The Award
signed by President Clerides
Nicosia, May 17 (CNA) -- President Glafcos Clerides has bestowed a special
award on internationally acclaimed Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis for
his support and solidarity with the people of Cyprus in their struggle
for justice and freedom.
President Clerides paid tribute to Theodorakis' contribution to Cyprus
and his long standing support saying that "Cyprus was a source of inspiration
to Theodorakis and we would like to express our gratitude and appreciation."
Accepting the medal, the Greek composer referred to NATO's bombing
of Yugoslavia and its consequences and said "it makes the need for national
unity and cooperation between Greece and Cyprus even more imperative."
Theodorakis assured he will continue to devote his life and work to achieve
this goal.
Yesterday, Theodorakis was declared honourary citizen of the southern
coastal town of Limassol and at a special event to be held tomorrow he
will be bestowed the same honour from the Municipality of the Turkish occupied
town of Famagusta.
The famous Greek composer has taken part in many events held for Cyprus,
divided since Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37 per cent of its territory
in 1974.
CNA MK/MA/EC/1999
CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY
Peace March
Larnaca, May 16 (CNA) -- Thousands of people participated in a peace
march held today to condemn Turkey's occupation of part of Cyprus, the
presence of British Bases on the island and NATO's bombing of Yugoslavia.
A resolution addressed to the UN Secretary General calls on Kofi Annan
to "intensify his efforts for the implementation of UN resolutions on Cyprus."
It also says that the two military bases Britain retains in Cyprus
since granting the island freedom from colonial rule in 1960 must be abolished.
The resolution, adopted at the end of the march near the southern coastal
town of Larnaca, condemns NATO's offensive against Yugoslavia and calls
for its dissolvement.
The march was organised by the Cyprus Peace Council.
Left-wing AKEL General Secretary Dimitris Christofias and famous Greek
composer Mikis Theodorakis addressed participants, and messages
from the Primate of the Church Archbishop Chrysostomos and the Russian
Communist Party were read.
In his speach Christofias strongly condemned NATO raids in Yugoslavia,
expressed solidarity to the people of the country and called for a peaceful
settlement to the crisis.
However, he said people from all over the world should join forces
to stop what he described as "the imperialist new world order imposed through
the force of arms."
Referring to the Cyprus problem, Christofias expressed concern with
the outcome of a new US initiative for a settlement expected to be launched
later this year.
He said the cynicism with which the US tackles other issues, its disrespect
towards international law and the UN and its refusal to pressure the Turkish
side for a settlement "are not very good omens" for Cyprus.
In his message Archbishop Chrysostomos said that "justice is a necessary
prerequisite for peace to be achieved".
He said the people of Cyprus "have strong feelings of injustice for
the past 25 years because of the Turkish invasion" and added that "peace
can prevail in our island only if justice is restored and human rights
are enforced."
In its message the Russian Communist Party expresses "solidarity with
the people of Cyprus for a just and peaceful settlement to the Cyprus problem".
The message, signed by party President Gennady Zyuganov, says that
for the left-wing forces there is no "foreign pain" adding this is why
they "are joining their efforts to end NATO raids against Yugoslavia."
Addressing participants Yugoslav ambassador to Cyprus Ivan Mrkitc condemend
NATO for "killing the people of my country and using bombs containing uranium."
"They are destroying everything but we will continue our struggle for
justice and will win," he said.
The resolution to the UN chief says the NATO war against Yugoslavia
"must be immediately stopped before it expands to the entire areas of the
Balkans, Europe and beyond."
"NATO is contrary to international law, constitutes a danger for humanity
and world peace and therefore must be dissolved," it adds.
It says that the UN role must be "strengthened and further democratised
in order to be able to resist US hegaemonism, to be able to play a proper
role in solving conflicts and to implement effectively its own resolutions..."
It calls on Annan to intensify his efforts for UN resolutions to be
implemented in Cyprus "so that the Turkish occupation troops and settlers
are withdrawn, the consequences of the ethnic cleansing in Cyprus by Turkey
in 1974 be eradicated and a peaceful resolution reached..."
Theodorakis and the War in Kosovo (I), (II) |Theodorakis and NATO | Theodorakis: Complaint against NATO before the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (complete document, 113kb) |Theodorakis and the Kurdish Drama | Other Echoes in English | Home Page|