Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 09-01-12

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

CONTENTS

[01] CHURCH RELICS - EXHIBITION

[02] CYPRUS - KIDNEY TRANSPLANTS

[03] FREE GAZA MISSION

[01] CHURCH RELICS - EXHIBITION

Archbishop of the Church of Cyprus Chrysostomos II said on Monday that the relics are already on display and on January 19 we will have an event at the Makarios Foundation and will hold the opening of this exhibition of our stolen treasures.``

Asked if there were any developments in the issue of the relics in the custody of the German police, the Archbishop said ``a proposal has been presented to us and we are discussing it.``

He reminded that the Republic of Cyprus has won the court case, but Dikmen, in whose possession religious items belonging to the Church of Cyprus has been found, appealed the court decision. These items come from Cyprus northern Turkish occupied areas.

[02] CYPRUS - KIDNEY TRANSPLANTS

In statements after a meeting with Archbishop Chrysostomos II, Kyriakides said that during 2008 the Centre carried out 58 kidney transplants, a number which in proportion to the population (one million people) is the biggest in the world.

Kyriakides said that during the past 22 years, there were 824 transplants and 600 patients are being treated on a systematic basis.

The Archbishop, who visited the Centre, expressed the intention of the Church to construct a medical treatment centre in Cyprus. He also praised the work of the Parskevaidion Centre.

[03] FREE GAZA MISSION

Coordinator of the mission and Free Gaza Movement representative Vangelis Pissias said that the effort to travel to the Gaza Strip comes after the attack against the movements vessel Dignity and after the destructive operation of the Israelis against the people of Gaza.

He said that we cannot remain indifferent, adding that their message is that human beings have to help other people when they suffer and they are in pain.

Pissias said that no offensive against this mission is justified and that if Israel wants to live peacefully in the Mediterranean, it will have to consider some rules, morals and values.

He also noted that there have been threats against the mission, adding that they have received a note which defines the area which Israel has declared as war zone, approximately 20 nautical miles south of Gaza.

Responding to a question, he said that they will try to enter Gaza through the normal way and will not provoke anybody.

Member of Greek opposition PASOK party (Panhellenic Socialist Movement) Sofia Sakorafa said that activists know about the diplomatic note which the Republic of Cyprus has received from Israel to prevent the sailing of the ship and added that the mission was informed by the Cyprus government about the issue.

He said that the Israelis had no right to put pressure on the Cyprus government regarding the sailing of the ship, adding that we do not intend to cause any trouble, we are just transporting humanitarian aid, doctors and media, we are not terrorists.

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