More news from Cyprus

CYPRUS MAIL
Abramovich spokesman rubbishes north reports
Representatives of Russian tycoon Roman Abramovich categorically denied any links with the north of Cyprus yesterday, saying they would be looking at possible legal action over a report Abramovich was behind a property development near Kyrenia. “This is totally false,” said James Mann, a representative of Millhouse LCC, the public relations company managing assets on behalf of Abramovich and his partners. “We don’t know how it got started and we want it stopped,” he told the Cyprus Mail. “Not only do we not have projects in northern Cyprus, we don’t have any projects in Turkey either,” Mann told the Cyprus Mail. “We have no idea how these rumours got started but we will explore our legal options to stop whoever it is from doing it.”

Wednesday, August 22
CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY
“President” Papadopoulos says no preconditions for meeting with Talat
Papadopoulos said on Wednesday that the condition for his meeting on September 5 with Talat was that both sides would meet without preconditions. Speaking on the sidelines of a reception in honour of the delegates to the 15th congress of overseas Cypriots and commenting on Talat's remarks that he would attend the meeting without preconditions, Papadopoulos said ''this was the precondition of the meeting, that we are both going without terms and preconditions.''

CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY
Millhouse dismisses reports of Abramovich investments in occupied areas
Head of Millhouse Public Relations John Mann has dismissed as ''entirely false'' reports in Turkish media that Roman Abramovich has invested in real estate project ''Chelsey Village'' in north Cyprus. ''On August 21, 2007, Turkish media reported that Mr. Roman Abramovich had invested in a real estate project entitled 'Chelsey Village' in northern Cyprus, as well as in the construction or acquisition of several tourist and residential properties in Turkey. These reports are entirely false,'' he says in a press release. Mann adds that ''neither Mr. Abramovich, Chelsea Football Club, nor any other affiliated company is in any way associated with Chelsey Village'' and that ''they are also not involved in any of the other projects named in these media reports, nor in any other properties in northern Cyprus or Turkey.'' ''We frequently battle with inaccurate stories in the press regarding Mr. Abramovich's supposed interest in various assets, from small properties to major corporations, all over the world. In the vast majority of cases, these stories are fabricated and serve no other purpose than to provide free publicity for projects, companies or properties associated with the sources of this information,'' Mann points out. In conclusion, he says that ''we will consider all of our legal options with regards to the sources of these reports.''

CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY
CEH welcomes proposed legislation calling for end of Turkish ‘occupation’
Leaders of the Coordinated Effort of Hellenes (CEH) have described plans to introduce in the US Senate legislation calling for an end to the ‘Turkish occupation’ as ''another major American step to end Turkey’s occupation of Cyprus.'' The announcement of the plans was made on Tuesday by US Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME). The bill says, Turkey’s pretext for ‘occupation’ ''has been refuted by over 13 million crossings by Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots into each other’s communities without incident.'' “This Senate action by such a highly-regarded member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and member of the Senate Republican Leadership, respectively, will add considerable weight to a rapidly-growing American discontent with 42,000 Turkish troops in Cyprus, a member of the European Union,'' CEH says. The leaders of CEH noted that ''for some years, legislation addressing the Cyprus crisis in the Senate and House has had few advocates'' and that, given the greatly increased advocacy for Cyprus in America of late, it is anticipated that this Senate bill, as well as a recent House bill, ''will enjoy significant cosponsorship.''

CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY
(Greek) Cypriot FM hopes Turkish statements will be implemented
Marcoullis hopes that the Turkish Cypriot side will prove to be true to its words with regard to next month’s meeting between Papadopoulos and Talat. Speaking to the press, on the sidelines of a meeting of overseas Cypriots, Marcoullis expressed hope that statements by the Turkish Cypriot side will be implemented, so that the September 5th meeting between Papadopoulos and Talat will have substance and be effective. Answering questions on the issue, the Foreign Minister called for caution until the outcome of the Papadopoulos-Talat meeting is known. “We are monitoring the statements by the Turkish Cypriot side and truly hope that these will be implemented so that the 5th September meeting will have substance and be effective,” she added. “We want to see the working groups and the technical committees, as provided by the July 8 agreement and the Gambari procedure, begin operating,” she said. In other statements, Marcoullis said she is expecting the results of demarches by the Cyprus Permanent Representation in New York to the UN over Turkish moves in the village of Pyla, with regard to the supply of electricity in the area. She repeated that the issue is “very serious”, adding that all demarches were made to the highest possible level both here in Nicosia and in New York.

CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY
Portuguese FM to pay official visit to Cyprus
Portuguese Foreign Minister Luis Filipe Marques Amado arrives in Cyprus on Thursday, on a two-day official visit. After his arrival, Amado, whose country holds the six-monthly rotating EU presidency, will attend a private dinner hosted in his honour by Papadopoulos. On Friday, he will have a meeting with Christofias and later on see Marcoullis.

US State Department
Daily Press Briefing: 22 August 2007
QUESTION: Could I ask you to comment on the political angle of the situation of the Cypriot Government's effort, initiative, which is a contentious issue with Turkey?
MR. GALLEGOS: Yeah. Yesterday, you did speak to me about an economic matter. Today, I want to clarify though that our policy on Cyprus has not changed. Moreover, the controversy -- this economic controversy that you talked about -- points to the need for all parties to focus on restarting the UN's Good Office's Mission to forge a comprehensive Cyprus settlement that reunifies the island in a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation. The next step should be to implement the agreement brokered by Under Secretary General Gambari July 8th, 2006. Final settlement will enable all Cypriots to benefit from the island's resources.