ΝΤΡΟΠΗ

ΣΗΜΕΡΙΝΗ (27.11.07):
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Secretive visit inside the "forbidden city" of Varosha

UN Security Council Resolution 550

...Considers attempts to settle any part of Varosha by people other than its inhabitants as inadmissible and calls for the transfer of this area to the administration of the United Nations...

A Vlogger (video blogger), going by the name Dave Stuart, has posted new video footage of a visit to Varosha, a "ghost town" in Occupied Cyprus. The Turkish army took control of the city in 1974 and forced tens of thousands of Greek Cypriot inhabitants to flee their homes. Varosha is currently being used as a bargaining chip by Turkey and the Northern breakaway State as part of an overall settlement to the Cyprus problem.

The 15 minute film taken within the fenced off city is entitled "Return inside Varosha" and is divided in two parts. The videos have been placed on YouTube and can be viewed here and here.

Thank you Dave

Bellapais Monastery Turned into a Garbage Dump

A sad pilgrimage that at every stop adds to one’s outrage and disbelief:

The historic Bellapais Monastery was turned into a garbage dump after Asil Nadir sons wedding.

Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper (25.09.07) writes that last Wednesday the 800-years-old historic Bellapais Monastery was turned into a garbage dump after the wedding of the son of Asil Nadir and Aysegul Tesimer.

The paper writes that the tourists who visited the Monastery next day in the morning, despite buying a ticket for the historic monument, they could not have a complete tour, a fact that annoyed them. Moreover, the paper reports that the night of the wedding no one could approach the area and state police was guarding the entrance to the village creating problems to the villagers and their guests from passing.

The music at the wedding lasted until 2:00 am, but the most ridiculous thing was until next morning when tourists visited the Monastery and faced a wreck, a rubbish dump, the paper notes.

Bilirakis Resolution on Cyprus Approved

The Foreign Affairs Committee of the US House of Representatives, by unanimous consent, approved a resolution on Cyprus. The resolution, introduced by Congressman Gus Bilirakis, expresses strong support for the immediate implementation of the July 8th agreement. The resolution calls for the US government to actively facilitate the implementation of the agreement in its entirety and without deviations from its content.

The President of the RoC said “today’s adoption of H.Res. 405 is a positive and significant development,” mainly noting the fact that it refers to the need not to deviate from the agreement.

More on this from the Hellenic News of America:

HOUSE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE STRONGLY SUPPORTS IMPLEMENTATION OF THE JULY 8 UN-BROKERED AGREEMENT FOR CYPRUS

WASHINGTON, DC – [September 26, 2007] – Today the House Foreign Affairs Committee by unanimous consent adopted H. Res. 405, which expresses strong support for the immediate implementation of the July 8, 2006, United Nations-brokered Agreement as the way forward to prepare for new comprehensive negotiations leading to the reunification of the Republic of Cyprus.

On July 8, 2006, President of the Republic of Cyprus Tassos Papadopoulos and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat, agreed, under the auspices of the United Nations Under Secretary General Ibrahim Gambari, to a set of principles to begin a process of bi-communal discussions. H. Res. 405 calls upon the United States Government to fully support the immediate implementation of the July 8, 2006 Agreement in its entirety and without deviation from that process.
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