We wish all our members, friends and supporters a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and may the new year bring an end to our just cause.
IDENTIFICATIONS: The following
identifications were announced. Nikou Kallouma from
Kythrea, Ioanni Savvide from Lefkosia, Savva
Christoforou from Lefkosia, Christou Thoma from Voni,
Georgiou Pitta from Ashia.
The total number of our Missing identified in 2011
were: 30 Greek Cypriots and 8 Turkish
Cypriots.
CMP REPORT ON ITS
WORK: The UN sponsored Committee on Missing
Persons (CMP) released information about its efforts
since 2006 to locate and return to the next of kin the
identified remains of persons listed as missing since
the 1974 Turkish invasion and earlier hostilities in
Cyprus. As of December 2011 bicommunal CMP teams had
visited 542 reported burial sites on both sides of the
green line. Only 274 of the sites visited contained
bones relating to 798 individuals. DNA analyses had
been performed by the Institute of Neurology and
Genetics. The remains of a total of 311 missing persons
have been returned to their families for proper burial.
ALL PARTY PARLIAMENTARY GROUP (APPG) for
Cyprus. The Committee announced that the next
meeting to discuss the issue of our Missing will take
place on:
- 21st March 2012, House of Commons, room 7 from
4.00pm. Subject for discussion:
THE WAY FORWARD. It will be chaired by MP David
Burrowes.
The meeting is open to all. Members, friends and
supporters are requested to attend. The APPG for Cyprus
announced that their lead person on the issue of our
Missing will be MP Mike Freer. Mr Freer is
knowledgeable and very concerned about this problem (he
secured the Westminster Hall debate on our Missing). We
look forward to working with him and the APPG in
persuading the UK Government to act on this issue.
NEW YEAR CAKE CUTTING. Like every year
this will take place on Sunday 8th January 2012 at St
Barnabas Church hall, Finsbury Road, N22, after the
service at St Mary’s Church in Wood Green, where
prayers will be said for the fate of our Missing and
memorial service for those identified and buried.
The Cyprus Consul General Mr George Georgiou will
attend and give a short speech. Marina Yannakoudakis,
London MEP and APPG representatives will also attend.
The Very Reverend Bishop Athanasios will bless and cut
the cake. All members, friends and supporters are
welcome. Members wishing to bring along cakes etc
please let Costas know on 020- 8805 6939.
Looking forward to seeing you there.
FROM CHC PRESS OFFICE: UK Minister of
State for Transport MP Theresa Villiers (following
meetings and correspondence with our Committee) met
with Minister of State for Europe David Lidington on 23
November to discuss progress on resolving the problem
of persons listed as missing in Cyprus. Ms Villiers
urged Mr Lidington to put pressure on Turkey to allow
access to areas in Turkish-occupied Cyprus which the
tripartite Committee on Missing Persons (CMP) has not
been able to reach. She called on him to use the UK’s
current presidency of the Council of Europe’s
Ministerial Committee (see below) to ensure that the
issue of the missing in Cyprus is discussed at
forthcoming meetings. Declaring that “the UK’s
presidency of the Council of Europe is a good
opportunity to push for answers on the missing, Ms
Villiers added that the UK’s agenda must include
“tougher action on Turkey to fulfil its obligations and
to ensure that effective measures are taken so that
information is finally revealed about what really
happened to Cyprus’ missing persons”.
COUNCIL OF EUROPE, COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS. 29th
Nov – 1st Dec 2011. The issue of our Missing
and the non compliance of Turkey to the European Court
of Human Rights judgements was on this meeting’s
agenda. Unfortunately Turkey refused to attend.
Regrettably member states cannot be forced to attend.
Turkey’s stance on this issue met with the disapproval
even from her traditionally supportive countries (e.g.
on the properties issue).
In a statement issued it is stated that the Committee
of Ministers of the Council of Europe expresses its
dissatisfaction and disappointment for the
non-participation of Turkey and is asking her to review
her stance and open her archives and give positive
information about the missing. The next Committee of
Ministers is in March 2012.
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