Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 07-07-30

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

CONTENTS

[01] GREEK PRESIDENT - CYPRUS - TURKEY

[01] GREEK PRESIDENT - CYPRUS - TURKEY

He also stressed that Greece and Cyprus offer a helping hand to Turkey to progress on its way towards Europe but not on Ankaras terms, on the terms laid down by the international community and the EU.

Turkeys wish to join the Union and our membership provides an important juncture which we have to exploit to resolve the question of Cyprus on the basis of UN and EU principles, respecting the human rights of all Cypriots, he said in his address at a commemorative service to mark 30 years since the death of Cyprus first president, the late Archbishop Makarios III, at the University of Cyprus, in Nicosia.

He said this was a one-way street and both Cyprus and Greece will go down this road.

He paid tribute to the late Archbishop, saying he served his country faithfully, with tenacity and left his own legacy to his people: to struggle until the Turkish occupation troops withdraw from Cyprus.

The just cause of the people of Cyprus has not been vindicated yet. Cyprus has taken great strides on the path the late President laid down, which have a painful gap, that of the continuing occupation of the islands northern part by Turkey, Papoulias added.

In his address, Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos said that a lot is owed to Makarios, and paid tribute to his personality whose memory lingers on among the people.

If we all owe something to Makarios, if we all owe a lot to Cyprus, then this is to continue fighting for our country, to rally together and draw strength to continue until we are vindicated. If the flag bearer died 30 years ago, the flag he carried for a better future in Cyprus shall not be lowered nor will it be folded away, President Papadopoulos stressed.

Addressing Papoulias, Papadopoulos said that his presence during the commemoration events was proof of his continuous support and solidarity to the people of Cyprus and an honour to all that Makarios represented.

Greek Minister of Interior, Public Administration and Decentralisation Prokopis Pavlopoulos, the key note speaker at Sundays memorial event, talked about the immense contribution Makarios has made to his country, saying that it sends a strong message to the EU and the international community.

The international community cannot compromise on its principles. It is very hypocritical on one hand to declare the need for compliance with law and order and on the other to tolerate selectively the violation of the fundamental rules of international legality, he said.

The EU, he continued, has to make it absolutely clear to all those who wish to join its ranks that the road to accession passes through the full respect and unconditional recognition of each EU member state.

Referring to Makarios, he said he laid down the law, drafted the course of action for Cyprus, which is none other than independence and territorial integrity, without preconditions, compromise and discount.

The people of Cyprus at times of crisis are united, Makarios successors to the presidency continued on the political path he drafted and Cyprus and Greece are on the same course, acting in concert. This vindicates Makarios` heritage, he concluded.

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