Head of Humanitarian Affairs for the missing persons and the enclaved, Anna Aristotelous, had a discussion on Tuesday with the Minister of Education of Alberta, Canada, Demetrios Nicolaides. The meeting took place as Nicolaides wished to be informed about the educational system implemented in schools in the Turkish occupied areas of the Republic and the freedom of education for the young enclaved, a PIO press release says. During the meeting Aristotelous also briefed the Minister on the issue of missing persons in Cyprus and their relatives suffering, noting that "we are doing our utmost to put an end to this." She asked for the Minister's cooperation in order to raise awareness among overseas Cypriots on the issue of the missing persons and highlighted their contribution to efforts made the President of the Republic, as they are able to convey Nicosia's messages and positions. On his part, according to the press release, Nicolaides expressed his support and full understanding for the humanitarian issue related to the living conditions and more specifically the education of the enclaved young people. He expressed the belief that through cooperation with universities and other educational institutions in Canada opportunities for education can be reinforced. As regards the issue of missing persons, he noted that some very important coordinated actions are taking place, aiming to raise awareness on this and that he briefs his counterparts on this when he has the chance to do so. Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37% of its territory. Since then, the fate of hundreds of people remains unknown. A Committee on Missing Persons has been established, upon agreement between the leaders of the two communities, with the scope of exhuming, identifying and returning to their relatives the remains of 492 Turkish Cypriots and 1,510 Greek Cypriots, who went missing during the inter-communal fighting of 1963-1964 and in 1974.

Source: Cyprus News Agency