Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 11-01-25

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

CONTENTS

[01] PRESIDENT GENEVA MEETING

[02] ARCHIBISHOP OF PRAGUE AND SLOVAKIA - CYPRUS - VISIT

[03] GOVERNMENT - PARLIAMENT - TURKISH EMBARGOES

[04] SEMINAR - FOOTBALL VIOLENCE

[01] PRESIDENT GENEVA MEETING

President Christofias is accompanied by Presidential Commissioner George Iacovou, Government Spokesman Stephanos Stephanou and his negotiating team.

On Monday, the Government Spokesman said that President Christofias goes to the Geneva meeting in a constructive spirit and with good will, showing the necessary realism, in order to serve our firm goal, which is the achievement of a solution to the Cyprus problem the soonest possible.

He added that Cyprus expects the Turkish side to demonstrate a constructive stance at the Geneva meeting.

The Republic of Cyprus, which became a full EU member state in May 2004, is divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and since then occupy 37% of Cyprus territory. UN - led Cyprus talks are underway between President of Cyprus Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu with a view to reunify the country.

The UNSG has invited both leaders at a meeting in Geneva on the 26th of January to review progress made so far at the Cyprus talks and decide on the next steps.

[02] ARCHIBISHOP OF PRAGUE AND SLOVAKIA - CYPRUS - VISIT

The primate of the Czech and Slovak Orthodox Church was welcomed on Tuesday morning by the Archbishop of Cyprus Chrysostomos and the members of the Holy Synod, at the seat of the Archdiocese, in Nicosia.

Following a service at St. Johns Cathedral, Archbishop Chrysostomos, addressing his guest, said that his brief visit would give him the chance to see holy Christian Orthodox landmarks, which testify to the islands historical bond with Christianity and the Greek heritage throughout the ages.

The Archbishop added, however, that equally many important religious landmarks are out of reach, due to the continuous occupation of the northern part of Cyprus by the Turkish army.

Archbishop Christophoros, while speaking in Greek, said in his address, that the Cyprus issue is a matter that hurts us, in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Moreover, he noted that the autocephalous Church of Cyprus has a lot to teach to the humble Czech and Slovak Church, that continues the work of Ss. Cyril and Method within an environment, which is remote from the Orthodox faith.

In the afternoon, Archbishop Christophoros held a memorial service and laid a wreath at the Tomb of Makedonitissa, the burial place of Greek and Greek Cypriot officers and soldiers, who died in the battles of 1964 and while defending Cyprus during the Turkish invasion of 1974.

Later, the Archbishop of Prague visited the Imprisoned Graves, laying a wreath at the graves of the heroes of the anti-colonial struggle of 1955-1959, who are buried there. He was also guided in the area of the prison cells and the execution chamber.

[03] GOVERNMENT - PARLIAMENT - TURKISH EMBARGOES

Minister of Communications and Works Erato Kozakou Markoulli briefed on Tuesday the parliamentary Communications and Works Committee about her interventions at two EU Transport Ministers Councils held in October and December, concerning the issue of Turkeys embargoes and the impacts on the safety of flights due to the illegal operation of an airport in Tympou, at Cyprus Turkish occupied areas.

In statements after the meeting, Marcoullis said that they discussed how the parliament and the government can cooperate with a view to promote the goal of lifting these embargoes.

[04] SEMINAR - FOOTBALL VIOLENCE

Addressing the seminar, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice and Public Order Petros Kareklas said that the seminar concentrates on a huge problem not only for Cyprus sport fields, but also for our society.

He pointed out that the latest expression of violent behavior is between groups outside the stadium and in time periods with no football action at all.

Kareklas said that undoubtedly, there are numerous variations of the opinions regarding the true factors causing violent behavior on behalf of the teams followers.

However, he added, the subject must be considered in the context of the more general rise in juvenile crime and delinquency, as we must admit that both the extent and the nature of football-related violence are influenced by different historical, social, economic, political and cultural factors.

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