Cyprus Observer, Cyprus
April 19 2008

Karoyan stresses parliamentary diplomacy
18.04.2008

Cyprus News Agency talks to new Greek Cypriot House President

By Maria Fili / CNA

President of the Greek Cypriot House of Representatives Marios Karoyan
believes that parliamentary diplomacy is "a perfect tool" to promote
[Square brackets by the Cyprus Observer – southern] Cyprus’ objectives,
to consolidate links and relations with other parliaments and people
and project the country’s civilisation, which he describes as the
spear of [southern] Cyprus.

In an interview with the Cyprus News Agency (CNA), Karoyan said that
[Greek Cypriot] President Demetris Christofias, former House President,
is particularly sensitive to the role the House has to play and has
always had a deep understanding of the problems associated with the
running of the House of Representatives.

"This is why I believe that President Christofias will have a lending
ear to matters relating to the financial autonomy of the House and
the creation of a department that will prepare legislation," he said.

Recently elected DIKO President Karoyan, who was elected to the House
Presidency in March this year, said that events in the past couple
of years and fate itself have elevated him to his current post.

In less than two years Karoyan has been elected as a Democratic
Party (DIKO) MP, securing more votes than any of the party’s other
candidates, and then elected President of DIKO and finally President
of the House of Representatives.

He told CNA that he had not planned this course and is fully aware
of the realities of power, saying that "the power that comes with a
high post is not eternal."

”The election to the House presidency charges me with additional
responsibilities to act collectively as the President of the House
and at the same time to continue the work that Mr. Christofias, former
President of the House, achieved in many sectors. We are called upon to
bring about the necessary changes and reforms we deem are important to
strengthen further the role of the Parliament within [southern] Cyprus
and in relation to its international presence, and at the same time
to promote bilateral relations with many other parliaments,” he said.

Karoyan noted that the shoulders of any one person are not strong
enough to withstand the problems, emanating from the continuing
occupation of the island’s northern third.

”Collective wisdom is the main parameter of my reasoning and
behaviour,” he said, adding that ”these elements are necessary for
the Parliament, as a temple of democracy, to function in an impeccable
way, appropriate to our civilisation, history and the vision we
want to realise, that is to see our homeland, the parliament, the
institutions making important steps forward, adopting innovation and
anything new coming from the technological revolution that has been
going on over the past two decades.”

Furthermore, Karoyan said that parliamentary diplomacy was important in
promoting [southern] Cyprus’ aims, enhancing support in parliaments and
peoples, promoting the Cyprus Problem, and promoting Cypriot culture,
which is the spear of the country. "We shall work always bearing in
mind that we should serve the interest of the country," he stressed.

Ethnic Armenian

Referring to comments about his Armenian origins, Karoyan said these
remarks were from a small number of people and that the majority of
the people were not affected by racist syndromes or concepts. He said
he was proud of his origin, proud to be part of the Greek Cypriot
community and would serve the country.

The House President said he aims to establish a two-way communication
with the citizens, which he believes is necessary to convince them that
politics are not some distant concept. Such contact, he explained,
could also help tackle criticism against politicians and politics in
general. This approach, he told CNA, could make the citizen feel that
"decision-making does not take place behind closed doors and it is
not a dark procedure alien to the citizen."

Karoyan said that his first official visit as House President would
be to the Greek Parliament and then fended off criticism that his
party’s support for Demetris Christofias’ candidacy during February’s
presidential elections was in exchange for his election to the
House presidency. He said DIKO’s decision to back Christofias for
the presidency was taken after the party had evaluated the positions
of the two candidates on the Cyprus problem, their credibility and
other political parameters.

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