Day: July 13, 2022

President of the Republic of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades received on Wednesday afternoon at the Presidential Palace Austrian Chancellor, Karl Nehammer, who is paying an official visit to the island.

The welcoming ceremony took place at the Presidential Palace followed by a tete-a-tete meeting and exchange of gifts.

The two sides held later on consultations. On the agenda of the talks, as announced by the Director of the President’s Press Office, were Cyprus-Austria cooperation at a bilateral level, coordination within the EU, the war in Ukraine and the humanitarian crisis, the energy perspective of the Eastern Mediterranean in relation to EU energy policy and security, immigration, as well as regional developments in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Western Balkans.

The President of the Republic informed the Austrian Chancellor about the efforts to resume the peace talks and end the Turkish occupation of Cyprus and Ankara’s provocations.

The two men will make statements to the press and then a formal dinner hosted by President Anastasiades will follow.

Cyprus has been divided since the 1974 Turkish invasion. The last round of UN-backed talks took place in the summer of 2017 in the Swiss resort of Crans Montana but failed to yield results.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

The Cyprus problem and the difficulties hampering the efforts to resume UN-led talks due to the Turkish stance and the new environment taking shape in Europe as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, were in the agenda of the contacts Cyprus Minister of Foreign Affairs Ioannis Kasoulides is holding in London where he is paying a working visit.

According to a press release issued by the Foreign Ministry, later tonight, Kasoulides will address an event in the House of Commons, hosted by the All-party parliamentary group for Cyprus and the National Federation of Cypriots in the UK. Kasoulides will outline Cyprus’ foreign policy in a changing world.

Earlier today Kasoulides met with Robin Niblett, Director of the Chattam House think tank and researchers on the EU and Eastern Mediterranean with whom he exchanged views on the current international developments placing emphasis on the new environment taking shape in Europe as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its effects on a global level such as the food crisis, energy supply, inflation and price hikes.

The Ministry said that Kasoulides had the opportunity to brief his interlocutors on Cyprus’ approach on the issue of Ukraine and the role that Cyprus wants to play in the context of a new security architecture for Europe. In this context, the Minister briefed on Cyprus’ policy over multilateral cooperation mechanisms with its neighbouring countries, noting that this cooperation aspires to create conditions of security and stability in the turbulent basin of the Eastern Mediterranean.

He also briefed on the Greek Cypriot side approach with regard to the next steps on the Cyprus problem and the difficulties observed as a result of the Turkish stance, the press release said.

Kasoulides also met with Chris Bryant, Deputy President of the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee with whom he exchanged views on current foreign policy issues and the Cyprus problem.

Bryant, who is familiar with the Cyprus problem due to its previous capacity as the UK Minister for Europe, expressed support to the efforts to reach a solution to the Cyprus problem under the agreed framework set out in the relevant UN resolutions, the Foreign Ministry added.

Also Kasoulides met with Archbishop of Thyateira and Great Britain, his Eminence Nikitas with whom he discussed issues related with the role of the Greek Orthodox Community’s role in the UK.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

The Ministry of Health is set to prepare for a potential new wave of the covid-19 pandemic this coming fall, as discussed on Wednesday afternoon in a meeting of the Minister, Michalis Hadjipantela, with the Consulting Scientific Committee, which is currently suggesting stricter checks for entrance in hospitals and closed structures.

As announced by the Ministry of Health, following the meeting, the Committee suggests that visitors in hospitals and closed structures should present a 24-hour safepass, instead of a 48-hour one, due to the increased risks, after the latest increase in the number of covid-19 cases. Also, rapid-test stations are expected to operate in hospitals, to check patients, visitors and employees.

Also, the Ministry, after the evaluation of the data regarding infections and hospitalization of cases, will proceed to reinforce the information campaign on self-protection, hygiene and self-test, before and after visiting crowded spaces. Personal physicians and patients will be thoroughly informed on anti-viral medicines and vaccination for persons in high-risk groups.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

The Cyprus Ports Authority participated in a European conference in Germany in the framework of the STEAM (Sea Traffic management in the Eastern Mediterranean) programme, funded by the European Union for the management of navigation in the Eastern Mediterranean.

According to a statement, the STEAM project started in January 2019 and has a duration of three years with a funding amount of one million euros from the European Union and its Structural Funds and in which the Cyprus Port Authority, the Cyprus University of Technology, the RISE Foundation, the Association of Shipping Agents and the companies CSCS, Delevant, Tototheo, participate.

According to the Cyprus Ports Authority’s Officer Stelios Colombos, the overall objective of the STEAM project is the efficient management of maritime traffic in the Eastern Mediterranean, while ensuring safety and environmental sustainability, with specific objectives to improve the efficiency of the various port operations and services, to optimize navigation and facilitate short distance shipping, to collect real-time information on navigation, the environment and cargo tracking, to ensure high quality data, to create new tools and services relevant to the central objective of the programme and to develop effective synergies between all maritime stakeholders.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Cyprus Ports Authority, Chairman Dr Antonis Stylianou commended the participation of the Authority’s Officer in the European conference, highlighting the fact that the Cyprus Ports Authority is upgrading its presence and participation in large-scale programmes and conferences related to the whole range of port activities, digitalisation, blue economy and green transition, promoting the further development of the sectors related to shipping and port activities, in full synergy with the relevant ministries and government agencies, as well as partners in the private sector and civil society.

Source: Cyprus News Agency