EU CoR President and Mayor Galanos debate future of Famagusta
The President of the European Committee of the Regions, Michel Lebrun, met today in Brussels the head of the Union of Municipalities of Cyprus, Alexis Galanos, also mayor-in-exile of the Cypriote city of Famagusta which has been occupied since 1974.
They were joined by a delegation from Famagusta, composed of municipal councillors*, and proposed launching fresh confidence buildings measures in order to revamp the negotiations between the two communities of Cyprus with a view to future reunification. "City diplomacy, coupled with concrete proposals for territorial development, are tools to be taken into consideration in order to offer new opportunities for dialogue and complement the negotiation process", President Lebrun stated referring in particular to the situation of Varosha, the sealed-off section of Famagusta which has been completely emptied for the past four decades.
"If returned to its lawful inhabitants which are currently displaced in Cyprus and placed under the control of the UNFICYP, as set out in the relevant United Nations resolutions and the High Level Agreements, Varosha could actually turn from a deserted town into an real option for peace, restoring confidence and developing opportunities for economic, social and regional growth and jobs for both communities", President Lebrun said.
*
Mr Alexis GALANOS , President of the Union of Cyprus Municipalities and Mayor of Famagusta
Mr Kostakis HADJIKAKOU (Alternate Member of CoR and head of the municipality’s political group for DISY)
Mr Chrysanthos ZANNETTOU (Head of the municipality’s political group for AKEL)
Mr Giorgos TSISIOS (representative of the municipality’s political group for DIKO)
Contact:
Lauri Ouvinen
Tel. +32 22822063
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