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Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 11-01-04
CONTENTS
[01] FRANCE LITURGY INTERRUPTION
[02] CHRISTMAS MASS US REACTIONS
[01] FRANCE LITURGY INTERRUPTION
France has expressed regret over the interruption of a Christmas
liturgy in the Turkish occupied north of Cyprus by Turkish troops.
A French Foreign Ministry spokesperson said in statements posted on the
Ministry`s website on December 31st, 2010 that France makes an appeal
for respect of the freedom to religion and beliefs, among which is the
freedom to worship, as defined by article 18 of the Ecumenical
Declaration for Human Rights.
``France particularly regrets for the interventions, including the
interventions by the security units, which prevented the celebration of
the Christmas Liturgy in the Karpasia peninsula in Cyprus` northern
part,`` he noted.
[02] CHRISTMAS MASS US REACTIONS
The US Commission on International Religious Freedom, Archbishop
Demetrios and the Coordinated Effort of Hellenes have decried the
interruption of Christmas mass, by the Turkish occupation regime, in
the northern Turkish occupied part of Cyprus.
The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has
expressed concern that Greek Orthodox Christians were refused the right
to celebrate a Christmas Liturgy service in the village of Rizokarpaso,
in Cyprus Turkish occupied areas. USCIRF said that the so-called
Turkish Cypriot police entered the Church of Saint Sinesios and
demanded that worship activities cease because the government had not
granted the congregation permission for the service.
In response to the action of the illegal Turkish Cypriot regime in
Rizokarpaso, Archbishop Demetrios of America sent a letter to Secretary
of State Hillary Clinton dated December 30, 2010 bringing to the
Secretarys attention the disturbing and painful event which happened on
Christmas Day in the small church of Saint Synesios in the town of
Rizokarpaso in the northern Turkish occupied territory of Cyprus.
The Coordinated Effort of Hellenes (CEH) has sent a letter to President
Barack Obama urging him to stop Turkey from following through with its
recent threats against the Republic of Cyprus. It appears that the
threats and actions are linked to Cyprus` bilateral agreement with
Israel to enable joint hydrocarbon exploration through an American
company, CEH noted.
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