Page 10 - aruba-today-20190810

A10 WORLD NEWS
Saturday 10 auguSt 2019
Cyprus’ rival leaders ready to meet UN chief next month

BY MENELAOS HADJICOSTIS in a new partnership and
Associated Press seek federal decision-mak-
NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — The ing parity with the majority
leaders of the ethnically di- Greek Cypriots.
vided east Mediterranean However, Akinci said he
island of Cyprus are ready would take a closer look at
to meet with the U.N. sec- Anastasiades’ proposal to
retary-general next month cede more power to each
to map out possible next federated part in the run-
steps toward a resumption ning of its own affairs.
of formal reunification talks, Anastasiades repeated
officials said Friday. that peace talks can’t re-
U.N. spokesman Aleem Sid- sume if Turkey doesn’t stop
dique said in a statement unlawful gas drilling in wa-
that the two would carry on ters where Cyprus has ex-
discussions with U.N. envoy clusive economic rights.
Jane Holl Lute to prepare Turkish vessels are currently
the ground for “structured drilling for gas on either end
and results-oriented” nego- of Cyprus in response to the
tiations leading to a peace Cyprus government’s own
deal “with a sense of ur- gas search within its exclu-
gency.” sive economic zone. Turkey
Siddique issued the state- In this photo released from Cyprus’ Press and Informations Office, Cyprus President Nicos doesn’t recognize Cyprus
ment after Greek Cypriot Anastasiades and UN Secretary General’s Special Representative to Cyprus Elizabeth Spehar, as a state and says that
President Nicos Anastasia- before their talks with Turkish Cypriot leader in Nicosia, Cyprus, Friday, Aug. 9, 2019. it’s only defending its rights
des and Turkish Cypriot Associated Press and those of Turkish Cypri-
leader Mustafa Akinci held in New York and would size disagreements remain on keeps more than 35,000 ots to the area’s energy re-
private talks for nearly four up prospects for a resump- serious matters,” Anastasia- troops in the north. serves.
hours. tion of peace talks, two des told reporters. Greek Cypriots are wary of Anastasiades repeated
Anastasiades said after the years after they collapsed Numerous attempts at any deal that would put that a Turkish Cypriot pro-
talks inside a U.N. protect- at a Swiss Alpine resort. reaching a reunification an envisioned federated posal for a joint committee
ed area that separates the An informal conference deal over the past 45 years Cyprus under what they to manage gas drilling is a
internationally recognized involving officials from Cy- have gone nowhere. see as the direct or indirect non-starter because it’s a
Greek Cypriot south and prus’ ‘guarantors’ Greece, Cyprus was split in 1974 control of Turkey. matter for sovereign gov-
the breakaway, Turkish Cy- Turkey and Britain would when Turkey invaded fol- They reject Turkish Cypriot ernments to decide what
priot north that Lute’s con- precede formal peace lowing a coup by support- demands for a permanent goes on in their territorial
tacts aimed at preparing a talks to ensure that all sides ers of union with Greece Turkish troop presence and waters.
meeting with U.N. chief An- would be working toward and numerous attempts veto power on all govern- He said Turkish Cypriots’
tonio Guterres. the same goal. at clinching a peace deal ment decisions on the fed- rights to the island’s en-
The hoped-for meeting with “We have a good climate, since have gone nowhere. eral level. ergy reserves are assured,
Guterres would take place we have a common ba- Only Turkey recognizes a Turkish Cypriots object to but that he would be will-
after next month’s U.N. sis on which talks can take Turkish Cypriot declara- what they see as being ing to brief Akinci on drilling
General Assembly session place, but I must admit that tion of independence and relegated to junior powers developments.q

Canadian citizen freed from Syria after Lebanese mediation

By SARAH EL DEEB for what Syrian authorities “I didn’t know if anyone
Associated Press considered a “major viola- knew if I was alive.”
BEIRUT (AP) — A Canadian tion” of local laws, adding Baxter’s release marked
citizen held in Syrian prisons that authorities there may the second time Lebanon
since last year and freed have considered the inci- has helped free a foreigner
after Lebanese mediation dent security related. He held in Syria.
said Friday he had no idea didn’t elaborate. Last month, Ibrahim also
if anyone knew he was still Baxter appeared briefly mediated the release of
alive. on a podium, shared with an American traveler, Sam
Kristian Lee Baxter ap- Ibrahim and the Canadian Goodwin, held in Syria for
peared emotional and at ambassador to Lebanon, two months.
times jittery at a press con- Emmanuelle Lamoureux. The circumstances of
ference in the Lebanese He was emotional and Goodwin’s detention in
capital Beirut. The Leba- choked on his words as he northeastern Syria in May
nese general who medi- tried to hold back tears. were unclear.
ated his release said Baxter This handout photo by the Lebanese General Security “I’d just like to thank the Ca- Syrian prisons are brim-
was heading home. It was Directorate, shows Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim, left, Lebanon’s nadian embassy for helping ming with government op-
General Security Chief, speaks with Canadian citizen Kristian
not clear when Baxter was Lee Baxter, center, who was released from Syrian prisons to me,” Baxter said, reaching ponents after nearly nine
released from Syria. Lebanon, during a press conference in Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, to hold the shoulder of the years of civil war. Rebels
Details of Baxter’s deten- Aug 9, 2019. Canadian ambassador. were also responsible for
tion were not immediately Associated Press “I would like to thank the a wave of kidnapping for
available but Canadian where he was traveling citing privacy provisions. Lebanese for helping me ransom, while Islamic State
media reported last De- seeking an adventure. Ca- Lebanon’s General Secu- get free. I thought I would militants beheaded foreign
cember he was detained nadian officials declined to rity Chief Abbas Ibrahim be there forever, honestly.” captives as part of their ter-
while in war-torn Syria, provide further information, said Baxter was detained He added, wiping his eyes: ror campaign.q