Month: October 2022

The powerful of the world should take initiatives for the termination of the ongoing tragedy of Cyprus’ missing persons, for the benefit of their relatives, says the Office of the Commissioner of the Presidency, in a message on the occasion of the Day of Missing Persons.

 

Cyprus commemorates October 29 as the Day of Missing Persons, to mark the day in 1974 when the exchange of prisoners following the Turkish invasion of Cyprus was completed, according to a press release by the Presidency of the Republic.

 

Since then, ”a new tragic period’ for the Greek Cypriots began, a period ”of anguish and search for the hundreds of our compatriots who never returned to their families and since then their fate is unknown”, it is added.

 

Furthermore, it is noted that Turkey, which is “responsible for creating the problem, but also for perpetuating it to this day with obstacles and tactics, still refuses to cooperate honestly to solve the problem.” It is underlined that “Turkey continues to defiantly and arrogantly disregard the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights as well as other international organisations.”

 

“We expect civilised humanity, the United Nations, the European Union, but also the powerful of the earth to undertake humanitarian initiatives and contribute substantially and effectively to terminate the ongoing tragedy for the benefit of the missing persons’ families,” the announcement says.

 

“On our part, we will intensify our efforts and continue with consistency and determination the struggle to ascertain the fate of the last missing person, whether they are a Greek Cypriot, a Greek or a Turkish Cypriot,” the press release concludes.

 

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37% of its territory. Since then, the fate of hundreds of people remains unknown.

 

A Committee on Missing Persons has been established, upon agreement between the leaders of the two communities, with the scope of exhuming, identifying and returning to their relatives the remains of 492 Turkish Cypriots and 1,510 Greek Cypriots, who went missing during the inter-communal fighting of 1963-1964 and in 1974.

 

Source: Cyprus News Agency

The Day of Missing Persons, the Republic of Cyprus marks on October 29th, reminds us of the duty and responsibility to correctly ascertain the fate of each person who went missing, says the President of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades.

 

“Despite our intense efforts for 48 years, hundreds of Cypriots remain missing”, the President wrote in a post on Twitter.

 

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37% of its territory. Since then, the fate of hundreds of people remains unknown.

 

A Committee on Missing Persons has been established, upon agreement between the leaders of the two communities, with the scope of exhuming, identifying and returning to their relatives the remains of 492 Turkish Cypriots and 1,510 Greek Cypriots, who went missing during the inter-communal fighting of 1963-1964 and in 1974.

 

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Presidential Commissioner Photis Photiou stressed the “brotherly relations” between Cyprus, Greece and Armenia, while addressing the Global Armenian Summit on Diaspora Issues, held in Yerevan. He said the summit “provides a unique opportunity for all participants to hold productive discussions and identify ways and means for discussing challenges and problems of universal importance for Diaspora Representatives and their local counterparts.” He also said that with Armenia they are exploring new areas of cooperation, to complement the existing one.

 

“The trilateral cooperation among Cyprus, Greece and Armenia is the reflection of our countries’ long-standing and brotherly relations. The tangible results of our cooperation, always serve the benefit of the people of our countries and are encouraging us to seek further joint planning, actions and strategies”, Photiou pointed out.

 

He also said that “we wholeheartedly cherish the evolving political cooperation and the subsequently closer, mutually beneficial, ties’ between the three countries.”

 

“While the past legacy of the Armenians of Cyprus are the best ambassadors of Cyprus–Armenia relations, we are currently seeking to complement this legacy by exploring new areas of cooperation”, the Presidential Commissioner emphasised, adding that Cyprus has around 4,000 Armenians, which are “an indispensable part” of its society.

 

“The organised Diaspora of our countries has proved in the past how powerful and influential they can be. Their energy, means and vision could become powerful assets for their respective homelands”, stated Photiou.

 

He further added that “on 24th of June, we signed in Patras a Trilateral MOU on Diaspora related issues”, which “further strengthens and deepens the cooperation between Cyprus, Greece and Armenia.”

 

“Yesterday, we agreed to further develop cooperation through the implementation of specific initiatives involving the diaspora, with emphasis on youth, business, and initiatives in France, UK, USA and Australia”, the Presidential Commissioner said.

 

He went on to say that “the three sides stressed the necessity to appeal to their Diaspora communities in the different countries around the world to cooperate with each other.”

 

In concluding, Photiou highlighted “the importance of the active participation of the expatriate youth as one of the top priorities of our common strategy.”

 

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Clocks will turn back an hour at 4.00 am (local time) on Sunday October 30, as Daylight Saving Time (DST) ends in Cyprus and in the rest of EU member states.

 

As announced by the Ministry of Energy, Commerce and Industry, Daylight Saving Time for 2022 ends on Sunday, October 30, which means that at 4.00 am, clocks should be set one hour back.

 

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Heads of Cyprus’ diplomatic missions abroad are taking steps in order to highlight Turkish provocations, Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Demetris Demetriou, told CNA.

 

Referring to yesterday’s statement by the President of the Republic that all the necessary steps are taken in every direction, “the Secretary General of the United Nations not excluded”, Demetriou said the missions were engaged in horizontal diplomatic steps, towards all countries and governments, in order to “highlight Turkish provocations and actions Turkey engages in, at the expense of Cyprus, but also to take initiatives in order to prevent further attempts aiming to create a fait accompli.”

 

He noted that the process, which started about ten days ago, is ongoing and will soon wrap up.

 

Cyprus has been divided since the 1974 Turkish invasion. Numerous talks under the UN aegis failed to yield results. The latest round of negotiations took place in the summer of 2017 in the Swiss resort of Crans Montana.

 

Source: Cyprus News Agency

The Ministry of Interior intends to proceed with the immediate deportation of the people who took part in the violent incidents at the Pournara Reception Center, Minister of the Interior, Nicos Nouris, told CNA on Saturday, after paying a visit to the Center earlier today in order to examine the situation following clashes among asylum seekers on Friday. During the incidents, fire broke out in the camp, with many fleeing to the neighboring community of Kokkinotrimithia, but have since returned. The fire was extinguished by the fire brigade.

 

The Minister told CNA that the photos of 160 people in quarantine were given to the Police, after they were identified by the asylum service. “At the moment, an attempt is being made to identify them with the footage from the Center’s cameras, to see if and to what extent they are involved in the incidents”, he added and emphasized that those who will be identified will be detained by the police and the process for their immediate deportation will be launched.

 

“A message must be sent to those who cause these problems, because it is impossible to host them in a country under any circumstances, and be constantly called to resolve differences between various nationalities”, Nouris added.

 

He also mentioned that the row erupted after Nigerian and the Congolese nationals disagreed as to whose turn it was to charge their mobile phone. Asked whether this was an indication of the problems caused by the congestion of large numbers of people at the Centre, he said that this was the main cause of the problem.

 

During his visit, Nouris said that he was informed that the 15 or so tents that were burned by yesterday’s fire are being restored.

 

As for the Center, the Minister said that an evaluation of the measures taken in the area was carried out and said that efforts will be made to speed up the completion of the new fencing, a project with a cost of €1.2 million, which was scheduled to start in two – three weeks, creating a double fence in the Center’s perimeter. The project was scheduled to be completed in March, but after the latest developments, Nouris said that he will have contacts “with all the services involved, including the Auditor General of the Republic, to speed up the implementation of the project.”

 

Regarding the situation in the nearby community, Kokkinotrimithia, he said that it is clear that measures improving the conditions for locals are necessary, noting in particular that “police patrols need to intensify.”

 

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Turkey has rejected our proposal to take the delineation of the exclusive economic zone between the two countries to The Hague, President Nicos Anastasiades said on Friday, when asked to comment on Ankara’s position on the Israeli-Lebanese maritime agreement.

 

Following a church mass for the anniversary of 28th of October, at the Apostle Varnavas cathedral, in Nicosia, the President was invited by the press to comment on the announcement of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs that the Israel-Lebanon agreement is a good precedent for the case of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots.

 

The President reminded that a proposal was submitted by the government for a dialogue between the Republic of Cyprus and Turkey or even to take recourse to the international court in The Hague to delineate the EEZ of each country, based on the Convention on the Law of the Sea as well as international law. “They rejected it”, he said.

 

The President said that what happened and resulted in a peaceful solution between Lebanon and Israel could be a real paradigm.

 

But, he said, Cyprus’ occupied areas are not a separate state entity and therefore we could not follow Turkey’s advice. The President underlined that Turkey violates the rights of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots and disputes 40% of the EEZ of the Republic of Cyprus.

 

Replying to another question for “biased attitude” by UNFICYP, following recent incidents in the buffer zone in Deneia village and whether he intends to request the replacement of Colin Stewart, who serves as Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus, President Anastasiades said that the necessary protestations are being made in every direction, including the UN Secretary General.

 

Asked to say whether there is any update about the arrival of UN official Rosemary di Carlo in Cyprus, the President said that in November we may have the visit of a high-ranking official of the United Nations.

 

As regards today’s anniversary, he said that this is one of the most historic days of Hellenism against fascism and Nazism and the ‘’OXI’’ guides every nation whose rights are being violated.

 

OXI day commemorates the rejection by Greek prime minister Ioannis Metaxas of the ultimatum by Italian dictator Benito Mussolini on 28 October 1940.

 

Cyprus has been divided since the 1974 Turkish invasion. Numerous talks under the UN aegis failed to yield results. The latest round of negotiations took place in the summer of 2017 in the Swiss resort of Crans Montana.

 

Turkey claims a portion of Cyprus’s claimed EEZ based on Turkey’s definition that no islands, including Cyprus, can have a full EEZ.

 

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Tourism Deputy Minister Savvas Perdios said that the Cabinet’s decision to approve an incentive plan for airlines for the period 2023-2027 is a positive development. The plan is co-financed by Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works and Herms Airports Ltd with an amount of €165,6 mln.

 

Speaking to the press in Paphos, Perdios said that the consultations were not easy, adding that time was needed for the agreement to be finalized in the right way.

 

Deputy Minister said that the framework agreed is an even better one and therefore we are optimistic.

 

Replying to a question he said that the airlines’ planning for next year is more or less the same as this year’s and no new announcements have been made yet for additional seats.

 

Perdios said that usually these announcements are not made before the end of November or beginning of December and the timing for Cabinet’s decision is helpful.

 

As regards the issue of the marina in Potima area, Perdios said that the aim is for the political decision to be taken before the government’s tenure is over.

 

He added that the proposal on their behalf is almost ready and that some final views by the Interior Ministry are pending.

 

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Letters and information flyers were sent to all 650 Members of UK Parliament to mark this year’s Cyprus Missing Persons’ day on October 29, in a campaign coordinated by the National Federation of Cypriots in the UK, with the support of the Presidential Commissioner Photis Photiou.

 

The campaign aimed to raise awareness of this tragic humanitarian issue and to urge MPs to ensure that the UK Government was playing its full part in determining the fate of the Missing, a relevant announcement says.

 

“On 29 October, Cypriots globally mark Missing Persons Day, as it was this month in 1974 that the last prisoners of war were released by Turkey army after its illegal invasion and ongoing occupation of Cyprus began. Missing Persons Day is a reminder of the tragic fate of the 975 Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots whose fate still remains unknown, and the heartache and anguish suffered by their families, across both communities of Cyprus” it is added.

 

In the letter to Members of Parliament (MPs), the Federation President Christos Karaolis emphasises that “these Missing Persons are not just Cypriots, they are mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters and friends to families who, to this day, have been denied justice and closure.”

 

Whilst recognising the support the UK provides to the Committee for Missing Persons, he urges MPs “to ensure that Her Majesty’s Government is unequivocally calling on Turkey to guarantee unhindered access to military sites in the illegally occupied area for purposes of exhumation; release the information in its possession regarding the location of new burial sites of the Missing Persons moved from primary burial places and; permit investigators access to military archives.”

 

The Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Cyprus, Rt Hon Sir Roger Gale MP, also joined the campaign, by tabling a written question to the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs asking if “He will have discussions with his Turkish counterpart on the importance of resolving the issue of Missing Persons in Cyprus and the role that Turkey can play by providing access to military sites for exhumation purposes as well as releasing all information, including from military archives?”

 

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied its northern third. Since then, the fate of hundreds of people remains unknown.

 

A Committee on Missing Persons has been established, upon agreement between the leaders of the two communities, with the scope of exhuming, identifying and returning the remains of missing persons to their relatives.

 

Source: Cyprus News Agency