Press Release 8.2.16

Religious leaders of Cyprus visit the Laboratory of the Committee on Missing Persons and record a joint appeal

Today, His Beatitude Archbishop Chrysostomos II of Nova Justinia and All Cyprus and His Excellency Dr Talip Atalay, Mufti of Cyprus, together with the representative of His Eminence Archbishop Nareg of the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church of Cyprus, His Excellency Archbishop Youssef Soueif of the Maronite Church of Cyprus also representing the Latin Patriarchal Vicar and Representative of the Apostolic Nunciature in Cyprus, visited the Anthropological laboratory of the Committee on Missing Persons (CMP) accompanied by H.E. Ambassador Klas Gierow of Sweden. They met with the CMP Members and scientists and expressed their unanimous support to the Committee’s bi-communal humanitarian work

The religious leaders were briefed on the progress made, and the challenges faced, by the Committee. The Religious leaders praised the work of the CMP and pledged their unanimous support to their important mission.

At the end of their visit, the religious leaders also made statements calling on all Cypriots to provide information to the CMP on possible burial sites. “Any suffering of any human being is suffering for the whole world. We should not allow this immeasurable pain to continue. Anyone with information should come forth so that human dignity is restored and the relatives of those missing can find peace and consolation”, said the religious leaders.

The visit was initiated and organized by the Office of the Religious Track of the Cyprus Peace Process under the Auspices of the Embassy of Sweden. (RTCYPP)

Following the visit to the CMP laboratory, the religious leaders had a lunch meeting at the Swedish Ambassador’s residence where they discussed the upcoming meeting with Mr Espen Barth Eide, the UN Secretary General’s Special Advisor on Cyprus and Ms Lisa Buttenheim, UN Secretary General Special Representative to Cyprus to be held on Wednesday, 10th February 2016, facilitated by the Office of RTCYPP and hosted by the Ambassador of Sweden.