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Saturday, 21 December 2024
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Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 09-01-26Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org.cy>CONTENTS
[01] GOVERNMENT - OLGACTurkish actor Attila Olgacs confession that he killed ten Greek Cypriots during the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus was the focus of a meeting convened on Monday by Presidential Commissioner George Iacovou. The meeting was also attended by the Attorney General, Foreign Ministry officials and representatives of the Committee of Missing Persons and Undeclared Prisoners of War.Government Spokesman Stephanos Stephanou said here today that the government had from the very beginning said that it will look into this issue with seriousness and responsibility and use all potential provided through this confession to try and establish the fate of missing persons. He said that this issue is very sensitive and the government will refrain from making many statements about it. Asked to outline the government position on missing Turkish Cypriots from 1963 (when intercommunal fighting broke out) to 1974, the Spokesman recalled that a process has started through the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus (CMP) with a view to ascertain the fate of missing persons and the circumstances under which they disappeared. This process, he pointed out, concerns both the cases of 1963-64 period as well as those relating to 1974. He said that these issues are delicate and apart from their political dimension they are mainly and primarily humanitarian issues. Furthermore he recalled that the European Court of Human Rights decision on the 4th inter-state application of the Republic of Cyprus against Turkey says that it is Turkeys obligation to contribute and act with a view to shed lights on the circumstances under which these people have disappeared. This is why Turkey must open its archives and work towards this direction, he added, noting that it is clear that war crimes have taken place. Responding to a question, the Spokesman said there is information that there may be people buried in graves at military camps of the Turkish occupation forces in northern Turkish occupied Cyprus, adding that this issue was raised by President Christofias before Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat and will be certainly discussed once procedures move forward. [02] PRESIDENT - STATE THEATREPresident of the Republic Demetris Christofias laid the foundation stone on Monday for the State Theatre of the Cyprus Theatrical Organisation, assuring that culture was a priority for the government.He added that the continuing Turkish occupation of the island`s northern third since the 1974 invasion, consumerism, the commercialisation of art, the mass subculture, the rise of violence and criminality, gradually erode the society of Cyprus and break the social fabric, and that is why the government and society at large have a duty to support culture in general. The foundation stone was laid on the construction site of the new building, a former football stadium, in Nicosia. Work is expected to be completed by the year 2011 and the total cost is estimated at 20.5 million euros. The finished project will include two theatres with a capacity of 500 and 200 seats, the offices of the Theatrical Organisation, rehearsal halls, exhibition areas, a cafeteria and other facilities. [03] GAROYIAN - LONDONPresident of the House of Representatives and Democratic Party leader Marios Garoyian has pointed out the necessity for unity, based on the principles and rights of the people of Cyprus and the Republic of Cyprus, as an EU member state.Speaking on Sunday in London at a dinner hosted in his honour by the National Cypriot Federation, Garoyian said ``we will do everything for unity, to demand what we consider our inalienable rights,`` adding that ``we will support the President of the Republic in his efforts for a Cyprus settlement based on UN resolutions, the principles and values of the EU, the high level agreements and international law, an agreement that will last in time and will secure the human rights of the people of Cyprus as a whole.`` Referring to the direct negotiations between President of the Republic Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat for a solution of the Cyprus problem, Garoyian said that unfortunately the Turkish side remains intransigent in its positions. ``If you consider the proposals submitted by the other side, you cannot be optimistic on the further course of the negotiations,`` Garoyian pointed out, adding that the Greek Cypriot side is trying to create the basis on which a functional, viable state can be built. [04] LABOUR MINISTER - EU POLICYAn EU policy on mobility should be inseparable part of the general employment policy of the member-states and should be accompanied by measures on a national, EU and bilateral level, Cypriot Minister of Labour and Social Insurance Sotiroulla Charalambous has said.She was addressing the informal meeting of Ministers for Employment and Social Affairs in Luhacovice, from 22 to 24 January organized by the Czech Presidency of the EU, which focused mainly on professional mobility. According to Charalambous, the promotion of a balanced policy which would advance both mobility and social integration constitutes the biggest challenge for the EU and its member-states. The Ministers discussed, during a working lunch, the EU directive on working time, which was rejected last December by the European Parliament, which approved a series of amendments including the opt-out clause allowing employees to work more than 48 hours per week. Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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