Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 10-08-16

Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

CONTENTS

[01] MORPHOU - OCCUPATION - EVENTS

[02] HELIOS - FIVE YEARS

[03] CYPRUS EU - PREPARATIONS

[04] ATHLETES - EINDHOVEN

[01] MORPHOU - OCCUPATION - EVENTS

On Monday morning, a delegation of Morphou citizens will be handing over resolutions to the Embassies of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, the EU delegation in Cyprus, the President of the Republic Demetris Christofias and the President of the House of Representatives.

In the evening, a memorial service will be held in Nicosia, led by Metropolitan Bishop of Morphou Neophytos, for those killed during the 1974 Turkish invasion, and prayers will be offered to determine the fate of the missing persons and for the return of the refugees to their homes. The event will be followed by the laying of wreaths.

Minister of Labour and Social Insurance Soteroulla Charalambous will be reading the memorial address.

The events are organised by the Municipality of Morphou and organisations and associations of the district.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. The Turkish offensive was launched in two phases - on 20 July and on 14 August and has left hundreds dead and over 1,500 Greek Cypriots missing, among them women and children.

Turkey has refused to comply with repeated UN calls to withdraw its occupation troops and in spite of several rounds of peace talks, no political settlement has been achieved, due to Turkeys intransigence.

President Christofias is currently engaged in talks with the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community Dervis Eroglu in a bid to find a negotiated settlement that will reunite the country under a federal roof.

[02] HELIOS - FIVE YEARS

A memorial service was held at the chapel of Panagia Eleftherotria and Agia Paraskevi at Mosfiloti village on Saturday, which is dedicated to the memory of the 121 persons who lost their lives on 14 August 2005, when an Helios Airways Boeing 737 aircraft, on its way to Prague via Athens, crashed into Grammatikos mountain side, north of the Greek capital, Athens. Most of the dead were Cypriot holidaymakers.

Another service was held at Grammatikos at the site of the crash, in the presence of relatives of the victims.

The relatives repeated their demand that those responsible for the tragedy must be brought to justice and said that all measures necessary must be taken to avert a similar disaster.

On August 14, 2005, an ``Helios`` Boeing flying to Prague via Athens crashed into the mountain side of Grammatiko, north of the Greek capital. All passengers and crew on board, mostly Cypriots, perished.

[03] CYPRUS EU - PREPARATIONS

According to the press release, the Secretariat and the Department of Public Administration and Personnel have completed a round of discussions with all Government Ministries and other bodies, for the appointment of Chairpersons of over 130 Working Groups to be established within the framework of the Cyprus EU Presidency.

Ministries have submitted the names of candidates expected to chair the Councils Working Groups. Once selected, these chairpersons and other key personnel involved in the Presidency will undertake a training programme prepared by the Cyprus Academy of Public Administration.

The training is expected to be completed by early 2011, after which many will assume posts at the Permanent Representation of Cyprus to the EU in Brussels to become acclimatised within the Council of the EU.

[04] ATHLETES - EINDHOVEN

The two athletes are already in Eindhoven, where 700 top athletes from 58 countries will be competing in the Pieter van der Hoogenband swimming stadium, which is considered to be one of the best worldwide.

Pelendritou, who holds the world record at the 50m, 100m and 200m breaststroke in the S12 category, will be competing in the 100m breaststroke on Monday, second day of the games.

Potamitis will be competing in the 50m free on Tuesday.

Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article