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Thursday, 21 November 2024
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Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 97-10-31Cyprus Press and Information Office: News Updates in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>News UpdateFriday, 31/10/97CONTENTS[01] President Clerides returns to CyprusPresident Glafcos Clerides returned to the island yesterday after attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Edinburgh.Speaking on arrival at the airport, President Clerides expressed satisfaction with the reference to Cyprus contained in the Commonwealth Final Communique, which he said reflected our positions. In addition the President said that the UN Secretary General's special advisor on the Cyprus problem, Diego Cordovez, will be visiting Cyprus next month in order to examine whether the two sides are ready for open-ended talks to settle the Cyprus question. Moreover he expressed the belief that there is a change in the European Union's policy in that it has realised that the Cyprus government's proposal for the demilitarisation of Cyprus should be given priority and that "we should seek a reduction of military forces within a time frame, which would lead to the demilitarisation of the island". The President said he is ready to meet Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash to discuss security issues. [02] US Congress finalises foreign aid to CyprusThe US Congress this week finalised the amount of foreign aid that the US will be sending to Greece, Cyprus and Turkey in the 1998 fiscal year.It will maintain the traditional 15 million dollar aid to Cyprus and the 10- 7 ratio of military aid to Turkey and Greece, while continuing to reduce the amount of military and economic aid to Ankara. [03] Resolution on Cypriot enclaved tabled in US House of RepresentativesA resolution has been introduced in the US House of Representatives, by Republican Congresswoman, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R- FL), calling for an end to the restrictions to the freedoms and human rights of some 500 Cypriots enclaved in the Turkish occupied part of Cyprus.Andrew Manatos, President of the National Co-ordinated Effort of Hellenes said "it is our hope that this resolution will improve the situation of the enclaved people of Cyprus and also help US policy-makers better understand part of the human tragedy of the Cyprus issue". "By systematic ethnic cleansing the enclaved Greek Cypriots have been reduced from 11.300 in 1974 (after the Turkish invasion) to 497 today," he added. He said this resolution notes 16 specific restrictions on the freedoms and human rights of the enclaved as identified by the UN Secretary-General and calls on the President of the United States to undertake efforts to end these restrictions. A similar resolution will be introduced in the US Senate in the near future. From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/Cyprus Press and Information Office: News Updates in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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