Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 08-11-14

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

CONTENTS

[01] PRESIDENT CHRISTOFIAS CYPRUS ISSUE

[02] HOUSE PRESIDENT ARMENIA - PRESSER

[03] INTERIOR MINISTER QATAR VISIT

[01] PRESIDENT CHRISTOFIAS CYPRUS ISSUE

During a speech at the presentation of a book entitled The other half of the Radio Station Astra, President Christofias was asked by Turkish Cypriot teacher Gucel Kusioglu as Cypriot to persuade the Turkish Cypriot leader to bring peace to the island.

I am trying to persuade Mehmet Ali Talat. It is not easy but is there any other alternative? the President remarked.

President Christofias said that Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots are all children of this country and he continually tells his friend Mehmet Ali Talat that they are both Cypriots.

He said the continued dispute only feeds those who do not want Cyprus, the flower of the Mediterranean, to blossom, expressing the hope that some day, the forces which oppose chauvinism, racism and nationalism will decide that the time has come to fight to reunite our common island.

President Christofias reminded the expression of a Turkish Cypriot politician that Cyprus is too small to be divided and large enough for all its children to live in conditions of peace, friendship, cooperation and welfare.

He said relations between the two communities are not the substance of the Cyprus problem. The substance of the problem lies with foreign intervention, invasion and occupation by Turkey of a large territory of the Republic of Cyprus.

President Christofias said that some people react when the government calls for the proper chronicle of history and when it refers to the need to admit our mistakes, omissions and tragedies, for which we have responsibility. If this does not happen, how will reconciliation occur? the president remarked.

He wondered when will we learn from the bitter experiences of the past for which the foreigners are to be blame but during our course we have also became responsible.

The development of relations and the creation of a common front between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots against division, thrashes the fundamental argument of those who insist on division and visualize the creation of two separate states in Cyprus with the pretext that Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots cannot live together.

The policy which we have promoted for a solution from Cypriots to Cypriots, expresses our policy of rapprochement, said President Christofias, adding that great pressure will be created on foreigners, including Turkey, if both communities manage to find a common language on the Cyprus issue and prove that if they are left on their own, they can reach a solution.

He said this policy does not absolve Turkey of its responsibilities; on the contrary. The people of Cyprus have suffered greatly from given solutions, he added.

President Christofias remarked that the Cyprus issue is not an easy issue to resolve and that it requires a multi-faceted policy to enable a solution. A fundamental precondition to reach a solution is the cooperation and consent of Turkey to a solution that will benefit Cyprus and its people, he said, adding that this policy is being promoted by the government from the first day it undertook office.

Noting that with intense international activity we are pursuing the collective action of the Security Council on the basis of the resolutions and decisions on Cyprus, President Christofias added that he is working very hard and methodically to get the EU mobilized and to exert pressure on Turkey, in the backlight of its accession course, so that the occupation force will cooperate for a fair, viable and functional solution to the Cyprus issue.

The aim is to reunite Cyprus on the basis of a bizonal, bicommunal federation which will secure the political equality with the right interpretation of the term, between the two communities and the federal state to have a single sovereignty, nationality and international identity. We agreed on all these before entering the direct talks with Mr. Talat, the President added.

[02] HOUSE PRESIDENT ARMENIA - PRESSER

Garoyian and National Assembly of Armenia President Hovik Abrahamyan held a joint press conference at the end of Garoyians official visit where they also announced that visits by parliamentary delegations of the two countries and government officials would be held, while Abrahamyan accepted an invitation by Garoyian to visit Cyprus in the coming year.

They also pledged to work for opening an Armenian embassy in Nicosia and a Cypriot embassy in Yerevan, hoping to achieve this within 2009 when President of the Republic of Cyprus Demetris Christofias will pay an official visit to the country.

In his opening remarks, Garoyian thanked his Armenian counterpart for the invitation, to visit the land of his ancestors.

My visit confirms the excellent relations between the two Parliaments and at the same time underlines our will to widen and reinforce even further our traditional and excellent relations, he said.

[03] INTERIOR MINISTER QATAR VISIT

Sylikiotis will attend the opening ceremony of the Exhibition ``Milipol Qatar 2008``.

According to an official press release issued here today, during his visit, Sylikiotis will have a meeting with his counterpart of Qatar Abdullah Bin Nasser Bin Khalifa Al Thani.

He will also visit infrastructure projects concerning his Ministry.

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