Day: March 14, 2024

ANKARA: The embassies of Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, the UK and the US in Yemen issued a joint statement Wednesday reiterating their condemnation of the attacks by the Houthi group on vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The embassies said they are 'deeply concerned' over a Houthi attack last week on the bulk carrier M/V True Confidence in the Gulf of Aden that killed three crew members. 'The deaths of at least 2 Filipino and 1 Vietnamese sailors is the inevitable consequence of the Houthis' indiscriminate and reckless attacks on international merchant vessels,' the British Embassy in Sanaa said in a statement on X. The statement urged the Houthis to immediately cease the attacks, saying 'these illegal attacks only serve to destabilize the region and harm the people of Yemen.' Four others were also injured on March 7 when an anti-ship ballistic missile struck the M/V True Confidence, a Barbados-flagged, Liberian-owned bulk carrier, while it was transiting the Gulf of Aden, according to the United States Central Command (CENTCOM). The Houthis confirmed that they targeted the ship with missiles after it refused to heed their warnings against crossing. The Houthis have been targeting ships that are Israeli-owned, flagged, operated or heading to Israeli ports in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden with missiles and drones in solidarity with the Gaza Strip, which has been under a devastating Israeli offensive since last October. With the US and UK launching retaliatory airstrikes against Houthi sites inside Yemen, the Houthis declared that they consider all American and British ships military targets. Source: Anadolu Agency

?he government's main objective and top priority is to find a comprehensive solution to the Cyprus problem on the basis of the relevant United Nations resolutions, the European acquis and the principles and values of the European Union, Cyprus President, Nikos Christodoulides said in his address at an event organised by the Cypriot community of Northern Greece in Thessaloniki on Wednesday. He added that the contribution and support of the Greek government and the Greek people in achieving this goal remain unwavering and thanked Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis for "the full cooperation and active support to our efforts to achieve our common aspirations". According to the President of the Republic, his presence at the event was intended to emphasise the strong ties of Cyprus and the Cypriot people with Thessaloniki and the wider region of Macedonia, but also to acknowledge the contribution of all Cypriots, both residents and students there, in further strengthening these relations and the continuous struggle for the resolution of the Cyprus problem, the reunification and liberation of the country. This year marks 50 years since the illegal Turkish invasion of Cyprus, 50 years of occupation and division of Cyprus, 50 years of having refugees, missing and enclaved people, 50 years of flagrant violation of human rights and relevant resolutions of the United Nations and the General Assembly, President Christodoulides continued, adding that 50 years is too long and every day that passes makes efforts for the liberation and reunification of Cyprus and its people even more difficult. He noted that Turkey and the occupying regime seek to consolidate division and partition and legitimize the consequences of the occupation, both at the rhetoric level and in practice, by imposing new faits accomplis on the ground. Finding a comprehensive solution to the Cyprus problem on the basis of the relevant UN resolutions, with a single sovereignty, a single citizenship, a single international personality, always in accord ance with the relevant UN resolutions, the European acquis and of course the principles and values on which the European Union is based, is the main objective and the highest priority of the government, the President of the Republic stressed, adding that from the first day of assuming office the government has been working intensively in this direction. "The focus of our efforts, which I am pleased to say are acknowledged by the international community, is to break the deadlock and resume talks from where they were interrupted in the summer of 2017 in Crans-Montana," he said, adding that he had the opportunity to convey this again to the UN Secretary-General's Personal Envoy, who is in Cyprus these days for a second round of contacts. "An appointment that was made possible after our concerted efforts and in recognition of our political will to resolve the Cyprus problem," he noted, while expressing hope that the Turkish side, despite the continued rhetoric and practice to the contrary, will finally show wil lingness towards the resumption of talks and proceed to the negotiating table. In this difficult effort, the contribution and support of the Greek government and the Greek people remains unwavering, the President of the Republic continued, while thanking the Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis for "the full cooperation and active support to our efforts to achieve our common goals". "Nicosia and Athens, Athens and Nicosia remain fully coordinated in promoting the objective of resuming negotiations at all levels, in all international fora, first and foremost, of course, within our common home, our great European family," he said. According to President Christodoulides, this year includes another important milestone, that of the 20th anniversary of the Republic of Cyprus' accession to the European Union, the most important achievement, as he said, of the Cypriot people since the establishment of the Republic of Cyprus, which could not have been achieved without the support of the Greek government, and wa s the result of the culmination of "masterly, persistent and long-lasting diplomatic efforts and full coordination between Athens and Nicosia". "Fifty years after the Turkish invasion and 20 years since our accession to the European Union, the occupation continues and Nicosia remains the last divided capital of Europe. Taking into account these two important milestones, but also the need to end the occupation and reunite our country, I would like to stress the importance of a more active and proactive involvement of the European Union both in the efforts to resolve the Cyprus problem and in the content of a possible solution. Taking into consideration the full range of Euro-Turkish relations, the European Union can lead us to a mutually beneficial situation through the resolution of the Cyprus problem", he stressed. He also noted that the Republic of Cyprus will continue to be a member state of the Union even after the Cyprus settlement, which means that ensuring the proper functioning of the Cypriot state also affects the proper functioning of the European Union itself. He added that, as it has been demonstrated by the role of the Republic of Cyprus in the response to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which also reflects the role of the European Union through the Republic of Cyprus, the member state neihbouring the region, a reunited Cyprus which is an EU member state would have substantial benefits for the European Union itself and for all states. Christdoulides also welcomed the support from Brussels and other countries, the United States, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates and Greece, to the initiative that the Republic of Cyprus first presented in October 2023 in Paris, "which proves in practice through the launching of its implementation that despite being a small country Cyprus can contribute substantially to addressing major regional challenges." The President announced that the government would bear the costs for a monument in Thessaloniki, the bust of EOKA hero Kyriakos Matsis at the Aristo tle University of Thessaloniki, and will work with the University Rectorate to restore the bust of 'the only EOKA university graduate hero'. In view of the 50th anniversary of the Turkish invasion, he also thanked the Greek people, the people of Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Thrace and all of Greece, for their unwavering support to the Greeks of Cyprus who fled to these lands when they became refugees in 1974, "whether they were families, students or dozens of Cypriot children who found shelter and were accommodated for months in the Papafio Orphanage, the Children's Home of Oraiokastro, the Anatolia College, the American Agricultural School, or in Mikra". Addressing the students, President Christodoulides said that their education in the high-quality academic institutions of Thessaloniki and Greece in general is the best guarantee for their personal progress and development. Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so fa r failed to yield results. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres appointed María Ángela Holguín Cuéllar of Colombia as his personal envoy for Cyprus, to assume a Good Offices role on his behalf and search for common ground on the way forward in the Cyprus issue. Source: Cyprus News Agency

Nicosia Mayor, Constantinos Yiorkadjis, informed the Personal Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General to Cyprus, Maria Angela Holguín Cuéllar, about the long-lasting role of bi-communal projects in creating a climate of trust in the daily living and working conditions between the two communities, during a meeting they had on Wednesday. According to a press release issued by the Municipality on Thursday, Holguin was informed about the Nicosia Master Plan, while "the importance of creating a climate of trust in daily living and working conditions between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots" was also discussed. In particular, the Mayor presented projects such as the wastewater treatment plant in Turkish occupied Mia Milia, the employment opportunities for Turkish Cypriots at the Cyens Centre of Excellence, the redevelopment project of the Pediaios River, the prospect of creating new crossing points in the centre of the historic city, rainwater management within the buffer zone in walled Nicosia and other issues that could foster trust between the two communities. Nicosia remains the last divided capital of Europe. Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres appointed María Ángela Holguín Cuéllar of Colombia as his personal envoy for Cyprus, to assume a Good Offices role on his behalf and search for common ground on the way forward in the Cyprus issue. Source: Cyprus News Agency

The goal of the Deputy Ministry of Tourism is for tourist arrivals to remain in 2024 at the same levels as last year, said Deputy Minister Kostas Koumis, in a year marked by geopolitical instability and other unpredictable factors such as problems in the aviation sector that affect flight schedules. He added that despite the loss of the Russian tourist market due to the ongoing war in Ukraine and the crisis in Gaza affecting Israel, another important tourist market for Cyprus, tourist arrivals in 2023 stood at 3.85 million, which he said was the third best historical performance, an annual increase of 20% and just 3.3% less than the all-time high of 2019, which showed that the gap of the loss of the Russian market was made up for. According to the Deputy Minister, tourism revenues approached pound 3 billion, reflecting a 22.6% increase in nominal terms and 18.4% in real terms, while at the same time, based on the latest data from the World Travel and Tourism Council, the total contribution of tourism to Cyp rus' GDP in 2023 is estimated at 12.8% from 12.2% in 2022. With regard to nautical tourism, while 2023 started with indications for a new all-time high, Koumis said that the war in neighbouring Israel ended the upward trend, as Israel is used as a home port for cruises, closing with 322,000 visitors. Passenger numbers in 2024 will drop as Israel's loss "is huge", he added. Regarding air connectivity, the Deputy Minister of Tourism said that 55 companies have scheduled flights this year to and from Cyprus, as many as in 2023, adding that the original estimate when preparing the 2024 budget was 450,000 additional seats, noting however that there will be a reduction. Responding to questions about different tourism markets performance, Koumis said he expects an increase in tourist arrivals from Poland, a small increase from the Nordic countries and a significant contribution from Balkan countries, especially Romania and Serbia. As for the UK, he estimated that tourism traffic will be at the same level as last year, while for Germany he noted that he expects roughly the same levels as last year, provided that the economic challenges in the country are overcome. pound 11.2 million in grant plans ------------- Koumis underlined the commitment to strengthening the country's tourism product, which will contribute to the achievement of long-standing tourism objectives, such as extending the tourist season. In this context, he referred to the 16 grant plans implemented by the Deputy Ministry, four of which relate to the Recovery and Resilience Plan, with the total provision for 2024 amounting to pound 11.24 million, of which pound 8.1 million derive from the Recovery Plan. The largest project in terms of expenditure is the Rural, Mountain and Remote Areas Revitalisation Plan, which is scheduled to be launched in a few weeks with a budget of pound 4 million, with 82 local authorities having benefited last year with an expenditure of pound 1.28 million. Tourism to the Turkish occupied territories ------------- Aske d about tourists visiting the Turkish occupied territories, the Deputy Minister of Tourism said that it is a long-standing problem and a consequence of the non-solution of the Cyprus problem, adding that "it seems that year by year the problem is growing, which is due to several factors." "In essence, there is not much we can do," he said, noting that the Deputy Ministry has been working on the issue by informing tour operators promoting tourism in the Turkish occupied territories and raising the issue in meetings with ambassadors of specific countries. Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively. Source: Cyprus News Agency

The total employment within the Cyprus government reached 54,697 persons as of February 2024, according to data released Thursday by the Statistical Service of Cyprus. Within the Civil Service, 23,161 individuals were employed, while the Educational Service employed 17,575 persons, and the Security Forces accounted for 13,961 employees. In the Civil Service, there were 11,953 permanent personnel, 4,275 employees with contracts of indefinite duration, 1,245 employees with contracts of definite duration, and 5,688 hourly paid workers. Notably, the highest percentage of employees in the Civil Service was permanent personnel, constituting 51.6% of the total, while employees with contracts of definite duration represented the lowest proportion at 5.4%. Similarly, in the Educational Service, permanent personnel constituted the largest segment with 11,888 persons, followed by employees with contracts of indefinite duration (1,186), employees with contracts of definite duration (4,360), and hourly paid workers (14 1). The percentage of permanent personnel within the Educational Service was even higher, accounting for 67.6% of the total workforce, while hourly paid workers represented the smallest proportion at 0.8%. Within the Security Forces, there were 8,209 permanent personnel, 4,726 employees with contracts of indefinite duration, 300 employees with contracts of definite duration, and 726 hourly paid workers. Here again, permanent personnel formed the majority, representing 58.8% of the total, while employees with contracts of definite duration comprised the smallest percentage at 2.1%. According to the Statistical Service, as from January 2024 the classification for permanent and casual staff is discontinued. CyStat has adjusted the structure of government personnel to permanent, employees with contracts of indefinite duration, employees with contracts of definite duration and hourly paid workers. Data for January 2024 have been revised. Source: Cyprus News Agency

The European Parliament welcomed the creation of maritime humanitarian corridors to the Gaza Strip, but stressed that priority should be given to land distribution, and urged the Israeli authorities to open the Rafah, Kerem Shalom, Karmi and Erez crossings, in a resolution adopted by the Plenary in Strasbourg on Thursday. The resolution, adopted with 372 votes in favour, 44 against and 120 abstentions, points out the desperate food insecurity affecting Gaza and the danger of impending starvation. Also, in addition to opening land crossings for humanitarian aid, MEPs underline that all parties must immediately cease attacks against humanitarian convoys and civilians seeking aid, and demand an independent international investigation into the attacks. MEPs call on Israel to immediately allow and facilitate full aid delivery into and throughout Gaza via all existing crossings and underline the urgent need for rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access. They reiterate their call for an immediate and permane nt ceasefire to address the looming risk of mass starvation in Gaza and to immediately and unconditionally release all hostages. Regarding Hamas, the MEPs point out that there can be no prospect of peace in Gaza or between Israel and Palestinians as long as Hamas has any role in Gaza. At the same time, the European Parliament condemns the rise in extremist settler violence and deadly attacks by the Israeli armed forces in the West Bank, and also condemns the acceleration of illegal settlements. Source: Cyprus News Agency