Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 12-02-07

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

CONTENTS

[01] House President urges Canberra to act on Turkey

[02] Acting House Pr. signs book for Egyptian tragedy

[03] Cyprus and Greece to sign sports protocol

[01] House President urges Canberra to act on Turkey

Omirou, on the second day of an official visit to Australia heading an inter-party delegation, met today in Melbourne with the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Victoria Ken Smith and the President of the Legislative Council Bruce Atkinson, as well as parliamentarians from both Houses.

The Presiding Officers hosted a lunch for the Cypriot delegation and were briefed on the latest developments concerning Cyprus talks.

We call on the international community and friendly countries like Australia to convey a clear message to Turkey to fully respect and comply with international law, so that a just and viable solution can be found soon the President of the Cyprus House of Representatives said during lunch.

In statements after the meeting, Omirou noted he had encountered the understanding of both House Presidents of the Parliament of Victoria towards the position of the Republic of Cyprus vis-a-vis a political settlement.

The Australian government and political parties are continuously endorsing a Cyprus solution on the basis of the UN Charter, the relevant Security Council resolutions and European and international law, he said.

He thanked Australia both for its display of support towards Cyprus and for hosting a numerous Cypriot Australian community that numbers 90 thousand people.

During lunch, Omirou also referred to Turkish threats against the exercise of the Cyprus sovereign rights in its Exclusive Economic Zone, which, he noted, is another proof of why Cyprus is not optimistic for a solution.

Prior to the meeting, the Cypriot delegation took a tour in the building of the Victorian Parliament and visited the two chambers, the Legislative Assembly or Lower House and the Legislative Council or Upper House.

After the Parliament, the President of the House and the MPs visited the National Gallery of Victoria which houses a collection of Aboriginal artifacts.

[02] Acting House Pr. signs book for Egyptian tragedy

Anastasiades signed the book of condolences at the Embassy of Egypt in Nicosia, noting that it was ``with deep sorrow and shock that he was informed about the heavy toll of human lives and injured Egyptian people following the Port Said football match last week.``

``Such violent clashes shatter the lives, not only of the victims themselves, but also those of the families and loved ones. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Egyptian leadership, the families of the victims and the injured. On behalf of the members of the House of Representatives and on my own behalf let me express our heartfelt condolences for this tragic loss of life and the sincere wish for a speedy recovery of the injured,`` he wrote.

On February 1, seventy-three people were killed and at least a thousand were injured in clashes after a football match between two Egyptian teams in Port Said.

[03] Cyprus and Greece to sign sports protocol

The new protocol, to be signed on Friday by CSO Chairman Pambos Stylianou and Bitsaxis, provides for the exchange of athletes for preparation and participation in games, as well as clauses on issues of great concern to European sports, such as fixed games and doping.

CSO and the Greek organisation will make sure that the programmes of bilateral sports exchanges are complementary to actions developing within sports organisations, mainly concerning doping, fixed games, illegal bets, and violence.

They will also support high level sports, measures to improve the position of women in sports, and actions to promote ethics.

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