Looking ahead from abroad

OVERSEAS Cypriots organisations yesterday held the first of their three-day annual congress and discussed the most recent developments in the Cyprus problem.

Attendees included delegates from the Second International Conference of Cyprus Youth Overseas (NEPOMAK), the 20th Annual Meeting of the World Federation of Overseas Cypriots (POMAK) and the International Coordinating Committee Justice for Cyprus (PSEKA).

The session opened with addresses by the organisations’ presidents, followed by a briefing on the latest developments of the Cyprus problem by Foreign Minister George Iacovou and other political party leaders and representatives, including Paphos Bishop Chrysostomos.

During the deliberations the organisations expressed their willingness to continue their efforts and cooperation with the Cyprus government to reach the goal, of reunifying Cyprus on the basis of a just and fair solution.

They also congratulated Cyprus on its EU accession and stressed that a European solution to the Cyprus problem should be found, noting the Annan plan – rejected by an overwhelming Greek Cypriot majority in April’s referendum – had been neither democratic or viable.

Today the delegates will be briefed on the recent developments in the Cyprus problem, on the missing and enclaved persons, as well as on the political developments within the Turkish Cypriot community.

The conference ends tomorrow.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.