDEK, Mr
Yiannakis Omirou and at 20.00 he will address a bicommunal event organised
by the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot teachers' trade unions at the
Ledra Palace hotel on "The future of Europe and the Role of Education in
the United Cyprus". On Thursday morning, Mr Papandreou will meet with the
President of the House of Representatives Mr Demetris Christofias and then
he will attend a ceremony at Strovolos Municipality where he will receive
an honorary distinction. At 11.00 he will have a meeting with Greek Cypriot
political party leaders or their representatives.
Mr Papandreou is also expected to meet representatives of the Carpass
Coordinating Committee to discuss the issue of the Rizokarpaso schools and
the expulsion of two Greek Cypriot teachers from the occupied village by
the illegal Denktash regime. In addition, the Greek Foreign Ministry
Spokesman, Mr Panos Beglitis, said on Monday that Mr Papandreou and his
Cypriot interlocutors would discuss the latest developments on the efforts
to resolve the Cyprus problem, Greco-Turkish relations, Turkey's relation
with the EU, and other regional issues such as the Iraqi crisis and
developments in the Middle East.
[02] Cabinet approves 2004 State Budget
The Council of Ministers approved yesterday the State Budget for the year
2004, which provides for ?3.4 billion in total expenditure and ?2.8 billion
in total revenue. The 2004 Budget will be submitted to the House of
Representatives for final approval. The cabinet also approved the Revised
Pre-Accession Economic Programme, which will be submitted to the European
Commission by the end of the week. It is estimated in the Budget that the
fiscal deficit for 2004 will be reduced to 3,7% of the Gross Domestic
Product (GDP), compared with 5,4% this year and 3,5% in 2002.
Speaking after the Cabinet meeting, the Minister of Finance, Mr Markos
Kyprianou, expressed the position that reducing the fiscal deficit was "a
realistic and tangible goal" and noted that the Government's aim was to cut
the deficit to 2-2,2% by 2006. Mr Kyprianou further said that this was the
first budget to be drafted after the signing of Cyprus' Accession Treaty
with the European Union and the first that would be implemented with Cyprus
being a full EU member state.
[03] Cyprus elects member in CoE committee
Ambassador Petros Michaelides has been reelected as Cyprus' member in the
Committee of the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and
Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment of the Council of Europe
(CoE). His term expires on 19 December 2007. Ambassador Michaelides was
elected yesterday during a special session of the Ministerial Committee of
the Council of Europe.
From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/
|
