Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 07-10-22

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

CONTENTS

[01] SPOKESMAN PRESIDENTS PROPOSALS 8 JULY

[02] PRESIDENTIAL ENVOY SYRIA

[03] CYPRIOT MINISTER UNESCO - CULTURAL HERITAGE

[04] RADIOMARATHON CONTRIBUTIONS

[01] SPOKESMAN PRESIDENTS PROPOSALS 8 JULY

Our proposals are on the table but there is nothing new regarding this issue, Palmas said answering to questions during his daily briefing.

President Papadopoulos has sent a letter last week to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon proposing eight points for the immediate implementation of the July 8 Agreement and other issues that concern the Cyprus problem.

President Papadopoulos and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat agreed on 8 July 2006, during a meeting in Nicosia in the presence of UN official Ibrahim Gambari, to begin a process of bicommunal discussions on issues that affect the day-to-day life of the people and concurrently those that concern substantive issues, both contributing to a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem.

Answering to questions, Palmas dismissed statements made by Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat that President Papadopoulos proposals are indefinite.

The proposals are clear and explicit, as long as there is a political will on behalf of Talat for a discussion on the basis of those proposals, he added.

The Spokesman said that Talats positions concern mainly issues of day to day life, of confidence building measures, and remit to a discussion for the creation of conditions of good neighborhood with the Greek Cypriot community.

We consider the Turkish Cypriot positions unacceptable and we believe that they constitute a method leading to the creation of two states. We do have proposals which concern confidence building measures as well as the substance of the Cyprus problem, because our ultimate goal is the comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus issue, he underlined.

Asked whether President Papadopoulos proposals are affected by the developments in Turkey regarding a possible offensive against Kurdish rebels, Palmas indicated that the Greek Cypriot side is obliged to continue submitting constructive proposals aiming at making headway regarding the Cyprus talks.

Turkeys new front in northern Iraq is not a positive development as regards the Cyprus problem Palmas added, saying that regardless of the Turkish military plans, Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot side are avoiding any discussion which is based on the Gambari Process.

Answering to questions regarding the Cypriot governments proposals for the opening of the Ledras Street crossing point in Nicosia, Palmas said that the government has always been raising security issues before the Ledras crossing point opens.

The security aspect has been the prerequisite we were raising for the opening of Ledras. When the area is under the control of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus, (UNFICYP) this automatically means that the safety of the citizens is safeguarded, there is no Turkish occupation army in the area and so we can proceed to discussions for the opening of the Ledras crossing point, he concluded.

The Republic of Cyprus joined the EU in May 2004. Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third.

[02] PRESIDENTIAL ENVOY SYRIA

Lyssarides was received on Monday by Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos and submitted a report regarding his contacts in Damascus with Syrian government officials.

Lyssarides said he held a series of meetings among others with the Syrian President, the Syrian Foreign Minister, the Syrian Vice President, as well as the President of the Syrian Parliament.

``I am convinced that the issue will be settled before Cypriot Foreign Minister Erato Kozakou Markoullis visit to Damascus and it will be settled in such a way that will satisfy our side. I believe that this mission has been crowned with success, Lyssarides told reporters after his meeting with President Papadopoulos.

[03] CYPRIOT MINISTER UNESCO - CULTURAL HERITAGE

Speaking at the 34rth General Conference of UNESCO, in Paris, Cleanthous said that today, due to the military occupation, our government does not have access to these sites and monuments, leaving them at the mercy of natures elements or worse, at risk of being deliberately destroyed.

The Cypriot Minster noted that through the ratification in 1979 of the Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property (1970) and the ratification, in 2001, of the Second Protocol to the Hague Convention of 1954 for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (1999), our government is trying to re-gain access to the archaeological sites and monuments that are in the occupied area in northern Cyprus.

There are numerous examples of illegal archaeological excavations as well as trafficking of masterpieces such as Byzantine icons, mosaics, frescoes and other priceless antiquities, he added.

[04] RADIOMARATHON CONTRIBUTIONS

The 48-hour event in aid of children with special needs began Monday morning and will close at Tuesday midnight. This is the 18th time in a row Radiomarathon is organized by the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation (CYBC) and Marfin Popular Bank.

A total of 52 kiosks opened at 06:00 local time and will be gathering donations until midnight on Tuesday, while 12 piggy-bank cars are on tour to collect money. The programme also includes eight marches, as well as sports and other events. Special events are taking place abroad, in countries where Greek and Cypriot communities live, such as UK, Australia, Canada, the US and Africa.

In a message to the people, President of the Republic Tassos Papadopoulos called on everyone to donate money to the Radiomarathon.

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