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Tuesday, 26 November 2024 | ||
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Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 12-02-06Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org.cy>CONTENTS
[01] House President sends resolution on Downer to UN chiefThe House of Representatives has asked the UN Secretary General to act in order to restore the impartiality of his special advisor on Cyprus, who has recently come under fire from political parties with regard to statements which were seen as undermining the Republic of Cyprus.House President Yiannakis Omirou has called on the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to personally address the issue that has arisen with statements made by his Special Advisor on Cyprus, Alexander Downer which deviate from his mandate. In a letter to Ban, Omirou forwards the unanimous resolution of the House plenary, approved on Thursday, addressed to him, on the urgency of restituting the impartiality of the role of the UN SG Special Advisor, pointing out that this responsibility lies with Ban. Downer came under severe criticism for saying that the Greek Cypriots instead of the Republic of Cyprus a fully fledged EU member since 2044 - will hold the six monthly rotating presidency of the EU Council, in the second half of 2012. Downer has since rectified his remarks. In his letter, the House Speaker refers to the incessant interest of the body on the continued efforts to solve the Cyprus issue, based on the relevant UN resolutions, safeguarding the human rights and the fundamental freedoms of all Cypriots. Within this framework, the House stresses its grave concern and disappointment over the unacceptable statements and actions of the Special Advisor, following the second Greentree meeting in New York, between the leaders of the islands two communities and the UNSG. Stressing that Downers statements and actions clearly deviate from his mandate, which is to help the parties in conducting fully-fledged negotiations with the aim to achieve an overall Cyprus settlement, Omirou expresses the hope that the SG will personally see to this serious issue. In the resolution, the House calls for the objectivity and the credibility of the institution of the Special Advisor to be restored, notes the interest of all parties involved in finding a fair and viable solution to the Cyprus issue, based on international law and the relevant UN resolutions. [02] House President in Australia for official visitHouse President Yiannakis Omirou arrived today in Melbourne, the first leg of a seven-day official visit to Australia, heading an inter-party delegation of the Cyprus House of Representatives.The visit follows an invitation by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Australia. Later today, the Cypriot delegation will meet members of the Cypriot community of Melbourne and, according to the official programme, tomorrow it will have contacts with the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Victoria Ken Smith and the President of the Legislative Council Bruce Atkinson. [03] Greek official to visit Cyprus for consultationsGeneral Secretary of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs Alexis Ioannou Zepos will be in Cyprus on Tuesday for political consultations and the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation concerning assistance from Greece in terms of expertise towards Cyprus` EU Presidency.The political discussions will be held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Nicosia between Zepos and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry Ambassador Nicholaos Emiliou, and delegations from both countries. Discussions will cover the Cyprus problem, Turkey`s EU accession course, Cyprus` exclusive economic zone, the Cypriot EU Presidency in the second half of this year, and developments in the Eastern Mediterranean. Zepos will also meet with Minister of Foreign Affairs Erato Kozakou Markoullis. [04] Cyprus Airways flights to Londons Heathrow resumeFlights to Londons Heathrow Airport, disrupted Sunday due to heavy snow, resumed this morning and Cyprus Airways is already flying to the British capital. Cyprus Airways Spokesman Kyriakos Kyriakou told CNA the two flights that were cancelled on Sunday will fly out on Monday.Already, passengers who were scheduled to fly on yesterdays CY 326 flight that was cancelled left around 1000 local time on another flight. Passengers of yesterdays flight CY 327 from Heathrow were rebooked to return to Larnaca on a different flight today in early afternoon. Heathrow Airport authorities announced that after a meeting this morning it was agreed that based on current weather forecasts, there is no need to reduce Heathrows flight schedule and its usual flight schedule will operate. Kyriakou said yesterdays changes were made in response to a request by the British Airport Authorities to all airlines using Heathrow to reduce the number of their flights to and from the airport because of severe weather conditions. Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |