newsitems

 
*Strasbourg/CoE/Angelo Marcopolo/- 4 Years of Investigations in more than 34 Countries by PanEuropean CoE's Social Rights Committee, clearly designated the Right to Work and Vocational Guidance/Training among the most Important Problems Nowadays, as anounced its 2 vice-Presidents, Monika Schlachter and Professor Petros Stangos and Monika  Schlachter, who Highlighted key aspects of the situation on these points in Reply to relevant "Eurofora"s Questions, during a Press Conference at the CoE in Strasbourg :

+ About 14 CoE's Member States, who have already Ratified CoE's New, "Revised" Social Charter, including a Collective Complaints' procedure, are practicaly dispensed from a Traditional Obligation to present, each 2 Years, National Reports of Implementation for Check, having, instead, a possibility to do so just each 4 Years, (i.e. inside a Twice Wider Time span), so that they were Not Included, Now, in the Present Round of Checks, (as, f.ex., the current Chair of CoE, Cyprus : 11/2016 - 5/2017), as CoE's Director on Reporting process, Karl Friedrich Bopp, explained, meanwhile, replying at another relevant Question by "Eurofora".

- As far as it concerns the Social Charter's No 1 Article, about the "Right to Work", ESRC's vice-President Monika Schlachter, after Observing that several Violations and other Problems were found particularly as far as it concerns Certain "Problematic" Categories of People, including the "Elderly", etc., replied to an "Eurofora" Question about an apparent Difference between f.ex. USA's trend to let several People continue Working even at Ages unusual in Europe, (f.ex. in order to Benefit from their accumulated Experience, Reputation, Contacts, etc), and a rather Opposed Impression in several CoE's Member States, made it clear that, behind such Facts, lies an Important Debate about Employment Policies:

- At a certain moment, some Governments had been Convinced that by Pushing massively Elder Workers to become Pensioners, this would Create Jobs for Young People, and Benefit the Economy. But, Afterwards, they found that it didn't work at all, and were left with a Lot of Costs for Pensions to Bear, without having enough returns from new workers, she Replied, in substance.

=> Therefore, such issues should be better addressed in another overall framework of a comprehensive, General Policy, which wouldn't limit itself merely into playing one category of Workers against anOther, but, on the Contrary, take them All Together into Account, in an Adequate way both for Social Rights and the Public Interest, she added later, also in Reply to "Eurofora"s above mentioned Question, Later-on.

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+ Moreover, Professor Stangos, the other ESRC's vice-President, Replied to anOther "Eurofora" Question on his Earlier observation that Vocational Guidance and/or Training might also "Change the Structure of the Market place", if, f.ex., Public Authorities might consider that it would Help Find Jobs, but, sometimes, People Complaint or Protest, if that might also, eventualy, Diminish the Level/Quality of Capacities that Workers might have Given Many Years to Build, pushing them unreasonably towards Lower Levels in the Division of Work:

- As a matter of General Principle, States are Required to Examine Each Individual Case, one by one, according to Each Worker's Personal Characteristics, i.e. withOut Imposing Ready-made Mechanical Solutions, he said in substance, (while, however, Abstaining from saying whether such Concrete Problems, as those Evoked above, might, eventualy, Exist in Real Practice, and how Serious might be their potential Consequencies, in fact).

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++ Meanwhile, speaking, Later this Evening, at anOther CoE Parliamentary Assembly's Debate on "Social Dialogue", including the Experienced President of that PanEuropean body's Social Affairs Committee, ChristianDemocrat/EPP MEP Stella Kyriakides, observed that, well Beyond some avoidable, eventual, excesses, Respect for Social Rights as that of Workers' Trade Unions, etc., can Help also Avoid the Risk to be Accused to Stay Far Away from Citizens' concerns, instead of Coming Closer enough to them.

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*Strasbourg/CoE/Angelo Marcopolo/- EU Member Cyprus' President, and current Chairman of the 47 Member States-strong, PanEuropean CoE's Organisation (which includes Russia), ChristianDemocrat/EPP (Center-Right) Experienced Top Politician, Nicos Anastassiades, speaking to "Eurofora", during his Official Visit to Strasbourg, where he is Invited to Address CoE's Parliamentary Assembly (PACE), declared his Intention to get in touch, the soonest possible, with the New US President Don Trump's incoming North American Administration (2017-2021), also in order to exchange views on the recently Enhanced and still on-going Efforts to Solve the Cyprus' Issue and ReUnify Peacefully the Strategic Island, for more Stability in that >Historic Civilisational Crossroads of 3 Continents and Suez Channel, which has recent also Findings of Promissing Oil/Gas Natural under Sea Resources, in Cooperation with Israel, Egypt, Greece, and the rest of the EU.

- "Yes, Naturaly", President Anastasiades Positively reacted from the outset to "Eurifora"s above-mentioned Question.

- "We even have a Duty to do so !", the Experienced Cyprus' Top Politician, and currently Chair of the PanEuropean CoE, clearly Stressed.

- "And it will be done", in one way or another, he Firmly Promissed, in conclusion.

Anastasiades, who has recently Spoken anew with New UK Prime Minister, Theresa May, is aware that she intends to Meet with Trump in the USA on Thursday, January 26, a Crucial Day also for the Preparation of UNO's Next Moves on Cyprus, (and it was Later published that May would also Travel to Turkey, immediately Aftarwards, while she might, probably, also have Contacts with Greece, etc).

May, who is on Record in mainstream Brittish Newspapers for having been clearly Opposed to Turkey's Controversial and UnPopular EU bid, (notoriously one of the main Reasons for Brittish People to Vote for "BREXIT", fuelled particularly by Nigel Farage's landmark "NO to Turkey's Accession into the EU", already since 1979, when he Multiplied the Number of UKIP's MEPs at EU Parliament, just after meeting there with "Eurofora"s co-Founder, up to that 2016 Euro-Refererendum, included, where Turkey and Other Mass Migration Issues Figured High in the Public Debate).
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But, Experienced Cyprus' Foreign Minister Ioanis Kasulides, speaking also to "Eurofora" Yesterday at the CoE in Strasbourg, (See: .....), has Warned that the Incoming, New US President Don Trump's Administration, would "Need some Time" in order "to Take Over" and "Prepare" itself on Cyprus' issue, so that we should "Wait", still, a bit Longer.

Facts show  that he guessed even more Right than he thought :

+ New UNO Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, recently Declared, at Nearby Geneva, on Middle-January 2017, that the New York-Headquartered International Organisation does Not Advise any kind of "Quick-Fix" for Cyprus, but clearlmy Prefers a Really Viable and Functional Solution, able to bring more Stability in that Delicate but Strategic Region.

Meanwhile, in North America, New US President Trump's nominated Ambassador to the UN, South Carolina Governor, Nikki Haley, is due to be Definitively Confirmated by the Senate officialy later ToNight.

Thus, it was "Chargé d' Affaires ad Interim", Ambassador Michele Sison, (appointed at N.Y. on 2014) who had to attend Yesterday's (Monday's) Hearing, by UNO's Security Council, of UN SG Cyprus Envoy, Espen Barth Eide's, and UNFICYP Head, Elizabeth Spahar's Briefing on the latest Developments about the Geneva Cyprus Talks and the Beginning of the Multilateral Conference in Switzerland.

The Out-Going Obama Administration had, indeed, curiously rushed to Schedule almost all UNSC foreseable Moves on the 42-Years Old Cyprus Problem (1974-2017) in such a way that the Chosen Dates clearly Threatened to Exclude the New, Don Trump's US Administration from having really the necessary Time in order to take over on the Delicate and Complex Issue of UN's role on Cyprus, (until recently closely Monitored, reportedly, by Obama's former Under Secretary of State, V. Nuland) :

F.ex.: Draft UN Report on UNFICYP : To Present from January 6. Geneva Talks + Multilateral Conference from 9 - 15 January, (in fact: Postponed already since Jan.12, mainly because of an alleged Turkish Foreign Minister Cavusoglou's move). Initialy Scheduled UN SC Briefing by Spehar : January 20 (i.e., precisely on New US President Trump's notorious "Inauguration" Day : an Exceptional Event, followed allover the USA and even from Abroad ! Even if Spehar's Hearing was, later-on, Postponed just for Monday, 23 January, it was Not Enough)... Eide's UNSC Hearing : January 23. (With Both Tillerson's and Haley's Senate Confirmations notoriously Delayed by a Minority of the Dems' Party of Out-Going Obama's Administration!).

So that, Now remains Only the UNSC Vote on UNFICYP Resolution, scheduled just a few Days later, during This same Week : January 26, (i.e. on Thursday) :  When also various Political Contacts had been Scheduled, in order to Prepare and Decide on UNO's Next Moves about Cyprus, and particularly on the International/Multilateral Political Conference, due to Re-Start in Switzerland, at Any Moment now !...
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But, New US President Don Trump's nominated for New State Secretary, Rex Tillersson, was just Confirmated by a Key Senate Panel (its Foreign Affairs Committee) Yesterday, Monday 23 January, (i.e., almost at the Same Time as the Eide + Spehar Briefing at the UNSC on Cyprus !).
+ And the Minority from Out-Going Barack Obama's own Party of Dems, ("Socialists" in Europe), Still is, reportedly, "Slowing Down" Tillerson's Confirmation process' Final Conclusion, probably Pushing it for a Plenary Senate Session's Vote, eventualy "Next Week"  : i.e. somewhere From - or even After - January 30 !...

However, Tillerson is expected to Visit Europe on mid-February 2017, at Nearby Bonn (Germany), for a G 20 Foreign Ministers meeting there.s
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So that the matter seems practicaly pushed towards UN SC rotating Chair by the Government of Ukraine (i.e. February 2017),
... on which, by a Timely Coincidence, Newly Elected CoE PanEuropean Assembly's vice-President Loucaides, a Top MEP from Cyprus, is due to Chair a Delicate Debate and Vote on a PACE's Report and Draft Resolution about "The Functioning  of Democratic Institutions in Ukraine", scheduled for Tomorrow, Wednesday 25, in Strasbourg^....
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The UK takes over in UNO's SC on March, and USA on April 2017.
2 Months Afterwards, follows China on July, with Al-Sisi's, Cyprus-Friendly Egypt on August, so that EU-Member States' France, follows on October 2017, (another UN SC Permanent Member, at That Time with a Brand New Government, after the May - June 2017 French Presidential and National Elections), almost Together with Italy, on November 2017, (probably also with a New Government)....

By the way : All those 3 European, Former Colonial Powers, had Governed Cyprus' Strategic Island in the Past : In Addition to the UK, the nearest : 19th-20th Century, also Italy, via Historic "Venice"'s former Maritime sEmpire: 1-2 Centuries, and France : Longer than Everyone else, during More than 4 Centuries, (in Medieval Times)...
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>>> Meanwhile, Anastasiades presented at CoE's Assembly Today, and Discussed with various MEPs, from All Political Horizons, and various European Countries, a very Useful, (also for a Briefing of the New US Administration : Comp. Supra), UpDated andComprehensive Overview of Main Recent Developments on the still on-going UNO-sponsored Inter-Communal Talks and a Multilateral Political Conference which has just Started on January 2017 for the Solution of Cyprus' Issue, (See relevant "Eurofora"s NewsReport, at : ...).

He also Reminded PanEuropean CoE Assembly's Resolutions on Cyprus, particularly in accordance with ECHR's Judgements, on several Key Issues, including, inter alia, also on "the Supreme Humanitarian Issue of MISSING Persons from the Tragedy", the Displaced People, (i.e. mainly Greek Cypriots still Hindered by Turkey's Army to Return Back to their Family Homes and Ancestral Land, usurpated private Properties, etc), the "Destruction of (Cyprus') Cultural Heritage", (Both from Ancient Civilisation times, and mainly from Christian Churches, notoriously Occupied by Turkey's Invasion and Occupation Military, Emptied from their Faithful People, Abandoned in Ruins and/or Looted, more or less Destroyed, Transformed into Islamic Mosques, Cafés, Haggars, etc.), but also on "the Demographic Alteration of the Population in the Territories Occupied by Turkey", (by a Massive Influx of irregular Foreign Settlers from mainland Turkey, that some push, until recently, to provide with a Kind of Massive ... "Amnesty" of Irregulars, as that which was clearly Rejected by the American People who have just Voted for Don Trump).

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Cyprus' President made it also clear that, recently, there was some notable "Progress" towards a Solution of the Political Cyprus Issue, and "Eurofora"'s co-Founder, indeed, after 27 Years of Experience in closely Following the Cyprus' Issur (1990-2017), and even Most Top Level UN-Sponsored Political Negotiations, since Montreux/Glyon at nearby Switzerland (1997-2017), personaly saw for the 1st Time in recent History, so Friendly Relations between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, as nowadays.

However, Anastassiades acknowledged the Fact, that several UnSolved yet Matters still await for Compromises, Political Agreements, Legal Principles and/or Human Rights' respect, as well as of International Law, etc., while, the Main remaining Problems are obviously linked with Turkey's Military Occupation and Interventionist claims.

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But, shortly before the Recent Geneva round starts on UN sponsored Talks to prepare a Solution on the Cyprus' Issue, European Countries' main Concerns appeared to be also Elsewhere :

F.ex: Top Mainstream German Media "Die Welt", has already Warned, with a Frontpage Big Headlines' Article, published just  Before the Beginning of Geneva Cyprus Conference, a Strong and Clear Denonciation of the "Risk for Erdogan to get a VETO Power inside the EU"'s Decision-Making process, by Exploiting that through the Turkish Cypriot Minority.

+ Open Questions, indeed, still remain, particularly on a "Rotating Presidency" Claim, (between the 18% Turkish Cypriot Minority, until the Invasion/Occupation by Ankara's Military, and the 72% Majority of Greek Cypriots, ibid), and/or on various VETO Powers to a Less than 20% Minority, even for General Issues Not Specific to its own affairs.
However, Anastassiades, Questioned by a MEP, Prefered Better Not to Discuss in Public so delicate Issues which should be Presented First on the Negotiations' Table.
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+ Today Noon in Strasbourg, during an Official CoE Ceremony for the Commemoration of the Victims of the "Holocaust" ("Shoa"), by the NAZI regime, during the 2nd World War, Cyprus President Anastassiades, together with Romanian President Johannes, CoE SG Jagland, CoE Assembly President Agramunt, Israel's Ambassador in France, and Other Representatives, remained for a Long Time under the Snow, in the Cold : He even was one of the very Few, if not even alone, to dare Keep his Hands ALL this Long Time open and Uncovered in the Cold, Freezing Atmosphere, (while even Younger People wore Gloves, or had Hidden their Hands in their Pockets, Jackets, etc, Some even Running to ReturnBack inside CoE's Building...

=> When "Eurofora", later this Evening, during an Other Event, asked Anastasiades why and how he managed to Keep alone his Hands alwats Out In that Freezing Cold, he Smiled, but didn't yet say what he was really Thinking of: Perhaps to all those Tragicaly "MISSING" Greek Cypriot a.o. People ?... And/or to his own Responsibilities in the Efforts to ReUnify the Country ? Or Both ?...

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+ Meaznwhile, CoE's Secretary General Jagland, earlier Thanked the Cyprud President for his Initiative to Support a Program, during the Cyprus' CoE Chairmanship, due to Help Victims of Terrorism, particularly after the Recent Islamist Terrorist Deadly Attacks Targetting Innocent Civilian People even inside Europe and in the USA, etc.
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 ---------+ By a "Coincidence", even the ISIS-inspired Washington (State) rifle Killer of 5  Women, mainly Elders, was of Turkish Origin, and had been Given also US Nationality under Barack Hussein Obama/Hillary Clinton, had already Profited to Vote 3 or 4 Times, and on 2016 he Called to "Vote Hillary" !...

++ Moreover, Recently, the Russian Ambassador to Turkey was cowardly Murdered,  Shot behind his Back, by a Turkish Policeman, who had reportedly protected at least 8 Times the current President of Turkey, Tayip Erdogan, and had even been admitted to bid for a Job in Erdogan's personal Presidential Guard.

+++ The Greatest Number of Foreign "Jihadist" Fighters to/from ISIL Terrorists and Other Islamist Extremist Armed Gangs have Notoriously Transited through Turkey to/from its Borders to Syria and/or Iraq, where Most Islamist Terrorists are gathered. This includes even several among ISIL's Killers who Targetted Hundreds of Innocent and Defenseless Civilian People in France, (f.ex. in Paris' November 2015 "Bataclan" a.o. Attacks), Germany (Summer - Autumn 2016+, including Near Strasbourg), etc.

++++ Investigators have reportedly found, according to Mainstream Press, that the Arm Trafficker whohad equiped with Weapons already the "Charlie Hebdo" ISIL Killers, would be a Turkish Migrant living at Charlerois, around Brussels, in Belgium, (who would have given them Deadly Weapons in exchange of Gulibaly GirlFriend's Car, etc).

+++++ Many Fake "EU Passports", transported Through Turkey towards Syria, suspected to be Destinated to ISIL Terrorists, were Found Hidden inside ...Pizzas, reportedly prepared by Turkish Migrants in Belgium, (according also to Mainstream German Media, including, particularly "Die Welt", but also "Die Zeit", "Bild", "Spiegel, etc).

+++++++  Last, but not least, Money, Weapons, a.o. systematic Logistic Support for Islamic State's a.o. Bloody Terorists, notoriously use to Flow during Many Years through Turkey, (as Reminded also, Last Weekin Strasbourg a Dissident Turkish Journalist, Persecuted and Jailed, before being obliged to Flee to Europe as Political Refugee, Cem Dundar, who had Published a Reportage revealing Trucks loaded with <Deadly Rockets and other Heavy Weapons, ready to Cross the Turkish Borders and be Distributed to Islamist Terrorists Headquartered in Syria/Iraq....

(.../...)

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(NDLR : "DraftNews", as already Send to "Eurofora" Subscribers/Donors, earlier. A more accurate, full Final Version, might be published asap).

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*Strasbourg/CoE/Angelo Marcopolo/- CoE's Secretary General, and NOBEL Peace Prize Committee's Long-Time Member, (former Chairman), as well as Prime Minister of Norway, Thorbjorn Jagland, speaking to "Eurofora", did Not Exclude at all the Possibility for the Prestigious Prize to be, eventualy, Awarded to the Protagonists in the current Talks in Switzerland for the ReUnification of Cyprus, if and when they might Succeed to find a viable Solution to the 42 Years-old Problem, after that Strategic Island's Northern Territories were Invaded and still Occupied, since 1974,  by Turkey's Military troops, until Today (2017).

- But Jagland clearly stressed, in Reply to a relevant Question by "Eurofora", that, in his view, and at his Knowledge, Nowadays, -"It is Too Early" yet, as he told us, Smiling.

CoE's Secretary General said that After having Visited, Recently, Turkey, and met with its Leadership, and Just After having Spoken, Earlier Today in Strasbourg, with Cyprus' President, Nikos Anastasiades, who is currently Chairing (for the Period of November 2016 - May 2017) CoE's Highest Political Body :  the 47 Member State - strong, PanEuropean Organisation's Committee of Ministers, and was Invited by CoE's Parliamentary Assembly as Keynote Speaker for its Winter 2017 Plenary Session, here, where he also Responded to several MEPs' Questions.

Another protracted Conflict, even if in Different Circumstances, such as that of Colombia, recently attracted NOBEL's Peace Prize, for a Political solution.

But a Previous NOBEL Peace Prize Committee Chairman, and its Secretary, have already evoked with "Eurofora"'sco-Founder the Possibility of an Award for a just and sustainable Solution of Cyprus' Issue, according to Human Rights' principles, when they had First Visited ECHR's Headquarters in Strasbourg, (See our relevant Article, then Publishef at "TCyprusWeekly", with Original Photo).

*Strasbourg/CoE/Angelo Marcopolo/- Cyprus had wished an active Presence of several other Important Global Powers at the UN sponsored International Conference of Geneva for the ReUnification of that Strategic Island, and particularly of all UN Security Council's Permanent Members, but there wasnt' a positive response yet from the Other side on this point, revealed in substance to "Eurofora" the Experienced, Long-Time Foreign Minister of the Country, (which currently holds the rotating Chairmanship of the CoE), and former Mainstream MEP at EU Parliament, (in charge of Foreign Policy at its Biggest Group, that of ChristianDemocrats/EPP), Ioanis Kasulides.

UN SC PMs are USA, Russia, China, the UK, and France. Among them, it's only Great Britain which has already fully participated at the Beginning of UNO's Multilateral Political Conference on Cyprus, as one among the 3 former Guarantors (Together with Greece and Turkey) since 1960, when Cyprus became an Independent Country, before becoming also a UNO and CoE, as well as OSCE and EU Member Country.

The Chinese President, Xi Jiping, was, by a coincidence, visiting officialy Switzerland from 15 January 2017, to meet also with the Swiss President before addressing Davos' World Economic Forum, i.e. at the Date which had been initialy scheduled for the Conclusion of UNO's Cyprus Political Conference in Geneva, but the Earlier Suspension of its Work (reportedly because of some obligations of the Turkish Foreign Minister Cavusoglou) didn't give a chance to eventualy try to associate, in one way or another, these two quasi-Parallel events, facilitated by the Experienced and HyperActive Swiss Foreign Minister Didier Burkhalter (Comp. his Statements to "Eurofora", as former OSCE President, both in Strasbourg and in Bale, at ... + ..., etc).

However, that Postponement may also give a Chance to the New US President, Don Trump's Administration, and his prefered New Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, (an Experienced in International affairs, former EXXON CEO, who has just Ensured officialy his Confirmation by the US Senate), as well as USA's New Ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley (former US Congesswoman and Governor of South Carolina), and their Teams, to have some Time to start examining also the Cyprus issue,(which has notoriously an important impact on EU - Turkey matters).

UN-Experienced Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavriv has reportedly stressed the Importance of the role that UN Security Council's Permanent Members can play, particularly on Security aspects in Cyprus.  France has already expressed (including by its Ambassador to Cyprus) its Will to participate, at an adequate stage. Meanwhlle, EU Economic Powerhouse Germany, the Richest and most Populated EU Country, has, reportedly, also indicated an Interest to attend, (etc).

The potential input of such Important and relevant Countries, with various Global Responsibilities, to a possible ReUnification of Cyprus, can be obviously Valuable, after more than 42 Years of a GeoPolitical, International Law, and Human Rights' Problem, since the 1974 Turkish Military Invasion and Occupation of the Northern Part of the Island, exploiting a provoked Blockade of a Dysfunctional Constitution inherited from Post-Colonial Times, and a failed Coup Attempt, Reversed with Delay. Particularly it seems that Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots have recently managed to make some notable way ahead Together, even if some serious points wait still to be clarified, and/or settled with a functional compromise, while, at this stage, what remains still an Open Question, is Turkey's stance vis a vis its Military still camping inside an Independent EU Member Country. 

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Kasulides was Today at the CoE in Strasbourg in order to Address its PanEuropean Parliamentary Assembly's Winter Session this Week (22-27 January 2017, on behalf of CoE's Committee of Ministers, that Cyprus chairs from November 2016 up to May 2017 incl., replying also to MEPs' Questions on several European/International Issues related to CoE's competences, according to the rules.

But Tomorrow, it's the President of the Republic of Cyprus himself, Nicos Anastassiades, who has been invited as Keynote Speaker of CoE's 47 Member States strong PanEuropean gathering in Strasbourg, (also in quality of CoE Chairman in office), where a Long List of MEPs from various Countries has already been registered in order to raise various Topical Questions, be it on Human Rights, Economy and/or Politics, etc., while also meeting with CoE's Secretary General, Thornbjorn Jagland, CoE Assembly's President, Pedro Agramunto, ECHR President, Guido Raimondi, and other CoE's Top Officials, before leaving for Cyprus, to hold Important Bi-Communal and UN-related Contacts, etc.

EU Commissioner Johannes Hahn, in charge of EU Enlargement and Neighbourhood policy, is also due to make a Speech in CoE's Assembly and Reply to MEPs' Questions on matters of his competence, earlier that same day.

President Anastassiades is also due to Participate, Tomorrow in Strasbourg, to the Annual Ceremony to Mark the International Day of Commemoration, in Memory the Victims of the Holocaust, Together with the President of Romania, Klaus Johhanes, (who will address the PanEuropean Assembly on Wednesday), CoE's Leaders, and various other Officials.