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Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 08-04-04
CONTENTS
[01] PRESIDENTIAL COMMISSIONER - LEDRA STREET
[02] CYPRUS - UNIVERSITIES
[01] PRESIDENTIAL COMMISSIONER - LEDRA STREET
President Demetris Christofias returns home urgently because he wants
to handle in person any possible escalation of events, following last
nights provocation by the Turkish occupation army on the island,
according to one of his top aides. The Presidents urgent return to the
island ensures that he will be in Cyprus in person to handle any
possible worsening of the situation, Presidential Commissioner George
Iacovou has said.
The Commissioners comments came in response to questions about the
Presidents decision to cut short his visit to London two days earlier
than scheduled, because last night the Turkish military entered the
demilitarised area near the Ledra street crossing point, to and from
the northern Turkish occupied part of the country. The crossing point
had opened barely 12 hours earlier. The Cyprus government decided to
close it Thursday evening after the Turkish military breached the terms
of an agreement reached about opening the crossing point.
After Thursdays opening ceremony at Ledra street, at the end of the
day, the Turkish occupation forces violated what had been agreed. They
entered the demilitarised zone of the checkpoint, the Commissioner
explained. The government, he said, protested and because the Turkish
military wouldnt leave, we decided to close the checkpoint as we cannot
have the crossing point open, while the agreement is being violated.
President Christofias was briefed about developments on arrival in
London, the situation was reviewed and the President decided that he
had to return to Cyprus. The Presidential Commissioner further noted
that this was not the only provocation by the occupation forces.
[02] CYPRUS - UNIVERSITIES
Cyprus has every reason to be proud of its achievements in the
academia, having only recently acquired its own universities, Minister
of Education and Culture Andreas Demetriou said here today. Addressing
the third ministerial meeting of small European countries, in Nicosia,
the Minister said the six universities on the island, three of which
are state universities, have an international orientation and they can
offer their experience and expertise to universities in other small
states.
He said the Nicosia meeting will provide the forum where
educationalists will be able to exchange views and know-how on setting
up a university and enhance cooperation on academic issues. ``I am
sure that the meeting will succeed in its objective to upgrade ties
among our nations and thereby improve the academic excellence of our
Universities,`` he said. Cyprus, he added, can be proud of its
experience in setting up third level educational establishments which
have strong links with the academia abroad.
The theme of the Nicosia meeting is ``Modernization of European
Universities: Challenges for Small Countries``. Ministers and officials
of higher education from small European countries such as Andorra,
Iceland, Lichtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Montenegro and San Marino are
attending the meeting.
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