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Monday, 18 November 2024 | ||
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Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 08-02-20Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org.cy>CONTENTS
[01] DIKO - SUPPORT - CHRISTOFIASThe Democratic Party has decided to support the candidacy of House President and AKEL Secretary General Demetris Christofias in Sundays second and final round of presidential elections.Member of the European Parliament Ioannis Kasoulides is the other candidate who will contest the run off election. During voting that took place among the members of DIKO Central Committee, 112 members voted for Christofias candidacy and 50 in favour of Kasoulides candidacy. Nine abstained and another nine cast a blank vote. The result of the vote was announced at one o clock in the morning today after a meeting of the Central Committee which lasted more than seven hours, which was convened after meetings of the Secretariat and the Executive Bureau of the party. DIKO President Marios Karoyian said that everybody in the Democratic Party will support the candidacy which the majority of the Central Committee voted for adding that this decision serves the interests of the country and the party. In a first reaction to DIKOs decision, in a statement on behalf of Kasoulides electoral bureau Tasos Mitsopoulos said that DIKOs decision is respected. At the same time he said that Kasoulides candidacy is supported by citizens from all political parties and expressed faith in the judgment of the people. During the first round of the elections, Kasoulides secured 150.996 votes or 33.51%, Christofias 150,016 or 33.29%, and current President Tassos Papadopoulos, who was supported by DIKO 143,249 or 31.79%. [02] CYPRUS - KOSOSO - EUCypriot Minister of Foreign Affairs Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis has described as important the fact that the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) conclusions on Kosovo do not contain references pointing to the recognition of a separate state. Speaking to the press on arrival from Brussels, she said ``for Cyprus it is important that the Council conclusions include terms and references to international law, Security Council resolutions and certainly no references pointing to a separate state in Kosovo.``ิhe Kosovar UDI ``constitutes a violation of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Serbia,`` Marcoullis said, adding that ``developments are regretful.`` The Council conclusions note that ``Member States will decide, in accordance with national practice and international law, on their relations with Kosovo.`` The conclusions do not include ``any references to recognition whatsoever and it is stressed in no uncertain terms that the member-states will decide according to their national practice and the international law,`` Marcoullis said. ``For us there is a strong reference to the commitment of member-states to the Security Council resolutions and of course that the case of Kosovo is considered as sui generis,`` Marcoullis concluded. [03] UNFICYP - MANDATEThe United Nations Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), one of the longest serving UN peace-keeping forces, has said it will remain on the island as long as necessary. An UNFICYP press release, issued here today in response to press reports, said reports in the English-language media today that the United Nations intended to pull out of Cyprus in the event of a victory by President Papadopoulos are totally baseless and irresponsible.UNFICYP notes that the United Nations has been in Cyprus for over four decades helping to keep the peace and assisting the parties in their search for a comprehensive solution. It will continue to do so as long as Cypriots and the international community deem it necessary, it adds. UNFICYP, comprising over 1,000 men and women from about 8 troop contributing countries, arrived in Cyprus in March 1964, after intercommunal fighting broke out between the Greek Cypriot and the Turkish Cypriot communities. Its mandate was revised following the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus, which divided the country. The government of Cyprus contributes substantially to the upkeep of the force. Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |