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Thursday, 19 December 2024
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Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 07-09-24Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org.cy>CONTENTS
[01] CYPRUS - SYRIA - BOATCyprus has made representations to Syria at all levels and is seeking clarifications from Damascus about the docking of a Turkish cruise liner at one of its ports, as the vessel had sailed from the closed port of Famagusta, in Turkish occupied Cyprus.Cyprus Acting President Demetris Christofias expressed regret that a friendly country as Syria had given its consent to the docking of the liner and described this as a negative and unexpected fact. I have stressed that such actions harm the friendly relations between the two countries, he said about the demarches Nicosia has made, expressing hope that Syria will remain a traditional friend of Cyprus. The goal is not to overstate the situation and avoid any repetition, he added. In his remarks on the incident, Cyprus Government Spokesman Vassilis Palmas said the explanations which the Syrian side has given as regards the arrival of the cruise liner at Latakia do not seem to represent the whole truth, adding that Damascus has to reply to three questions by this afternoon. Palmas warned that Nicosia will react in a dynamic manner, if the Syrian response and explanations regarding the incident are not satisfactory. The Cyprus government has asked to be informed whether a representative of the illegal Turkish Cypriot regime in occupied Cyprus has actually met with Syrian Ministers, whether there is an agreement between the regime and Damascus and whether such trips will be allowed to continue. The replies we got so far are not clear and we expect them to clarify their position on this matter. Our relations with the Syrian government are excellent and we would like to believe that they shall continue in this manner but this will depend on the replies we get, Palmas pointed out. Meanwhile Acting Foreign Minister Photis Photiou met this morning here with Syrias Charge d Affaires in Cyprus Nader Nader, who was asked to answer three questions on this matter. We consider it unacceptable that a government and in particular a government of such a friendly country as Syria could proceed to such agreements with the occupation regime, he said, adding that if this were true it would not be a friendly move. He noted that the two countries enjoy friendly relations, something which should be taken into consideration. Photiou said that Nader explained that, as far as the Syrian Foreign Ministry was concerned, no meetings have taken place with the representative of the illegal Turkish Cypriot regime but he could not say whether other Syrian officials had had any meetings. Cyprus Foreign Minister Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis who is in New York for the UN General Assembly will talk to the Foreign Minister of Syria. [02] SPOKESMAN - 8 JULY AGREEMENT - PAPADOPOULOS - UNThe government of Cyprus has welcomed the support the international community has shown to a UN-brokered agreement, aiming at resuming substantive negotiations towards a political settlement that would reunite the country, divided since the 1974 Turkish invasion.Government Spokesman Vassilis Palmas said that it was important that the international community, the United Nations and the Security Council agree and endorse the need to create the preconditions for the implementation of the July 8 agreement of 2006. The contacts President Papadopoulos has had in New York with the UN Secretary General and other officials took place in a very good climate and there is a positive response to our approach to the July agreement, Palmas said. He noted that a meeting between Papadopoulos and US Under Secretary of State Nicholas Burns will take place Wednesday at Burns request, while on Thursday the President will attend a dinner with the ambassadors of the five permanent members of the Security Council. [03] PAPADOPOULOS - UN CHIEFUN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has expressed his support to the 8 July 2006 agreement reached between the two sides in Cyprus, in the presence of UN Undersecretary for Political Affairs Ibrahim Gambari.This was stated by Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos after a 20-minute meeting with the UN Chief at UN Headquarters. The Cypriot President is in New York for the UN General Assembly. President Papadopoulos described his meeting with Ban very good, adding that he discussed with him latest developments in the Cyprus problem. He also raised the missing persons question. [04] COMMISSIONER BARROT - TURKEY - CYPRUS - SHIPS - EMBARGOESVice President of the European Commission and Commissioner for Transport Jacques Barrot stressed Monday that the Turkish policy to impose embargoes on ships flying the Cypriot flag is a problem not only for Cyprus but also for the European Union and Turkey itself.Speaking at the opening ceremony of Maritime Cyprus 2007 conference that began its deliberations today in the coastal town of Limassol, Barrot said that the European maritime in general and the Cypriot maritime in particular have to tackle the problem of the Turkish ban and reassured that he would do his utmost to solve the issue. Since 1987 Turkey does not allow vessels, flying the Cypriot flag, to enter its ports. The Turkish ban on Cypriot vessels is considered to be the number one problem for the Cypriot shipping industry. The Cypriot ship registry ranks 10th worldwide and third in Europe. EU shipping in general and Cyprus shipping in particular has to cope with the handicap of the access to Turkish ports. Please be assured that I will put all my efforts in solving this issue. It is not only a problem for Cyprus, it is problem for Europe and it is also a problem of Turkey, Barrot stressed. Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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