Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 12-03-11

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

CONTENTS

[01] Omirou urges international community to turn attention to Turkey

[02] House Education Committee to pay official visit to Athens

[01] Omirou urges international community to turn attention to Turkey

“The source of anomaly in the area is Turkey’s aggressive attitude,” said here Sunday Omirou, in a memorial speech for Evagoras Palikarides, a hero of the anti-colonial struggle against the British in the mid 1950s.

The recipe for peace is simple, Omirou pointed out. “Convince Turkey to agree to a solution as described by civilized humanity, withdraw its troops from Cyprus and accept international law and UN resolutions”.

Omirou paid tribute to Palikarides, saying doing this is a national duty, especially as the Cypriot people are going through difficult times, fighting for survival.

“Our duty to history and civilization is to avert the dangers which our enemies are working on, to make clear that we are not ready to wipe out our rights and forgo justice,” he stressed.

Cyprus, he added, should not remain the only divided country in Europe when Europe is proceeding with integration. “Europe should not tolerate the presence of an occupation army in one of its member states”, he said of the continuing occupation of Cyprus’ northern part by Turkey.

“We should insist on securing the rights of the people of Cyprus, through the restoration of the rights of the refugees and the enclaved Greek Cypriots in the occupied areas, the withdrawal of occupation troops and settlers, securing the smooth and effective functioning of the state, peaceful co-existence with our Turkish Cypriots compatriots, wealth and progress for all the people of Cyprus”, he added.

He said Cyprus feels stronger as Greece and the Greek nation stand by it.

Referring to the ongoing UN-led negotiations direct negotiations between President of the Repubic Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu to reunify the island, Omirou said the talks have not achieved any progress, but instead they have highlighted once again the intensified Turkish intransigence.

Turkey, he noted, appears to be the third party with good will and a neutral observer that seeks a solution, pushing for either an international conference on Cyprus or a deadlock in the negotiations, with apportioning equal responsibility to both sides.

Omirou said it is imperative to change the policy in the negotiations and strategy in the overall handling of the talks by reporting the Turkish stance before the international and European community and by formulating an outline for a solution that will safeguard the national and natural survival of Cypriot Hellenism.

Evagoras Pallikaridis was an EOKA fighter during the 1955 - 1959 struggle against British colonial rule in Cyprus. At the age of 19 he was sentenced to death by hanging for firearms possession.

[02] House Education Committee to pay official visit to Athens

During the visit, the members of the Committee will have the chance to exchange views with the Greek Parliament Education Committee and hold meetings at the Ministry of Education on a number of issues, Committee chairman, Nicos Tornaritis has said.

The main issues of discussions will be the implementation of the new educational programmes and the expansion of cooperation in education between the two countries. The two sides will also examine how Cyprus can contribute to alleviate the crisis in Greece.

The delegations, Tornaritis added, will also examine undergraduate and graduate studies in Greece and see whether the Greek Education Ministry intends to close down certain universities, affecting Cypriot students.

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