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Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 03-02-03
From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>
[01]Monday, 03 February 2003 Foreign Minister's statements regarding EU
stance on Iraq
[02] Registration of motor vehicles during Jan - Dec 2002
[01] Foreign Minister's statements regarding EU stance on Iraq
The Foreign Minister, Mr Ioannis Kasoulides, expressed the view that the EU
had to adopt a collective stance as regards the impending war on Iraq.
Speaking to reporters last Friday, Mr. Kasoulides said that the Cyprus
Government had always believed that the UN Security Council was the sole
international body entitled to take decisions on matters of peace and
security, and therefore, military operations could only be initiated after
a relevant resolution of the UN Security Council. Asked to comment on the
declaration by eight EU member states and candidate countries in support of
the impending war on Iraq, the Foreign Minister noted that, for cohesion
purposes, it was very important that all member states and candidate
countries let the EU Presidency - which is now held by Greece - draft and
adopt a collective decision on the issue of Iraq. On the Cyprus problem, Mr
Kasoulides said that it had become clear that the way the peace talks were
going, no agreement could be reached by the timeframe set by the UN
Secretary-General, of the end of February, and consequently, the United
Nations "are examining alternative ways to achieve a result". He added that
it was up to them [UN] to decide on the course of action to be followed.
Asked if he was in favour of another revised plan by the UN Secretary-
General, Mr Kasoulides noted, "it is not a matter for the Greek Cypriot
side to say whether it supports or not a third version of the Annan plan,
for the simple reason that the UN is to decide on that matter".
[02] Registration of motor vehicles during Jan - Dec 2002
The Statistical Service announced that it has issued the report entitled
"Registration of Motor Vehicles" for the period January-December 2002.
The main developments in the registrations of motor vehicles during 2002,
compared to the same period of 2001, were: a) The total number of motor
vehicles registered during 2002 increased by 6,1%, to 40.367 from 38.075 in
2001. Of these, 18.433 were new vehicles and 21.934 were used vehicles.
Vehicles with diesel engines decreased by 11,6%, to 10.393 compared to
11.751 in 2001.
b) Private saloon cars increased by 24,1% in 2002, to 26.264 from 21.164 in
2001. Used private saloon cars registered in 2002 reached 18.322 or 69,8%
of saloon cars registrations, while new private saloon cars registrations
were 7.942 or 30,2%.
c) Self-driven cars registrations noticed a significant decrease of 45,7%
and reached to 1.765 in 2002 compared to 3.248 in 2001.
d) Goods conveyance vehicles decreased to 7.334 in 2002 compared to 8.023
in 2001, thus recording a decrease of 8,6%. Light goods vehicles decreased
by 11,4%, to 6.423 from 7.249 in 2001, and Heavy goods vehicles increased
by 17,7%, to 911 in 2002 from 774 in 2001.
e) Mechanised cycles registrations decreased by 16,6%, to 3.967 in 2002
from 4.756 in 2001.
f) Japan remained the main supplier of motor vehicles to Cyprus. In 2002,
Japanese motor vehicles accounted for 60,3% of total registrations,
followed by European Union Member States with 33,0%. The report is
obtainable from the Printing Office of the Republic of Cyprus at C?4,00 per
copy.
From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/
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