24
NOV.
2009
13,
25
]NI
REL_l]OUSE
OF
REPR
N0 3t1
REPUBLIG OF CYPRUS
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Nicosia, 24 November 2009
Ms.
Anne-Marie
Meldgaard,
Chairwoman
of
the
European
Affairs
Committee,
Folketing,
Denmark.
Dear Colleague
ln
the light
of the
discussions held during
the JHA
Council
of
4
June
2009,
concerning
the establishment
of
a
European
Asylum Support
Office (EASO),
I
should
like
to
bring
to
your
attention
the
particular
interest
of the
Republic
of
Cyprus
in
hosting the Seat of this Office.
Cyprus
has
been
following closely
and has
provided
its full
support
to
the
discussions
for
the establishment
of
the
EASO, holding
the
firm
conviction
that
such
a
development
will
substantially contribute
to the
fulfillment
of the
goals
set
by the
European
Union in the
field
of
lnternal Affairs. Experiencing itself
dísproportionate
pressures
on its
national asylum system,
mainly
due
to
its
geographic location
and
poliiical
and
demographic
situation,
the
Republic of
Cyprus is
in a very good position
to
appreciate
the
significance
of such
a
measure
of
solidarity within
the
European
UnÍon,
which will benefit especially
Med¡teranean member
states.
Due
to
its geographical proximity to
the
Middle East and
Africa,
one
of
the world's
most
pol¡t¡cally
unstable
regions and a major
"producef
of
both refugees and asylum
seekers, Cyprus
has
acquired
a
long
experience
in
rece¡ving
large
numbers of
beneficiaries
of
intemational proiection,
ma¡nly
from neighbouring
countries
and
has
thereby exerted enhanced efforts towards improving efficiency
of
its
competent
Services.
This
is
reflected
in the
sharp decrease,
since
the
beginning
of
2008,
of
pending asylum claims and in Cyprus' overall
performancæ
in
this field, a fact
which
has also been
acknowledged
bythe
European
Union.
Hoüse
of Representatives,
1402 N¡cosia, CYPRUS - lè1.;
+35722407304,22407310 -
FÐrj +357-22668611
Email:
international-relations@parliâment.cy
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