The European Commission urged estranged Cypriots Thursday to seize a "historic chance" to reunite their island, split by a conflict spanning decades and troubling Turkey's bid to join the EU. "The time is now. Do not allow a situation where the younger generation will simply accept the status quo," EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said. "There is a historic chance now to end this conflict once and for all," he told journalists on a whistle-stop visit to the island, a member of the European Union since 2004. Cyprus, divided between its ethnic Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities, is a key obstacle in Turkey's chances of joining the European Union. The Mediterranean island was effectively partitioned in a Turkish invasion in 1974 in response to a brief Greek-inspired coup. Its government-controlled south represents Cyprus in the EU, with the north a breakaway Turkish Cypriot state recognized only by Ankara. Cyprus's internationally recognized Greek Cypriots say they will never allow Turkey to join the bloc as long as the island is partitioned. Ankara's EU membership talks, which started in October 2005, have been partially frozen because of the situation on the island.
Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders agreed on Friday to open a new checkpoint linking the two sides of the divided island in a move expected to boost slow-moving peace talks. The crossing point, in a remote semi-mountainous region in the northwest of the island, had long been demanded by locals living on both sides. It was not immediately clear when the checkpoint would open. Cyprus was partitioned in a Turkish invasion in 1974 triggered by a brief Greek-inspired coup. The conflict is overshadowing Turkey's attempts to join the European Union. The checkpoint, known as Yesilirmak in Turkish and Limnitis in Greek, will be the seventh crossing linking the island's estranged Greek and Turkish Cypriots, separated by a U.N.-policed buffer zone splitting the island from east to west. European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, on a fleeting visit to Cyprus on Thursday, said the EU would finance part of the cost of the new checkpoint. "This is very good news and an excellent response to the call I made yesterday to both leaders to agree on confidence-building measures and move forward in the negotiations to reunify the country," Barroso said in a statement. "This agreement shows that when there is a will there is a way."
III. The game of the name
The name "Macedonia" was originally bestowed on the region buttressing Greece by the dictator Josip Broz Tito, who funded and armed a military campaign fighting for partition of our land and people. It was concocted primarily by the Comintern and carried out with the most callous disregard for the basic human and linguistic rights recognized in modern Europe. It remains one of the gravest political crimes of all time and continues to stain the history of Europe and the United States. Imagine cutting a living human being limb from limb. This is the legacy of the Greek Civil War, a war fueled by communist forces seeping in from the porous borders of northern Greece and Macedonia. The Macedonia of Alexander the Great was, and forever will be, Hellenic. Embracing the Hellenic origin of Alexander, one of Europe's greatest sons. Stop denying the past and dispense with false historical revisionism. It smacks of genocidal ideologies of a discredited era.
The State Department denies claims made by Bosnian Serb political leader Radovan Karadžić regarding an alleged deal made with U.S. diplomat Richard Holbrooke. The State Department claims that the U.S. has on several occasions clearly stated that no such deal existed offering Karadžić immunity from criminal prosecution, according to Voice of America. Karadžić submitted a demand to the Hague Tribunal in May 25, 2009, asking for the indictment against him to be dropped, stating that Holbrooke, who was the American envoy for the Balkans then, promised him immunity in exchange for leaving the political scene and public spotlight. “Karadžić did sign a statement, the content of which was negotiated with Holbrooke and a team of senior officials from the American government and senior officials from Belgrade. The meeting was held on July 18, 1996, and Karadžić was not in attendance. In this statement, Karadžić promised that he would leave his position and pull out of public life, but there was no quip pro quo,” the statement adds. The statement also claims that the U.S. government gave Karadžić a number of documents, some of which are quoted in his most recent demand, adding that the State Department believes that the “information he received has been presented in a skewed way” in Karadzic's lastest demand. The statement adds that it can be seen in these documents related to Karadžić leaving public life, that it is stated several times that the U.S. government expects him to face justice before the Hague Tribunal.
Iason Athanasiadis a journalist working for the Washington Times has been taken captive by the Iranian authorities it was confirmed today. In a statement by his family issued today a plea was made to the Iranian authorities for his release: "Our son, Iason Athanasiadis, has been detained in Iran while working as a journalist, and the Greek foreign ministry has been making efforts to secure his release for which we are deeply grateful. Iason is a dedicated reporter, photographer and film-maker who grew up in Greece and regards himself as Greek. Both of us are permanent residents of Greece and indeed, practicing Greek Orthodox Christians. He is legally entitled to another passport but he has never seen himself as anything other than Greek. Iason has always maintained his integrity as an independent journalist who sells articles, photographs and film to outlets in many parts of the world. His work serves no purpose other than the fair and humane coverage of life in the many countries where he has worked. He has a particular love of Iran, and a deep respect for its cultural and religious traditions.” Greek journalists are calling for pressure from the international community to release Iason. The London Daily News calls on President Ahmadinejad to release Iason who is no enemy of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
The condition of 24 Ukrainian sailors on board the Ariana, a ship seized by Somali pirates on May 2, is satisfactory, and there is enough drinking water, food and fuel on board the vessel, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry's press service reported on Friday. Ukraine's Embassy in Greece provided additional information about the situation on board the ship, the press service said. "The ship's operator said that a representative of the operator company talked by phone with the ship's captain, who said the physical and psychological condition of the crew continued to be satisfactory and that there adequate supplies of fuel, drinking water and food on board the ship. The company's representative said that he was doing all he could to make progress in the talks with the pirates," the press service said. Somali pirates seized the Ariana in the Gulf of Aden on May 2. The vessel was flying the Maltese flag and is operated by the Greek company Alloceans Shipping Co. LTD. All 24 of its crewmembers are citizens of Ukraine.
Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew I will send a delegation to Rome to celebrate the solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul with Benedict XVI, and to close the Year of St. Paul. The visit reciprocates the habitual exchange of delegations for the respective patronal feasts in which the patriarch of Constantinople sends a delegation to Rome on June 29, the feast of Sts. Peter and St. Paul, and the Pope sends a delegation to Istanbul, Turkey, on Nov. 30, the feast of St. Andrew. In November 2006, Benedict XVI led the delegation himself, and last June Bartholomew I led the Orthodox delegation to Rome, which coincided with the opening of the Pauline Jubilee Year. The patriarch's delegation will be let by Metropolitan Emmanuel of France, director of the Office of the Orthodox Church Before the European Union. The delegation will participate in vespers June 28, presided over by Benedict XVI at St. Paul Outside the Walls, which will also mark the end of the Year of St. Paul. On Monday, the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, the delegation will participate in the Mass celebrated by the Pope in St. Peter's, during which the Holy Father will bestow the pallium on the 34 archbishops who have been named this year. Also on the agenda are meetings with the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and a private audience with Benedict XVI.