The European Stability Mechanism (ESM), the European Union (EU)\'s crisis resolution mechanism for the eurozone, decided on Monday to release the first tranche of financial assistance to Cyprus. Two billion euros (about 2.6 billion U.S. dollars) of the aid loans \"has been transferred today\" and the second - of up to 1 billion euros would be transferred before June 30, the ESM said in a statement. (1 euro = 1.30 U.S. dollars)