Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 09-06-21

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

CONTENTS

[01] PRESIDENT CHRISTOFIAS - CYPRUS ISSUE

[02] CYPRUS FM - RAMALLAH - OFFICE

[03] PRESIDENT CHRISTOFIAS - NEW ACROPOLIS MUSEUM

[04] ATHENS - PRESIDENT - MEETINGS

[01] PRESIDENT CHRISTOFIAS - CYPRUS ISSUE

Unless Ankara fulfills its commitments, it will find us on its path to join the Union, the President said in his address at a commemorative event in Ipati, in Greece to mark the anniversary of the holocaust of the town on June 17, 1944.

The President also said that the Greek government, the Greek political parties and generally the Greek people are Cyprus main support in efforts to find a negotiated settlement that will reunite Cyprus, divided since the 1974 Turkish invasion.

``In that Great War Cypriots, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots fought together with Greece and other nations against fascism and Nazism claiming the right to peace, justice, freedom and democracy``, President Christofias recalled.

On the night of the 25th of November, he said, during the bombing of the Gorgopotamos` bridge, a Greek Cypriot Georgios Trillides and two Turkish Cypriots Osman Souglis and Kemal Nafi participated in that mission.

President Christofias said that many citizens of Ipati have served in Cyprus after the Turkish invasion of 1974, including the Mayor Demetri Karavana and the alderman Constantinos Rouska.

Referring to the nine months of direct negotiations between the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community and himself, President Christofias said they are hard and that the path to a solution is full of obstacles.

Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot side, he added, must demonstrate understanding and the necessary good will in the direct negotiations in order to reach a solution to the Cyprus problem.

President Christofias said that if Turkey wants to proceed with its EU accession efforts, it must understand the need to meet its commitments towards the European Union and Cyprus.

He said that Cyprus, as a UN and EU member, is fighting to rid itself of the occupation, it wants a reunited country on the basis of the fundamental principles and rights which the European Union represents.

He stressed that he aims at a bizonal, bicommunal federal Cyprus, a solution based on international law and compatible with the principles and values on which the European Union is founded.

``We carry out negotiations in good faith, defending principles. We are at the same time flexible so as to achieve a compromise mutually acceptable solution, which will ensure the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of a united federal Republic of Cyprus, the human rights and the fundamental freedoms and rights of all Cypriots, Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, Maronites, Armenians and Latins.

In these efforts, he pointed out, Greece provides the main support.

[02] CYPRUS FM - RAMALLAH - OFFICE

He also discussed bilateral relations, including ways in which Cyprus can support the efforts to settle the Middle East question on the basis of the creation of two states, which will lead to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. Kyprianou met the Palestinian Prime Minister, Salam Fayyad and Palestinian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Riad Malki.

We clearly support a two state solution, as this is defined in the road map and the Annapolis process. The Palestinian state must be viable and sovereign and we shall continue to advocate this within the EU, the Minister said. He said talks covered bilateral issues, including practical ways Cyprus could help infrastructure, institutions and preparations by the Palestinians for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. The Minister announced financial aid amounting to 100.000 US dollars to the Palestinian Authority as well as a contribution of 150.000 euro to the EUPOL COPPS.

[03] PRESIDENT CHRISTOFIAS - NEW ACROPOLIS MUSEUM

In his address, Greek President Karolos Papoulias called on Britain to return the Parthenon sculptures, known as the Elgin marbles, removed from the Parthenon 200 years ago. ``Today the whole world can see the most important sculptures of the Parthenon assembled. Some are missing,`` said Papoulias. ``It`s time to heal the wounds of the monument with the return of the marbles which belong to it, he added. Britain has repeatedly refused to return dozens of the 2,500-year-old marble frieze, housed in the British Museum. The marbles were sold to the British Museum by Lord Elgin, who had them removed from the temple when he visited Greece, under Ottoman rule at the time.

Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis said that the new modern Acropolis Museum ``becomes today the ark of all the ideas Parthenon symbolises since time immemorial``. It is a living expression of the power of world culture which can and seeks to achieve the return of the marbles», he said, pointing out that the demand to have the marbles returned to Greece is not an exclusive request by Athens. It is something the entire humanity seeks to achieve, where the Parthenon and what it stands for belong, he added.

[04] ATHENS - PRESIDENT - MEETINGS

Other issues discussed during President Christofias meeting with the Serbian Prime Minister were the world financial crisis, the prospect of EU accession of the Western Balkans and bilateral relations. Cvetkovic asked to intensify bilateral relations at ministerial level in all fields with emphasis on education, economy and culture.

Regarding the meeting with the member of the US House of Representatives, Titus said after the meeting that she discussed with President Christorfias issues of common interest. She added that they discussed about Cyprus reunification which President Christofias eagerly supports. She also said that she will convey the congratulations of President of the Republic to the American President Barack Obama, who, she noted, he talks more about diplomacy, compromise and solution which will assist the entire region in which both Cyprus and Greece play an important role».

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