NATIONAL COUNCIL - MEETING

The National Council convened on Monday, under President Demetris Christofias, following the deadly blast at the naval base “Evangelos Florakis” in Mari, on July 11, which killed 13 persons.

Government Spokesman Stephanos Stephanou expressed the Council’s condolences to the families of the victims. He added that Council members – parliamentary parties - observed a minute’s silence in memory of the victims, before the start of the meeting. The National Council is the top advisory body to the President of the Republic on the handling of the Cyprus question.

According to Stephanou, during the meeting President Christofias briefed the members of the National Council on the efforts to deal with outstanding problems, following the energy crisis in the aftermath of the blast. Political parties, he added, have expressed their thoughts and reservations, especially concerning the independent nature of the inquiry into the blast. The President pledged to take these concerns under consideration, Stephanou noted.

Moreover, Stephanou said the President briefed Council members on the outcome of the meeting he had with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu, concerning the Cyprus issue, in Geneva, on July 7. The National Council will convene again on Friday, July 22, to continue discussing the Geneva meeting, the Government Spokesman said.

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