Athens News Agency: News in English, 08-07-19

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Support for Cyprus President's efforts

[02] Wildfire breaks out near Patras

[03] Cyprus invasion front-pages exhibition

[01] Support for Cyprus President's efforts

The delegation is representing the Greek Parliament at memorials and other events throughout the weekend in the government-controlled areas of the Republic of Cyprus, to pay tribute to those killed during the Turkish invasion of the island in 1974.

Parliament's 5th vice-president Vera Nikolaidou (Communist Party of Greece-KKE), said that all the parties in the Greek parliament were closely following the developments and efforts for a solution to the Cyprus issue, which she said must be in the benefit of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots alike.

She noted that President Christofias had given them a detailed briefing, during his meeting on Friday with the delegation, and expressed hope that his upcoming meeting on July 25 with Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat would be a "beginning to the much-desired solution of a bizonal, bicommunal federation with political equality, a single sovereignty, a single nationality, and a single international identity".

Greek ruling New Democracy (ND) party parliamentary group secretary, MP Ioannis Tragakis, noted that an upgraded parliamentary delegation was attending the events this year, given that MPs of all the parties represented in parliament were taking part in the delegation.

Tragakis further said that the Hellenic Parliament condemned Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's illegal visit to the occupied sector of Cyprus, which he said concerned "the domestic problems in Turkey".

Main opposition PASOK deputy Theocharis Tsiokas stressed that there must be a "democratic and just" solution to the Cyprus issue. "Erdogan's presence in the occupied sector does not contribute to the efforts for a solution. This is not the time for Turkey to export its internal problems," he added.

Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA) parliamentary alliance MP Anna Filini voiced optimism that, despite the difficulties, a solution would be found for Cyprus' reunification, without occupation troops, and also called for protection of the cultural heritage in the occupied sector.

Popular Orthodox Rally (LAOS) MP Kyriakos Velopoulos described Turkey as a "bad mother-in-law" on the Cyprus issue, and Erdogan's illegal visit to the occupied sector as an "act of desperation" due to the problems he was facing in his country.

Earlier, the Greek parliamentary delegation attended a memorial service for the officers and soldiers of the Greek army contingent in Cyprus (ELDYK) who were killed during the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus, held at a military camp outside Nicosia, where they also laid a wreath. The service was also attended by Cyprus defence minister Costas Papacostas, who paid tribute to the heroism and sacrifice of the ELDYK men.

The Greek government will be represented by National Education and Religious Affairs Minister Evripidis Stylianidis, who will arrive on the island early on Sunday.

During his visit, Stylianides will be received by Cyprus President Christofias.

Turkey, a country which aspires to become an EU member still occupies 37% of the territory of Cyprus, an EU member since May 2004.

Caption: Cyprus President Demetris Christofias during a visit to Greece in March. (ANA-MPA/S. Pantzartzi)

[02] Wildfire breaks out near Patras

A strong firefighting force has rushed to the area, where the fire broke out at 4:30 p.m.

A team of 30 firemen with 15 fire engines were battling the blaze, assisted by two scooping planes and a helicopter.

The fire was not threatening populated areas, according to firefighters, while the low-intensity winds were not obstructing the firefighting effort.

[03] Cyprus invasion front-pages exhibition

"Those days, and this exhibition, awaken bitter and sa dmemories of that era, which led to the mutilation of our small homeland," Cypriot justice and public order minister Kypros Chrysostomides said as he inaugurated the exhibition.

Chrysostomides added that "beginning with the (military) coup (in Greece), which Turkey used as a pretext for the invasion (of the northern part of Cyprus), we have been led, 34 years later, to be struggling for the reunification of our homeland and the reversal of the faits accomplis of the occupation", and stressed that "we must know our history, because otherwise we are doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past".

ESIEA board of directors member Nikos Filis said that the exhbition "helps us remember, not in order to be stuck in the past, but in order to realise our mistakes and the prospects we have to reverse the reality on the basis of the principles of international law, on the basis of respect of the rights of the citizens".

The exhibition will run through August 31.

Caption: Exhibition of newspaper front-pages during the Turkish invasion of Cyprus opens at House of Cyprus in Athens. (ANA-MPA)

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