Day: March 9, 2022

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Greece ‘worked with Egypt to stall criticism of Sisi’

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Al-Araby

A leaked memo claims that Egyptian foreign ministry officials worked together with Greek diplomats to mitigate criticism of Cairo’s horrific human rights abuses, according to reports. The memo describes concerted efforts by Greek officials to pressure their European Union counterparts to drop any reference to Egypt in a 2017 statement to the UN Human Rights Council or block any objections to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi’s abysmal human rights record, Middle East Eye reported. The memo was reportedly written by foreign ministry officials under incumbent Egyptian Foreign Minister Same… Continue reading “Greece ‘worked with Egypt to stall criticism of Sisi’”

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Almost 3,000 Ukrainian refugees in Cyprus since February 25

A total of 2,935 Ukrainian citizens fled their country and arrived to Cyprus since February 25 when Russian invaded Ukraine, the Ministry of Interior announced Wednesday, pointing out that all state authorities were mobilized when the crisis broke out.

The Ministry said that Cyprus has accommodated Ukrainian refugees and was the first EU member state to do so even before the European Commission finalized its decisions on how to deal with the humanitarian crisis.

Interior Ministry said that of the 2,935 Ukrainian citizens, 71 expressed interested to be granted status of temporary protection, while 19 applied for asylum.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

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US and UNDP sign grant agreement for bi-communal cultural heritage education programme

A grant agreement for the implementation of an interactive shared cultural heritage education programme for Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot youth was signed on Wednesday by United States Ambassador to Cyprus Judith Garber and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Chief of Mission in Cyprus Jakhongir Khaydarov, during an event held at the Home for Cooperation in Nicosia.

The event was also attended by representatives of the US Embassy, the European Commission, the UNDP, as well as the Bicommunal Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage.

In her speech during the event, Garber said that the two-year, 100,000-dollar award to create an interactive platform to promote shared cultural heritage “is representative of the long-standing US support to UNDP in Cyprus, as well as the fantastic work of the Bicommunal Technical Committee,” noting that “the bea

Source: Cyprus News Agency

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Cypriot Minister expresses full opposition to Russian offensive against Ukraine during EU Informal Meeting

Cyprus Education, Culture, Sports and Youth Minister, Prodromos Prodromou, expressed his full opposition to the military attack of Russia against Ukraine during his participation on March 7-8 in the Informal Meeting of the EU Ministers responsible for culture and the audiovisual sector that took place under the presidency of French Minister of Culture, Roselyne Bachelot-Narquin.

According to a press release issued by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports and Youth, Prodromou reaffirmed his agreement with the Joint Statement of the 27 on the issue of Ukraine and paralleled the Russian offensive with the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, underlining Cyprus` steadfast commitment to the international law, the respect of sovereignty, the independence and the territorial integrity of all states, and the fundamental values, on which the EU is based.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

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Cyprus and Slovenia have a duty to further strengthen relations, Presidents Anastasiades and Pahor pledge

President of the Republic Nicos Anastasiades praised cooperation with Slovenia and said we have a duty to secure and strengthen our bonds.

He was speaking during a dinner on Tuesday in honour of the Slovenian President Slovenia, Borut Pahor who is in Cyprus for an official visit.

Replying, the Slovenian President said his visit “further deepens cooperation between the two countries” .

Source: Cyprus News Agency

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Cyprus dispatches 150 tonnes of humanitarian aid to Ukraine in a demonstration of solidarity, Foreign Ministry says

Cyprus on Tuesday dispatched the first tranche of humanitarian aid to war-ravaged Ukraine, as a demonstration of “tangible solidarity” to the Ukrainian people, the Foreign Ministry said in a press release.

The humanitarian aid will be transported via cargo ship to Thessaloniki and then to Poland where the European Union has established a logistics hub of the Union Civil Protection Mechanism in cooperation with the Polish authorities.

According to the Ministry the first tranche involves 150 tonnes of humanitarian aid including 80 tonnes of food supplies (infant milk and food, flour, long life food), shelter equipment (sleeping bags, tents, blankets, biological toilets), 13 tonnes of medical supplies and medicines, 5000 pairs of shoes, 22500 liters of bottled water, electricity generator, personal hygiene kits and other civil protection and first aid equipmen

Source: Cyprus News Agency

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Cabinet approves purchase of grain by the state to deal with crisis, ready for more orders if needed, says Minister

The Cabinet approved on Wednesday a proposal tabled by the Minister of Agriculture which provided that the government will buy quantities of grain in order to deal with the crisis following Russia`s invasion to Ukraine.

Agriculture Minister Costas Kadis told the press after the meeting of the Ministerial Council that the state will purchase 36,000 tons of barley and corn, to increase stockpile capacity due to the crisis.

He assured that situation is under assessment and if necessary, new orders will be placed.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

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Ukraine should be a bridge between East and West, we support dialogue for peace, Chinese Ambassador tells CNA

Ukraine should function as a bridge between the East and the West, not a frontier in big power confrontation, the Ambassador of China to Cyprus, Liu Yantao, has told the Cyprus News Agency (CNA), stressing that “the Cold War mentality should be discarded completely.”

Moreover, he stressed that “China is prepared to continue playing a constructive role in facilitating dialogue for peace, and work alongside the international community to carry out necessary mediation, if it is needed.”

Asked about China`s position regarding the war in Ukraine and about Beijing`s role in addressing the situation, Liu said that “what is needed to solve complex issues is a cool head and a rational mind, not adding fuel to the fire, which only intensifies the situation.

Source: Cyprus News Agency