Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 10-12-14

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

CONTENTS

[01] PRESIDENT NEGOTIATION DEVELOPMENTS

[02] SECURITY COUNCIL UNFICYP

[03] CYPRUS ISRAEL - CONSULTATIONS

[04] CMP - DONATION GRATITUDE

[01] PRESIDENT NEGOTIATION DEVELOPMENTS

The Cypriot President was speaking during the ceremony where he was awarded the status of honorary graduate of Political Science and Public Administration of the Law, Economics and Political Sciences Department of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, which took place today at 17:00 in Athens.

Referring to the ongoing UN led negotiation process between himself and the leader of the T/c community he stressed that it is up to Ankara to unlock the deadlock, noting however that this does not mean that he underestimates the ongoing dialogue, the only process which may lead to a solution.

Turkey, he underlined must be at last convinced to use her decisive role towards solving the Cyprus problem, adding that this would strengthen its accession process and the chances it has to become a full member of the EU.

We managed to sufficiently clarify the basis of negotiations, he said ,adding that for the first time the T/c side committed to one state, with a single sovereignty, a single nationality and a single international personality, whilst at the same time an arbitration free procedure without artificial time limits was ensured steering the procedure away from past dangers.

We have entered the discussions in good will, he noted, and we submit proposals within the framework of UN SC Resolutions, adding that the proposals are based on principles and are realistic at the same time.

The Turkish side, however, he said, is not as constructive, given that at a recent party congress Eroglu reaffirmed his support for two states, two sovereignties, two people in Cyprus, a position on which the T/c leader stands firm whilst at the same time initiatives originating both from Eroglu and Turkey are being undertaken promoting the upgrading of the occupied areas.

The Governments multi level foreign policy working in parallel with the negotiation process aims to help towards the achievement of a solution of the Cyprus problem, by activating the support of friendly states within and outside of the UN SC as a safety clause for Cyprus, he said.

Our vision, President Christofias said, is to achieve a solution of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation, embodied in a state with a single sovereignty, a single nationality and a single international personality, in which the human rights and basic freedoms of all citizens are respected.

We wish, he said, for a solution based on international and European law, a free and prosperous country for all its citizens G/cs, T/cs, Maronites, Armenians and Latins.

Our vision, he noted, is for a Cyprus which will be a bridge of joint understanding and creativity between different cultures, languages, religions and nationalities, adding that a reunited Cyprus has much to offer to the EU.

Turkey could make a realistic claim for full EU accession if such a solution was reached, he said, adding that it would also contribute to the creation of security and prosperity conditions in the greater area of the Southeastern Mediterranean.

[02] SECURITY COUNCIL UNFICYP

Fourteen members voted for the resolution and one (Turkey) voted against the resolution.

UNFICYP is made up of 859 military personnel and 68 UN police officers. It arrived in Cyprus in March 1964 after intercommunal fighting broke out between the islands two communities.

[03] CYPRUS ISRAEL - CONSULTATIONS

An official press release says the Israeli delegation was led by the Senior Deputy Director General of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Rafael Barak.

It also notes during the political consultations the two parties discussed issues pertaining to the Cyprus problem, the Middle East peace process and the European Union Israel relations.

Furthermore, the bilateral relations between Cyprus and Israel as well as the candidacies of the two countries at the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) were also considered, the press release concludes.

[04] CMP - DONATION GRATITUDE

A press release issued by the Committee said that ``this renewed donation will enable the CMP to pursue its project on the Exhumation, Identification and Return of Remains of Missing Persons into 2011.``

To date, human remains representing over 750 individuals have been exhumed while over 260 missing persons have been identified and returned to the families concerned. The CMP is aiming to locate, exhume, identify and return as many remains as possible in order to bring an end to the uncertainty which has affected so many families for so many years.

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