Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 08-01-14

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

CONTENTS

[01] TURKEY - SYRIA

[02] ECHR - MISSING

[03] FM - KUWAIT

[04] KLEANTHOUS - ATHENS

[01] TURKEY - SYRIA

Speaking at Larnaca Airport before departing for Kuwait and referring to the recent visit of Turkish President Abdullah Gul to New York, Marcoullis said ``it is no secret that Turkey is trying to create a climate of mobility for after the presidential elections,`` due to take place in February.

``We want mobility, we want a solution, we would have liked this period until the presidential elections to have been used to prepare negotiations,`` she added.

Marcoullis noted that an initiative for a Cyprus settlement should be ``within the right framework, without mediation, without tight deadlines, and must of course aim at the reunification of the island, the reunification of the people of Cyprus, in a state that will be federal, bicommunal and bizonal.``

She added that this form of settlement was reflected in UN resolutions and EU decisions, noting that it appeared that the Turkish side was promoting other options.

``Over the past year, Turkey, through all its officials at the highest level, is promoting a solution of two separate states,`` she explained, adding that ``if Turkey continues this policy for division and secession, it will certainly face the determination of the people of Cyprus and the international community.``

Replying to questions, Marcoullis said she believed there would soon be a favourable result in the issue of the illegal sea routes between Syria and the closed port of Famagusta.

``Our view is that, although we have no official notification that the route has been terminated, through contacts I have with Syrian officials and the reassurances we have received from time to time, it appears that over the past month there have been no routes,`` she added.

[02] ECHR - MISSING

Achilleas Demetriades and Kypros Chrysostomides have said the judgment is significant in that it establishes continuous violation of human rights by Turkey with regard to the missing as well as their relatives. In addition to that the Court, they pointed out, rejects the notion of presumed dead in the case of Greek Cypriot missing, as Turkey had claimed before the Court. The lawyers also believe that the Court ruling does not absolve Turkey of blame as far a effective investigation of the fate of missing persons is concerned in spite of the work carried out by the Committee of Missing Persons (CMP), which has exhumed and identified remains of missing Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots.

The President of the Committee of Relatives of Missing Persons Nicos Theodosiou expressed hope that todays decision will exert pressure on Turkey to allow access to the archives of its military and its jails in order to obtain information that would establish the fate of those missing. The decision is not final and can be appealed against within three months to the plenary of the European Court. The decision is set to be discussed at the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, which monitors the execution of Court judgments.

[03] FM - KUWAIT

Speaking at Larnaca Airport before her departure, Marcoullis said this visit was being held at the invitation of her Kuwaiti counterpart, noting that it was ``very important`` due to the fact that over the past few years contact between the two countries has been limited.

Marcoullis added that, apart from her counterpart, she would also be meeting the Emir of Kuwait and the President of the Parliament to discuss ways to further strengthen ties between Cyprus and Kuwait, especially in tourism and investments, where there were great opportunities.

She noted that there were other fields for cooperation, such as the construction industry, energy and water supply.

Marcoullis said that within the plans of the Republic of Cyprus for the next five years was to open an embassy in Kuwait.

[04] KLEANTHOUS - ATHENS

On Monday, Kleanthous will meet with the board of directors of the National Student Union of Cypriots in Athens.

He will also attend a working lunch with Greek Minister of National Education and Religion Evripides Stylianides, to discuss, inter alia, an agreement between Greece and Cyprus in the education sector.

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