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Source: PIO, CNA

Participation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the General Affairs Council of the European Union in Brussels, 22.05.13
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Ioannis Kasoulides, participated in the General Affairs Council of the European Union, held yesterday in Brussels. Issues on the agenda of the Council were the EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for the 2014-2020, and preparations of today’s European Council Summit, which will discuss issues related to energy and taxation. During the discussion on the MFF, the Minister of Foreign Affairs stressed the need to conclude an agreement during the Irish Presidency, noting that both the Council and the European Parliament should cooperate, in order to reach to a positive outcome and send the right messages to European citizens. He also said that Cyprus supports the proposal to increase the distribution of resources during the first years of implementation of MFF particularly in essential fields, such as the initiative for youth employment. More..

The Minister of Foreign Affairs to participate in the General Affairs Council of the EU in Brussels, 20.05.13
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Ioannis Kasoulides, departs today for Brussels to participate in the deliberations of the General Affairs Council (GAC) of the European Union, to be held tomorrow, Tuesday, 21 May 2013. During the GAC, Ministers will discuss the Multiannual Financial Framework and they will prepare the upcoming Summit of the May European Council. After the conclusion of the GAC, the Minister of Foreign Affairs will remain in Brussels, in order to accompany the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr Nicos Anastasiades, at his meetings with the President of the European Council, Mr Herman Van Rompuy, the President of the European Commission, Mr Jose Manuel Barroso, and the President of the European Parliament, Mr Martin Schulz. The Minister of Foreign Affairs will return to Cyprus on Thursday, 23 May.

Remarks of the Secretary of State John Kerry with Cypriot Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides before their meeting, 10.05.13
Washington, DC. May 10, 2013
SECRETARY KERRY: Good morning, everybody. It is my great pleasure to welcome Foreign Minister Kasoulides of Cyprus, and really at an important time. Cyprus is a very good friend of the United States, and I know that Cyprus, as everybody does, has been struggling with very, very deep economic challenges. So we are very understanding of the difficult choices that you’ve had to make and the challenges that you face. We certainly want to be helpful in ways that we can be. We also look forward to working with the Foreign Minister and with President Anastasiades and others to try to move Cyprus forward on one of the world’s frozen conflicts. I have talked personally with the Prime Minister of Turkey and the Foreign Minister of Turkey several times, I’ve talked with the Foreign Minister of Greece, and I’ve talked to the President of Cyprus, and I hope that there is a way. The United States supports a bizonal, bicommunal federation. We would like to see us unfreeze this conflict and be able to move to a resolution. More..

Meeting of the Minister of Foreign Affairs with the UN Secretary-General, 09.05.13
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Ioannis Kasoulides, held yesterday afternoon a meeting with the United Nations Secretary-General, Mr Ban Ki-moon, at the UN Headquarters, in New York. Also present at the meeting were the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Cyprus to the UN, Ambassador Nicos Emiliou, the Director of the Office of the Minister, Mr Nikos Christodoulides, and the Deputy Permanent Representative, Mrs Christina Rafti. In his initial statement following the meeting, the Minister of Foreign Affairs said that this was the first official meeting of the new Cyprus Government with the UN Secretary-General. On behalf of President Anastasiades, the Minister conveyed a number of messages to the Secretary-General. First, Mr. Kasoulides underlined the need for understanding since the economic situation in Cyprus, created by the Eurogroup decision, requires the President of the Republic to now focus on measures to restart the economy, and the Cyprus talks to be postponed until autumn. More..

Readout of the Secretary-General’s meeting with H.E. Mr. Ioannis Kasoulides, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cyprus, 09.05.13
The Secretary-General met today with H.E. Mr. Ioannis Kasoulides, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cyprus. They discussed the latest developments in Cyprus and, in particular, the prospects for a resumption of the negotiations between the Greek Cypriot and the Turkish Cypriot leaders.The Secretary-General and the Foreign Minister also exchanged views on the situation in Syria and discussed the recent developments between Serbia and Kosovo
Source : http://www.un.org

Travel Advice to Syria (reminded 08/03/2012) and to Lebanon, 08.05.13
Travel Advice for the citizens of the Republic of Cyprus who are permanent residents or intend to visit Syria and Lebanon: In view of the deteriorating security situation in Syria, the citizens of the Republic of Cyprus are advised against all travel to Syria, and against all but essential travel to Lebanon, especially the areas bordering Syria. Citizens travelling to Lebanon are advised to take all necessary precautions regarding their personal safety and security. In case of emergency, interested persons may contact the duty officer of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on +357 99 660129, or the Crisis Management Department on +357 22 801000.

Statements by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, 02.05.13
“We hope we will be able to focus on the process of negotiations on the Cyprus problem at the forthcoming fall”, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Ioannis Kasoulides, said on Tuesday, noting that addressing the negative economic situation is now a priority. In his press statements at the Presidential Palace, following the meeting of the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr Nicos Anastasiades with the Special Advisor of the UN Secretary General on the Cyprus Problem, Mr Alexander Downer, in the presence of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Kasoulides said: “A meeting was held between the President of the Republic and Mr Downer in the framework of the latter’s contacts regarding the Cyprus Problem. More..

Visit to the United States of America of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, 07.05.13
The Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr.IoannisKasoulides departs on Wednesday, 8 May for a three day visit to the United States of America. During the first day of the visit, Minister Kasoulides will meet, in New York, with the Secretary General of the United Nations Mr. Ban Ki-Moon, where, inter alia, they will exchange views on the way forward regarding the Cyprus Problem. Afterwards, the Minister of Foreign Affairs will depart for Washington DC, where, on Friday, 10 May, he will meet with the US Secretary of State Mr. John F. Kerry. Issues on the agenda of the two Ministers include, among others, the bilateral relations, the Cyprus problem, issues related to non-proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction, international security and counter terrorism policies, the current developments in the wider region of the Middle East, as well as energy related matters. More..

Contacts of the Minister of Foreign Affairs in London, 25.04.13
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Ioannis Kasoulides, visited London yesterday to speak at a dinner organized by the National Federation of Cypriots in the UK, at Westminster Palace, in the presence of members of the House of Commons and the House of Lords. In his keynote speech, the Minister of Foreign Affairs outlined the main areas of Cyprus’ foreign policy, with particular emphasis on the Government’s intention to further deepen the relations between Cyprus and the United Kingdom. Moreover, Mr Kasoulides informed the attendants about the economic situation in Cyprus, the prospects of resuming talks to resolve the Cyprus problem, as well as the issue of hydrocarbons. More..

Speech by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Ioannis Kasoulides, at the House of Commons, in London, 24.04.13
Honourable Members of the House of Lords and Commons, Distinguished Members of the European Parliament, Ladies and Gentlemen, It is a pleasure for me tonight to be at Westminster Palace to address such a distinguished audience, including many esteemed Members of both Houses of Parliament. And I would like to thank the National Federation of Cypriots for giving me the opportunity to make this speech on the current situation in Cyprus, its foreign policy and our bilateral relations. More..

Statements following the meeting between the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Commonwealth Secretary-General, in London, 24.04.13
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Ioannis Kasoulides, met today with the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Mr Kamalesh Sharma, in London. After their meeting, Mr Kasoulides, stated the following: “It is a great pleasure to be here at Marlborough House and visit the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth. I think that, as the Secretary-General very rightly said, Cyprus has always attached and will continue to be attaching great importance to the fact that it participates as a member of the Commonwealth. The fact that we are now members of the European Union enhances our responsibility towards the Commonwealth. Rather than having the notion of now belonging elsewhere, we belong at the same time to both. More..

Ambassador Mrs Ioanna Malliotis presented her credentials to the President of the Republic of Korea, 24.04.13
Ambassador Mrs Ioanna Malliotis presented her credentials to the President of the Republic of Korea Mrs Park Geun-hye as the new Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus in the Republic of Korea, based in Beijing. The official ceremony took place on 18 April 2013 at the Blue House (Presidential Palace) in Seoul. Present at the ceremony were the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea, the Senior Presidential Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Presidential Secretary for Economic Affairs, the Government Spokesman and the Chief of Protocol of the Presidency. More..

Meetings of the Minister of Foreign Affairs in Brussels, 24.04.13
The Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Ioannis Kasoulides concluded yesterday his visit to Brussels, where he held meetings in the European Parliament and the European Commission. Mr Kasoulides held separate meetings in the European Parliament with the Chairman of the Group of Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats Mr Hannes Swoboda, the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Security and Defence (SEDE), French MEP of the Group of the European People’s Party (EPP) Mr Arnaud Danjean and the member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) and the Subcommittee on Security and Defence (SEDE), Portuguese MEP of the Group of Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, Mrs Ana Gomes. More..

Press release by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 23.04.13
We are extremely concerned and appalled by the abduction yesterday of the Syriac Orthodox Archbishop, Yohanna Ibrahim, and the Greek Orthodox Archbishop, Paul Yazigi from Aleppo by armed groups in Syria. The event clearly signals another dangerous turn in Syria`s two-year-old civil war. We are particularly concerned about the future of the Christian minority in Syria and alarmed by reports that a great part of Syria's Christian population has fled the country since the uprising began. Cyprus is calling up on all sides in Syria to work towards locating and securing the immediate release of the two Christian religious leaders. The international community must exercise its influence on all actors in Syria and make every effort to put an end to the drama of the Syrian people.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs participated in the EU Foreign and General Affairs Councils, in Luxembourg, 23.04.13
The Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Ioannis Kasoulides participated in the meetings of the EU Foreign Affairs and General Affairs Councils of the European Union, held yesterday in Luxembourg. The agenda of the Council of General Affairs (CGA) included, inter alia, the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2014-2020, the developments in Serbia and Kosovo, as well as in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and the preparations for the upcoming European Council of 22 May 2013. More..





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