05 November 2003

Cyprus focussing on EU membership

A solution to the longstanding Cyprus issue awaits a possible change in régime in the Turkish-dominated north. In the meantime, the legally-recognized government in the south is turning its attention to fulfilling the prerequisites for membership in the European Union, which is set to take place next May. But I was surprised at this statistic: "The Cypriot economy is basically service-orientated with more than 65 percent of the population employed in the sector, especially tourism which accounts for 20 percent of GDP." Only 20 percent? When we were over there in 1995, virtually everyone we met, with the exception of two uncles, seemed to be involved in tourism in some fashion.

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