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Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 06-09-30Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org.cy>CONTENTS
[01] CHURCH ELECTIONS - HOLY SYNODThe Holy Synod, the most senior institution in the Church of Cyprus, did not ratify on Friday the outcome of last Sundays elections for the post of the Archbishop, because of the numerous objections raised by candidate bishops for the top post in the Church ranks.The Holy Synod will meet again next Thursday, having received the comments of its nine members on the objections, to take a final decision on the election result in the first phase of the church elections, that took place last Sunday. Acting primate of the Church Pafos Bishop Chrysostomos said the Synod will hear all involved in the objections raised and then decide what to do next. Responding to questions after Fridays Holy Synod meeting, he said senior clergy members of the Synod did not discuss the possibility of having independent legal experts examine the objections. In the first phase of the elections, completed on Tuesday once the votes had been counted, the 1,400 special representatives of the four candidates, who will subsequently elect 100 general representatives, are distributed as follows: Paphos Bishop Chrysostomos 125, Kition Bishop Chrysostomos 19, Limassol Bishop Athanasios 641 and Kykkos Monastery Bishop Nikiforos 615. Out of the 1,400 special representatives, 400 are elected from the Archbishopric district that includes Famagusta district as well, and 200 from each of the metropolitan districts of Pafos, Larnaca, Kyrenia, Limassol and Morphou. An Assembly will be formed comprising ex officio members (such as bishops, deputy bishops, abbots and monks) and the 100 general representatives. The new Archbishop must secure the majority of votes in both ballot boxes of the ex officio members and the general representatives. The new Archbishop will replace the ailing Archbishop Chrysostomos, who has been incapacitated for the past four years, to run the autocephalous Church of Cyprus. [02] CYPRUS - CHINACyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos has thanked China for the positions of principle it supports consistently and firmly with regard to the Cyprus issue.Papadopoulos, who attended on Friday a reception at the Chinese Embassy on the occassion of the anniversary of the establishment of People`s Republic of China, said that ``efforts for close cooperation with China and development of the existing excellent relations between the two countries continue.`` He said the Chinese Ambassador Zhao Yali ``is very helpful, loves Cyprus and all his efforts are towards the joint effort for closer and efficient relations between Cyprus and China, which we thank for the positions of principle it supports consistently and steadily as regards the Cyprus issue, particularly during the last period``. [03] LAW OF THE SEA COURT - KYRENIA SHIPCyprus has marked in a novel way its participation in celebrations to commemorate ten years since the establishment of the International Court of the Law of the Sea. The Republics Ambassador to Germany, Leonidas Markides, handed to the Court, based in Hambourg, a replica of the Kyrenia ship, as a sign of respect and appreciation for the work of the Court.The ancient Kyrenia ship was discovered by a Cypriot diver in the mid ´60s off the islands northern coastal town of Kyrenia, under Turkish occupation since 1974, and has been on display since its discovery. It offered historians a valuable insight into the shipping and trade industry of its era, around 300 BC. In his remarks at a special ceremony to mark the occasion, Markides said the donation was a symbolic gesture from Cyprus, a small island state in the Eastern Mediterranean, whose ship registry ranks sixth worldwide. He said the Court plays an important role in applying and consolidating international law with regard to the sea. [04] OPEN UNIVERSITY - HOUSE PRESIDENTDistant learning, in particular in higher education, is now a reality in Cyprus through the start this year of the Open University. Speaking at a special ceremony to mark the start of the first academic year of the Open University, House President Demetris Christofias said a university reflects its era and the conscience of society and described this means of education as progressive and revolutionary.Open University aims to meet the fundamental need for broad education and offers the inalienable right to education for everybody, irrespective of age, he said. At this early stage Open University will offer two post graduate programmes of study, in the administration of health units and in education. Christofias said that the degrees it will award are from recognized and prestigious universities to people who, for one reason or another, have not had the chance to acquire university education or have not managed to complete it. Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |