Cyprus News Agency, Cyprus
March 6 2008

New Cypriot Speaker pledges to promote island’s unity

Nicosia, 6 March: New House President Marios Karoyian has pledged to
work for unity and promote a collective spirit, two principles he
described as "fundamental preconditions" for the successful
management of the Cyprus question.

Speaking before the House plenary, after his election to the House
Presidency, Karoyian thanked all the parties which backed his
candidacy and expressed understanding for the decision of the
right-wing Democratic Rally party to abstain from the vote.

Karoyian assured that he will work for a just, functional and viable
settlement of the Cyprus question on the basis of UN resolutions and
decisions, the high-level agreements of 1977 and 1979 between the
leaders of the Greek Cypriot and the Turkish Cypriot communities,
providing for a bizonal, bicommunal federation, the July 2006
agreement providing for substantive negotiations towards a
settlement, the principles of international law and the principles on
which the European Union is founded.

He said that his aim is a settlement which will lift the
repercussions of the Turkish invasion and continuing occupation of
Cyprus’s northern part, re-unite the state, the people and the
institutions and create the conditions for the harmonious and
peaceful coexistence of all the legal inhabitants of the country,
Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, Armenians, Maronites and Latins
under conditions of security, progress and cooperation.

Noting that critical battles lie ahead for Cyprus and that new moves
are expected on the Cyprus question, he said that the House of
Representatives in cooperation with the president of the republic and
the government will assume its own share in efforts to promote our
goals and our positions for achieving a just, functional and viable
settlement of the Cyprus problem.

Furthermore, he pledged to work towards unity, noting that he looks
forward to the cooperation and help of all parliamentary parties.

He referred to the EU, noting that Cyprus’s more-active engagement in
EU institutions "has allowed us to aspire to become substantive
players contributing to European developments".

Karoyian said that his attention will also focus on issues related to
the improvement of the functioning of the House at all levels.

He praised the work of his predecessor, new president of the Republic
of Cyprus, Dhimitrios Khristofias, who, as he said, had made
important steps towards the promotion of the role of the legislative
and of modernizing its structures and procedures.

"I will make every effort to continue along this path with a view to
enhance the role of the House of Representatives," he concluded.

Karoyian was elected today to the post of president of the House of
Representatives by majority vote.