Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 01-04-26

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From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>

Thursday, 26 April 2001

CONTENTS

• [01] Statement by French Foreign Ministry on Mr Vedrine's visit to Cyprus
• [02] Petition to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe on missing children
• [03] House of Representatives delegation to the Council of Europe demands the immediate release of Panicos Tsiakourmas
• [04] Presentation of credentials
• [05] Re-election of Cyprus judge in the European Court of Human Rights

[01] Statement by French Foreign Ministry on Mr Vedrine's visit to Cyprus

"I would now like to talk about Mr. Vedrine's upcoming trip, April 26-28, to Cyprus, Lebanon and Syria.

The Minister will arrive in Cyprus on April 26, 2001 and will leave the island on April 27 in the middle of the day.

He will be accompanied by high-ranking officials, close aides and the chairman of the National Assembly Foreign Affairs Committee, Francois Loncle.

He will have a working dinner in the evening of April 26, a meeting the next day with the president of the Republic of Cyprus, Glafcos Clerides, and talks with his Cypriot counterpart, Ioannis Kasoulides.

The visit will allow us to intensify bilateral relations, traditionally very good, with a candidate country to the European Union which is moving forward rapidly in membership negotiations. During his meetings, the minister will of course discuss resolving the Cypriot question and reaffirm our support for a just and lasting political solution in the context of the United Nations, in accordance with Security Council resolutions, particularly resolution 1251 of June 29, 1999".

[02] Petition to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe on missing children

During the meeting, the delegation handed Mr Schwimmer a four-volume publication with 68,000 signatures demanding an investigation into the whereabouts of the 27 children, missing since the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus. The mothers of two of the missing children were also present at the meeting.

President Glafcos Clerides, the Archbishops of Cyprus and Greece and foreign dignitaries were among the signatories of the publication.

The Secretary General of the Council of Europe pledged to offer all assistance to help determine the fate of all the missing persons and give an end to the 27-year suffering of their families.

[03] House of Representatives delegation to the Council of Europe demands the immediate release of Panicos Tsiakourmas

"The undersigned members of the Assembly:

1. Alarmed by the abduction by the Turkish occupation troops on 12 December 2000 of the Greek Cypriot Panicos Tsiakourmas who since then has been illegally detained in 'jail' awaiting trial on the 25th February 2001.

2. Greatly worried by news regarding a serious deterioration of this health and that he is in urgent need of specialized medical treatment.

3. Considering that Turkey is responsible for his abduction and illegal detention, which constitute grave violations of the European Convention of Human Rights, to which Turkey is a party.

4. Taking into account that Tsiakourmas' abduction by the Turkish occupation troops took place within the British Sovereign Base area territory and that despite efforts made by the Cyprus Government and the British High Commission, his release has not been secured to this very day.

Calls on the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to use his influence in the direction of securing Mr Tsiakourmas' immediate release.

Demands from the Government of Turkey to take immediate measures for Tsiakourmas' release and to provide adequate medical treatment to him until his release

Calls upon the Government of the United Kingdom to intensify its efforts for Tsiakourmas' immediate and unconditional release".

Forty-two Members of Parliament, representing various parliaments at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe signed the Declaration so far.

[04] Presentation of credentials

Presenting his letters of credence at an official ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Lima, the new Cyprus Ambassador referred to the fundamental freedoms and values, shared by Cyprus and Peru and expressed gratitude for Peru's continued and unreserved support in the efforts of Cyprus and those of the international community to achieve a settlement of the Cyprus problem.

Accepting the credentials, President Corazao said that Peru supports the island's efforts for a political and diplomatic solution, which would allow the Cypriot society as a whole to reach the high level of prosperity that it is entitled to.

He also expressed his country's interest in improving relations with Cyprus and in expanding this interest in fields of mutual benefit.

[05] Re-election of Cyprus judge in the European Court of Human Rights

Mr Loucaides, who was re-elected in the first round of voting of the spring session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg on 24 April, will undertake his duties on November 1st for a six- year term.

From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/

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