Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 11-09-22

Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

CONTENTS

[01] PRESIDENT CHRISTOFIAS - UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY - SPEECH

[02] HOUSE - TURKEY - CYPRUS` EEZ

[03] COMMISSIONER - CYPRUS - EEZ

[04] FLIGHTS - GREECE

[01] PRESIDENT CHRISTOFIAS - UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY - SPEECH

The President made the remark while addressing the 66th session of the UN General Assembly today at the UN headquarters in New York, where he condemned Turkeys illegal act to conclude an agreement with the illegal regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus, to pursue exploration within the Republic of Cyprus Exclusive Economic Zone.

He underlined that Ankaras latest threats, directed against an EU member state, come at a time when Turkey seeks the opening of new chapters in its EU accession negotiations.

President Christofias told the UN body that the Turkish naval maneuvers in the region of Cyprus Exclusive Economic Zone, where exploration is being carried out, are provocative and pose a real danger for further complications in the region.

On the Cyprus issue, the President said he regrets that lately in particular the Turkish Cypriot side is backtracking even from previously found convergences and this change in the Turkish Cypriot leaderships stance draws on the recent negative and provocative policy of Turkey in the region.

President Christofias assured that he is seeking a solution that reunifies the country and its people and creates conditions of lasting peace and security on the island.

In his speech, President Christofias said Cyprus has experienced violence and still suffers from its consequences as it is still enduring the effects of the illegal Turkish invasion of 1974 and the ongoing occupation.

Noting that the Cyprus problem is first and foremost a problem of invasion and occupation, a problem of violation of international law and the human rights of Cypriot citizens, President Christofias said that since the Turkish invasion in 1974, our aim is a peaceful solution to the problem through negotiations between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot community under the auspices of the UN Secretary General and on the basis of the Security Council and the General Assembly Resolutions on Cyprus.

Since September 2008, he added, we undertook a renewed effort to solve the Cyprus problem, under the auspices of the UN, through direct negotiations between the leaders of the two communities, upon our initiative. This effort is focused on the evolution of the unitary state into a federal one, with two federated units, with political equality as defined in the UN Security Council Resolutions. One state, with a single sovereignty, a single citizenship and a single international personality.

This basis, he added, was reaffirmed by the leaders of the two communities in 2008, when they agreed on the resumption of negotiations.

At the same time, he said, the negotiation process, under the auspices of the UN, was agreed. President Christofias said the negotiations are Cypriot-led and Cypriot-owned, as it was agreed with the Secretary-General, excluding any form of arbitration and artificial timeframes. This was agreed bearing in mind recent negative experience as a result of unsuccessful attempts to solve the problem.

President Christofias said we aim to achieve a mutually-agreed solution, terminating the occupation and the illegal colonization with settlers by Turkey in the occupied part of Cyprus. We seek a solution that reunifies the country and its people and creates conditions of lasting peace and security on the island.

During the first two years of direct negotiations between the leaders of the two communities, he said, convergences have been reached on various aspects of the Cyprus problem. I regret to note that lately in particular the Turkish Cypriot side is backtracking even from previously found convergences. This change in the Turkish Cypriot leaderships stance draws on the recent negative and provocative policy of Turkey in the region.

An important aspect of the Cyprus problem, of humanitarian nature, he underlined, is the issue of missing persons. This issue, President Christofias said, must be settled regardless of the developments in the negotiations. Turkey must fulfill its obligations stemming from the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights, to allow exhumations in military areas and open the archives of its army and of other services, in order to determine the fate of the missing persons.

President Christofias told the UN General Assembly that in recent years, the Republic of Cyprus has started the process of the exploration and potential extraction of hydrocarbons within its Exclusive Economic Zone. This, he added, was preceded by Agreements to delimit the Exclusive Economic Zone with neighbouring countries, always within the framework of international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which the Republic of Cyprus has ratified.

[02] HOUSE - TURKEY - CYPRUS` EEZ

Addressing the plenary of the House on Thursday, Anastasiades said the EU message to Turkey should be clear that the continuation of its EU accession course demands the fulfillment of the commitments it has undertaken towards the EU and its member states. He noted that Cyprus` sovereign rights emanate from and are in line with international law, especially the Law of the Sea, adding that Turkey`s threats constitute a blatant violation of the UN Charter and the Law of the Sea, and furthermore violate European values and the acquis communautaire.

``Turkey`s threats unmask, once again, its true face and its expansionary plots against Cyprus. They reaffirm the longstanding and escalating intransigence of the Turkish side in efforts to solve the Cyprus problem,`` Anastasiades pointed out, adding that threats that the talks on the Cyprus issue would collapse if the Republic of Cyprus proceeds with the exploitation of its natural resources, as well as allegations that Turkey`s EU accession negotiations would freeze during Cyprus` Presidency of the EU were ``part of the arrogant tactics of Turkey and its refusal to abide by international law and the commitments it has undertaken towards the EU and its member states.``

Anastasiades welcomed the support from powerful countries and said the House deplores the ``unacceptable demands of Turkey against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of an EU member state, especially when they go against its dogma for zero problems with its neighbours, adding that ``such actions are a threat to the security and stability in the wider region.``

[03] COMMISSIONER - CYPRUS - EEZ

Oettigner, who is visiting Cyprus, met on Thursday with Cypriot Finance Minister, with whom he discussed financial issues as well as the issue of EU financial support to Cyprus following a blast in ``Evaggelos Florakis`` naval base in Mari, which crippled the islands biggest power station in nearby Vasilico.

Asked on the Commission`s position concerning Cyprus` natural gas exploration, Oettinger pointed out that ``at the moment it is time for silent and open diplomacy.``

Noting that Cyprus is an EU member-state, Oettinger pointed out that he is in close contact with Catherine Ashton High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule. ``And I am sure we will be able to give clear signals in this debate the next days,`` he added.

[04] FLIGHTS - GREECE

We were informed yesterday about a three hour go slow strike in Greece and therefore we had to adjust our flight schedule. All passengers were notified, he added.

He said that Cyprus Airways flights to Greece and other destinations have been delayed up to five hours.

Air controllers in Greece have been on a strike, protesting about austerity measures taken by the Greek government in order to tackle the countrys dire public finances.

Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article