Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 06-07-18

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

CONTENTS

[01] CYPRUS - LEBANON - EVACUEES

[02] ORAMS CASE

[01] CYPRUS - LEBANON - EVACUEES

The Cypriot authorities are preparing to facilitate thousands of evacuees coming from Lebanon, since by early tomorrow morning approximately 2,500 foreign nationals will arrive on the island.

``We expect that the arrivals will increase within the next few days and we held today more meetings to prepare to face the increased work that awaits us,`` Cypriot Foreign Ministry`s Consular Affairs Division Director Omiros Mavrommatis said, adding that both the Cypriot Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the services involved will have representatives at Larnaca Port around the clock with a view to facilitate foreign nationals arriving in Cyprus.

According to Mavrommatis, a cruise ship chartered by the Norwegian government is expected to arrive in Cyprus by 01:00 tomorrow carrying 1,100 evacuees, while one hour earlier Greek frigate ``Psara`` will dock at Larnaca Port, carrying 300 Greeks, among them 68 Cypriots. Furthermore, cruise ship Orient Queen chartered by the US government will be arriving early tomorrow at 06:00 carrying more than 1,000 American citizens from Lebanon, while British Gloucester will arrive at Limassol Port tomorrow at 06:00 carrying British and other nationals.

``This wave of arrivals shows the upgraded role Cyprus is playing especially when there is a crisis in the region,`` Permanent Secretary of the Cypriot Ministry of Foreign Affairs Sotos Zackheos noted.

Furthermore, Zackheos said that the Greek frigate will also carry 68 Cypriots from Lebanon, among them 20 children, including the three children who have been cut off in Southern Lebanon city Nabadiye ever since the Israeli attacks started and managed to return by car to Beirut yesterday.

``With this mission we conclude the repatriations of Cypriots that expressed desire to return from Lebanon,`` he added.

[02] ORAMS CASE

The case involves a Court order from Cyprus for the return of land, in the Turkish occupied part of the island, on which the Orams coupled had built a house. The land belongs to Meletis Apostolides, a Greek Cypriot refugee. The Court has also ordered the Orams to pay compensation to Apostolides for the loss of use of his property.

The British couple appealed against this ruling and a three day hearing began today before the High Court. The hearing will continue tomorrow.

Blair argued that David and Linda Orams found themselves unwittingly embroiled in this situation, which is the result of the Turkish invasion and are now running the risk of losing their family home in Britain.

Tom Birley, legal counsel for Apostolides, argued that the only way the Orams are not going to lose their family home is to abide by the Court ruling, to which Blair said that this cannot be implemented because in northern Cyprus there is another "legal" framework (administered by the Turkish Cypriot regime which no state but Turkey recognises).

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