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Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 07-03-02
CONTENTS
[01] FM - TURKEY - CYPRUS - FRANCE - AGREEMENT
[02] EU - TURKEY - NEGOTIATIONS
[03] SPOKESMAN - STATE DEPARTMENT - MONEY LAUNDERING - CYPRUS
[01] FM - TURKEY - CYPRUS - FRANCE - AGREEMENT
Minister of Foreign Affairs George Lillikas said that Turkey is the
last country legalised to speak about stability and peace in the region
of the Eastern Mediterranean.
Invited to comment on Turkish reactions over the signing of a defence
cooperation between Cyprus and France and the allegation that Cyprus is
a source of instability in the area, Lillikas said I think the last who
is legalized to talk and plead for stability and peace in the region is
Turkey.
He added that Turkey has proved that it has turned into a factor of
instability with its recent threats, not only against the Republic of
Cyprus but also against Lebanon and Egypt.``
Cyprus, an EU member state since May 2004, has signed agreements for
the delimitation of its Exclusive Economic Zone with Egypt and Lebanon.
Turkey, which has been occupying 37% of Cyprus territory since her
invasion of the island in 1974, has reacted with threats as regards the
governments intentions for exploration and exploitation of possible oil
deposits or natural gas in the sea area off the island
[02] EU - TURKEY - NEGOTIATIONS
The European Commission hopes that by the end of the German Presidency
(end of June), the EU will extend membership talks with Turkey to four
new chapters of the accession negotiations, the European Commissions
Spokeswoman for Enlargement Krisztina Nagy said, adding that the EU
Foreign Ministers Council is the competent body for taking any decision
on the issue.
According to Commissions sources, the chapter on Industrial Policy
could open in the next weeks while three other chapters, Statistics,
Finance and Budgetary Policy and Financial Control will open later.
[03] SPOKESMAN - STATE DEPARTMENT - MONEY LAUNDERING - CYPRUS
Government Spokesman Christodoulos Pashardis said that this year`s US
State Department`s report on money laundering refers objectively and in
a positive way to the measures taken by the Republic of Cyprus as
regards this issue, while it refers to Cyprus` Turkish occupied areas
in a critical way.
Pashardis added that although Cyprus is included in the countries of
primary concern, it does not mean that Cyprus is considered a country
where such activities take place.
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