Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 11-01-09

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

CONTENTS

[01] SPOKESMAN PRESIDENT SOLUTION

[02] GREEK PM CYPRUS SOLUTION APPEAL

[03] CFF 2010 POSITIVE RESULTS

[01] SPOKESMAN PRESIDENT SOLUTION

Cyprus President Demetris Christofias shares the vision of Greek Prime Minister Giorgos Papandreou that Cyprus can become an example of peaceful and democratic co-existence between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, Christians and Muslims, said here Saturday Government Spokesman Stephanos Stephanou.

President Christofias deeds have proven that he is ready and working for a solution of the Cyprus problem, he added.

Stephanou was commenting on Papandreous address to Turkish diplomats in Erzurum, Turkey on Friday.

The President, he said, is working for a solution based on clear principles, he has shown necessary pragmatism and he has undertaken initiatives by putting forward specific, balanced and constructive proposals.

Unfortunately, he added, those proposals have been rejected by the Turkish side.

If the Turkish Prime Minister considers that the time has come for a viable and comprehensive solution to be found, as he stated yesterday in his speech, Stephanou noted, then it is imperative that Turkey acts towards fulfilling its obligations towards the EU and towards implementing UN Resolutions on Cyprus.

Action is the real criteria to show the truth of the matter, he said, adding that unfortunately, Turkey has done nothing substantive towards a solution, which, as he noted, is also referred to by the EU in its Conclusions.

On the other hand, he noted, as the Greek Prime Minister said, President Christofias is the leader who can achieve the solution on behalf of the Greek Cypriots.

Invited to comment on Erdogans reply about a meeting with President Christofias, Stephanou said that a quadripartite or quintet meeting is rejected, reminding that Eroglu also suggested such a summit during the two leaders joint meeting in New York with UN SG Ban Ki-moon and that the suggestion was rejected by the UN.

There is a laid out procedure which first and foremost has to do with bi-communal talks, he said, adding that during the talks the Turkish Cypriot side must work in the same way the Greek Cypriot works so that we can reach a mutually agreed solution as far as the internal aspects of the Cyprus problem are concerned.

Thereafter, he said, and once we are within reach of an agreement on internal matters, an international conference may take place, which will concern itself with solving the security and international aspects of the problem.

The Greek Cypriot and the Turkish Cypriot sides have been engaged in direct negotiations since September 2008 to find a mutually agreed settlement that will reunify the country, divided since the Turkish invasion of the island in 1974.

The two leaders met with UN SG in New York in November and agreed to meet again in Geneva late January.

[02] GREEK PM CYPRUS SOLUTION APPEAL

Speaking in a joint press conference with Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, after a meeting they had in Erzurum in Turkey, Papandreou said that we wish to see a smooth co-existence of the two communities in Cyprus, through a viable and just solution.

Papandreou said that the Turkish Cypriots are aware of how many times he fought for them. I have talked with them (Turkish Cypriots) about the European perspective of the Republic of Cyprus and about how much we want them to be part of that perspective.

They should know (Turkish Cypriots) that we will work, both countries (Greece and Turkey) will work, in order to give a new perspective for the solution of the Cyprus problem, he concluded.

[03] CFF 2010 POSITIVE RESULTS

According to a press release issued by the CFF, the Federation has expressed its satisfaction over its course in 2010, during which it has successfully organised seminars and events. In addition, the Federation had a successful presence in international games. Cyprus won eight medals in international fencing meetings. Heracles Emmanouilides has secured three medals Costas Yiannaki has secured two and Panayiotis Papageorgiou, Charalampos Papageorgiou and Eleni Karagianni have won one medal abroad.

On a national level, Nicosias Fencing Club won the Cyprus Championship.

For 2011, the organization of Aphrodite Cup that will take place in Limassol next May constitutes the most important challenge for the Cyprus Fencing Federation.

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