German Eurodeputy and president of German-Hellenic Economic Association (DHW) George Hatzimarkakis has sent a letter of congratulations – on behalf of the DHW - to the President of the Hellenic Republic, Karolos Papoulias, on his re-election yesterday to the presidential post.
Brussels - New Democracy Eurodeputy G. Papanikolaou has submitted a question to the European Commission about Athanasios Lerounis, a Greek volunteer teacher abducted in Pakistan.
This year’s “Windows on Europe Film 2010”European Film Festival in Australia organized by the Euroepan Unions Delegation in Canberra in cooperation with embassies and EU member-state diplomatic delegations in Australia will include participations from Greece and Cyprus.
The conferences of the major Cypriot organizations of Australia will be held during the last week-end of May (May 28-30).The President of the federation of Cypriot Communities in Australia and New Zealand, Mihali Christodoulou, announced that during the aforementioned dates, the conferences to be held will be the Pan-Australian Coordinating Committee for the Cyprus Struggle and the Federation of the Cyprus Youth, that will be held in Adelaide May 28-30.
The omogeneia of New South Wales is organizing a special event on Sunday February 21st to assist the quake victims of Haiti that will be held at the headquarters of the Cypriot community in Stanmore.The event is being organized by the Greek Emergency Fund created by the Council for Hellenes Abroad (SAE) Oceania, the Cypriot community and the manager of the Cypriot restaurant, Mr. Dimakis.
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02
02
2010
Ban Ki Moon: Now is the time for a solution
Σύνταξη/επιμέλεια από τον/την Νίκος Αγγελίδης
"We will need even more courage and determination in the period ahead to bring these talks to a successful conclusion," Ban told a news conference at a U.N. compound in Nicosia, the island's capital.
Flanked by Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat, Ban said, "I'm encouraged that the two leaders personally assured me of their shared commitment for a comprehensive solution as early as possible but I am convinced that these two leaders can achieve a mutually beneficial solution».
Four Greek Cypriot political parties said they would not attend a reception given by Ban on Monday evening. Ban, who took no questions during a brief news conference, said he was convinced the leaders could achieve a solution. "No one is under the illusion any of this is easy. Peace negotiations never are. But the time is ripe to push ahead," he said.
«I wanted to be here now because I recognize how important it is to continue to build momentum on what the leaders have achieved now,» Greek Cypriot President Dimitris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat have achieved only marginal progress in 17 months of negotiations. The secretary general praised the two leaders for making progress this month on a proposal to share power in a federal system.
The United Nations acts as a facilitator in talks, and last week announced "significant progress" on some aspects of how the two sides could govern the island together in a future two-zone federation.