Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 08-03-05

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

CONTENTS

[01] PRESIDENT - ATHENS

[01] PRESIDENT - ATHENS

The President was speaking after a meeting in Athens with President of the Hellenic Parliament Demetris Shioufas, who expressed support to efforts for the resumption of bicommunal talks, aimed at achieving a functional and viable solution of the Cyprus problem the soonest possible, based on UN resolutions and EU principles.

President Christofias expressed hope that the Turkish Cypriot community would respond positively to the call for friendship he extended, and assured that he would honour the signature of his predecessor on the 8 July 2006 agreement and hoped Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat would honour his own signature.

President Christofias said, The triumph of multiculturalism under the umbrella of a bizonal bicommunal federation, a functional and just one so that it is viable, is an aim that we cannot deviate from.``

He added that the ``historical compromise`` for a bizonal bicommunal federation ``does not just mean the restoration of the rights of the Turkish Cypriots, but is something more and surely does not mean that the restoration of their rights can be made to the detriment of the rights of the largest community, the Greek Cypriots.``

President Christofias said that ``the Turkish Cypriot community and the whole of the people of Cyprus need the reunification of the country,`` adding that things were not easy. ``There are many difficulties, but if the Cypriots want to, I believe they can overcome these difficulties,`` he noted.

He furthermore thanked the Greek people and political leadership for their support in the struggle to reunite the island, and referred to the close ties of friendship and cooperation between the parliaments of the two countries, since he was President of the House of Representatives before being elected President of the Republic.

President Christofias assured Shioufas that he would closely follow the implementation of the agreements signed between the two parliaments.

Shioufas assured ``all our Cypriot brothers that all the political forces of Greece, all MPs, all departments of the parliament, will stand beside the people of Cyprus,`` adding that ``we support your effort for the resumption of bicommunal talks, aimed at achieving a functional and viable solution of the Cyprus problem the soonest possible.``

He said the solution should be based on UN resolutions and EU principles and be democratic, functional and viable.

Following his meeting with Shioufas, President Christofias met with President of the Hellenic Republic Carolos Papoulias and Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis.

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