Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 03-02-16

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From: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org.cy>

CONTENTS

[01] Papadopoulos expresses commitment to viable solution

[01] Papadopoulos expresses commitment to viable solution

0020:CYPPRESS:01

Papadopoulos expresses commitment to viable solution

Nicosia, Feb 17 (CNA) -- Tassos Papadopoulos, the winner of yesterday's presidential elections, said he would display flexibility and good will at the negotiating table with a view at rendering a UN peace proposal on a comprehensive settlement a workable and viable solution.

Speaking late tonight to jubilant supporters after he was declared officially President of the Republic, he said he does not want to deprive the Turkish Cypriots of their rights but wants to ensure that the island's two communities have a workable plan that would last.

Papadopoulos, who got 51.51 per cent of the vote ousting President Glafcos Clerides, thanked the Greek government and the opposition in Greece for their wishes and support and expressed appreciation to Clerides and his other opponents in Sunday's poll.

''It is our commitment and our duty to continue the negotiations with flexibility and good will to bring about the necessary improvements to the UN peace plan under discussion so that it becomes a workable and viable solution,'' he said.

Papadopoulos stressed that he wants negotiations not to deprive the Turkish Cypriots of their rights but to ensure that both communities have before them a workable plan that would last.

He appealed to the Turkish Cypriots to judge him by what he is and not by what they are told he is.

Addressing the thousands of people who turned up for the official ceremony at the ''Eleftheria'' indoor stadium, in the capital Nicosia, to declare him the new president, he said ''I look forward to your cooperation, especially the cooperation with parties that have a long history of exchanges with the Turkish Cypriots to work together in order to see a reunited Cyprus join the European Union and see Greek and Turkish Cypriots enjoy the benefits EU membership would bring.''

He assured that his efforts at the negotiating table aim at proving his good will and show that he wants a society that respects equality.

Papadopoulos said that there will be no discrimination in the new society he wants to set up and there will be no second class citizens because of political affiliations, stressing that he would not tolerate such behaviour.

He pledged to ensure equality between men and women and said meritocracy will prevail.

Addressing the refugees, he said he would work to secure their right to return to their homes, now under Turkish occupation, under conditions of security.

Cyprus' new president also referred to the missing persons, and assured their families that at the negotiations he will insist that this humanitarian issue will have to be resolved.

He said Greek Cypriots who continue to live in the Turkish occupied areas of Cyprus, especially the Karpass peninsula, are worthy of respect and appreciation for enduring hardship for so long at their ancestral homes.

Referring to his opponents in yesterday's presidential race, he said ''I would like to express my appreciation to President Clerides and to the rest of my opponents in this contest and tell them that elections with opponents show that democracy works.''

He said he would implement his electoral manifesto in a sincere and collective manner with respect to everybody to bring about real change and a new era.

''The people's will for a change in government is a reality today, and this change came in the first round of the elections, as you wanted it,'' he told his jubilant supporters whom he thanked warmly for all the hard work they had put into his election to the presidency.

Papadopoulos thanked the government of Greece and the opposition in Greece for their wishes on his election and the promise they gave him for support of the task ahead.

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