Published on March 9, 2010

Cyprus is to embark on an international campaign to promote the island as an international business services centre and to attract foreign direct investment, Commerce Minister Antonis Pachalides said yesterday. The campaign will cover 21 countries, in Europe, the Balkanks, the Middle East, the Gulf, Eurasian countries, as well as developing Asian countries.

This year's campaign starts on a positive per cent, despite a decline in tourist arrivals, while the registration of foreign companies rose by 23 per cent compared to 2009. Both Paschalides and the President of the Chamber of Commerce Industry and Tourism Manthos Mavrommatis said that Cyprus could become an international services centre and an attractive country of foreign direct investment.

1:06pm EST

By Michele Kambas

NICOSIA (Reuters) - Cyprus said Tuesday ransom was the motive of thieves who stole the body of former President Tassos Papadopoulos, found in a shallow grave Monday three months after it disappeared from its tomb. The remains, stolen last December, were found in another person's grave after police received a tip-off and DNA tests identified it as that of the former leader.

"Police had realized early on that the theft of the body was for ransom," Justice Minister Loucas Louca said. "There was no political motive." A spokesman for the Papadopoulos family denied a ransom request was made, but the minister insisted the motive was financial, although he said no money was paid.

Papadopoulos was president of Cyprus from 2003 to early 2008, when he lost a bid for re-election to the leftist Demetris Christofias, once a partner in his ruling center-left coalition.

March 05, 2010 - www.financialmirror.com

The European Rim Policy and Investment Council (ERPIC) hosted a seminar on February 12 on ‘the Rule of Law’ where the speakers focused on the Judicial Protection of Fundamental Rights in the light of the Lisbon Treaty, and also elaborated on the concept of the Rule of Law in relation to the Cyprus Issue following the recent Apostolides vs. Orams case.

Dr. Klearchos Kyriakides initiated the first session by describing the Rule of Law as one of the key values on which western democracies are built. As part of this process, the new Lisbon Treaty enhances the importance of the Rule of Law within the EU by making it, as a separate legal entity in its own right, a party to the European Convention of Human Rights. In addition, the Lisbon Treaty reinforces the status of fundamental human rights by proclaiming the provisions in the European Convention as general principles of EU law.

The Lisbon Treaty has, therefore, made the Rule of Law alongside other values such as respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, respect for human rights and rights of minorities, a crucial and fundamental right which belongs to all citizens of the EU.