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Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 10-07-19Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org.cy>CONTENTS
[01] FM MEETS GREEK ALTERNATE FMThe time that has elapsed since the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus is too long and todays unacceptable situation has to end and all occupation troops must withdraw and allow the Cypriot people to live free in peace and security, Greek Alternate Foreign Minister Demetris Droutsas has said after a meeting in Athens with Cypriot Foreign Minister Markos Kyprianou.On his part, Kyprianou noted that Tuesday marks the 36th anniversary of the Turkish invasion and thanked once again the Greek government, the politicians and the Greek people for their steadfast support and solidarity with the people of Cyprus in their efforts to free and reunite their country. Droutsas and Kyprianou reviewed developments in the Cyprus problem and exchanged views on the prospects of Turkeys EU accession course. Kyprianou briefed Droutsas on his contacts in Britain. The two diplomats also discussed other issues such as the joint initiative of Greece and Cyprus to increase humanitarian help to Gaza. Kyprianou said that the Republic of Cyprus remains engaged in finding an agreed settlement, which will provide for a bizonal - bicommunal federation on the basis of UN resolutions and European law, with a single citizenship and a single international personality. The Cypriot FM stressed that it was particularly important to safeguard the ongoing agreed process of negotiations, without timeframes or arbitration, adding that he is expecting from Turkey tangible proof of constructive proposals at the talks and not communication tactics. The Minister referred to Cyprus President Demetris Christofias proposals and in particular his proposal for the return of the fenced-off town of Famagusta to the UN, (now under Turkish occupation) noting that opening the city port under EU auspices will give an impetus to the talks and will help create a good climate between the two sides. President Christofias proposals aim at supporting in a substantive way the talks. Opening the remaining chapters of the talks will help accelerate discussion and we hope this can lead to a speedy conclusion, he added. Kyprianou stressed that Turkey has to respect international law and the Law of the Sea Convention. On his part, Droutsas noted that President Christofias has submitted proposals which aim at reviving the process of the talks. We welcome this and of course he has our full support, he added. He noted that on Wednesday Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou will meet in Larnaca with President Christofias, adding that we are in close coordination and Greece stands by Cyprus and its people, not only by words but by deeds. He also referred to the Turkish vessel Piri Reis, noting that for some weeks now Turkey has been trying to create tension in the Aegean and the Kastelorizo region, questioning sovereign rights of Greece and Cyprus. Referring to this issue, Kyprianou said that Turkey often acts in a similarly provocative way against the Republic of Cyprus and violates its sovereign rights. Tomorrow Kyprianou will meet with Papandreou. [02] FINANCE MINISTER - HOUSE FINANCE COMMITTEEFinance Minister Charilaos Stavrakis has said that the government and the Finance Ministry are trying to secure the best possible rating, evaluation and reliability of the countrys economy by foreign rating agencies.In statements after a meeting of the House Finance Committee, which discussed last weeks ECOFIN decision to begin an excessive deficit procedure for Cyprus, the Minister expressed regret that the Parliament had not approved measures promoted by the government as regards the economy. We are committed to continuing our dialogue with the political parties with a view to finding measures that will improve public finances, always in a socially just way, he said. [03] ARMENIAN SPEAKER - SUPPORT TO CYPRUS SOLUTIONArmenia`s National Assembly Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan has expressed support for efforts aiming to solve the Cyprus problem and reunite the country, divided since the 1974 Turkish invasion.Abrahamyan was speaking during a meeting he had in Geneva with Cyprus House President Marios Garoyian, on the sidelines of the 3rd World Conference of Speakers of Parliament, taking place in the presence of UN Secretary General Ban Ki moon. An official press release issued here said that during the meeting the two Speakers referred to the traditionally very good relations between the parliaments of the two countries and agreed to further promote and enhance them. [04] MISSING PERSON`S RELATIVES - PETITION TO UNSGThe Committee of Parents and Relatives of non Declared Prisoners of War and Missing Persons and the Greek Committee of Relatives of Missing Persons in Cyprus have expressed their deep concern that the humanitarian issue of missing persons has not yet been resolved.In a petition to the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, on the occasion of the anniversaries of the Greek coup in Cyprus and the Turkish invasion of the island in 1974, the two organizations asked the UN as the par excellence safeguard of human rights to assume its responsibilities with regard to the blatant violation of the rights of missing persons and their families. They also asked the UN Secretary General to renew his efforts to ascertain the fate of each missing person with convincing and concrete evidence, take steps so that the Committee on Missing Persons (CMP) begins in parallel with the exhumations the substantive investigation of each missing persons fate and to call on all those who obtain information as regards missing persons to allow access to the sources and sites of this information (the archives of the Turkish authorities and the Turkish army). Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |