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Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 10-05-29Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org.cy>CONTENTS
[01] BIDEN - CYPRUSUS Vice President Joe Biden has assured that the Cyprus problem is high among US foreign policy priorities and expressed support to efforts to reach a settlement that will reunify the island.Addressing delegates to the congress of the International Coordinating Committee Justice for Cyprus (PSEKA), during a meeting at the White House, Biden said Turkey must realise that it is not in its interests to maintain troops in Cyprus and expressed certainty that reason and realism will prevail in the end. Biden assured that the US administration raises the Cyprus problem with Turkish officials, and has made clear that negotiations must continue between the leaders of the two communities in Cyprus for a settlement. He added that Turkish aspirations will not materialise if Cyprus continues to be divided and the religious rights of the Ecumenical Patriarchate are not restored. President of the Cyprus Federation of America Panicos Papanicolaou said Biden was sincere and expressed hope that soon such US policy on the Cyprus problem would be formed, which would allow the Greek side to hope for a settlement. PSEKA President Philip Christopher said that if Biden and US President Barack Obama have the necessary courage, then the Cyprus problem will be solved. Member of the National Coordinated Effort of Hellenes George Tsounis said the Greek-American community and the Cypriots living in America never had a more sincere friend than Biden. [02] GOVERNMENT - EUROPEAN COURT RULINGThe government has described as unjust a European Court of Human Rights ruling, relating to property issues in Turkish occupied Cyprus, saying it would study the decision.The Court ruling in the individual cases against Turkey is an adverse development. We consider this decision unjust, Acting Government Spokesman Titos Christofides has said, commenting on the decision. The Court ruled that there was no violation of the right to respect for the home and the right regarding the prohibition of discrimination in the case of Cypriots Tasos Asproftas and Marianna Petrakidous. [03] SHIPS - GAZA PROHIBITIONA government decision to forbid the sailing of ships from Cyprus to Gaza, seeking to break the siege, was taken with a view to serve the vital interests of the country, Acting Government Spokesman Titos Christofides has said. The vessels of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition were attempting to break the siege of Gaza and carry humanitarian aid to the Palestinians.Having taken into account the difficulties and the Republics vital interests, we have called on the organisers of the trip to avoid using our territory and our ports as a springboard or the start of their journey. Our appeal went unheeded and the government was obliged to issue a decree to prohibit the sailing of ships from our ports, Christofides told the press today. Christofides stressed that Gazas blockade is contrary to international law, noting at the same time that the Republic of Cyprus is fighting for its survival (having its northern part under Turkish occupation since 1974). We believe that any action which might cause difficulties or even damage to our struggle must be avoided, he added. He said that the demand to lift this blockade is just and will serve, in the best way, the goal of reaching the soonest possible a peaceful settlement of the Palestinian problem. The lack of food and medicine threatens the survival and the health of the people of the area, including children, he pointed out, adding that Cyprus reiterates its solidarity with the just struggle of the Palestinian people. Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |