Ladies and Gentlemen,

On behalf of the organisers, I welcome you all to this forum today.

I will read to you some summary points which came out of the "La Trobe Project" which took place at La Trobe University on April 15-16 this year.

The "La Trobe Project" brought down taboos. Cypriots are finally discussing their issues in a civilised and mature way.

The Cyprus Conflict Resolution Workshop organized in April, brought together intellectuals, academics and activists from both Cypriot communities in Australia. The project has been very successful. So much that it echoed loudly throughout the world.

The project, which was supervised by Prof. Joseph Camilleri of the Department of Politics at La Trobe University, was the result of a serious and meticulous preparation. The discussions in the workshop touched on very delicate issues without ever losing their objectivity. The outcomes are very promising. The participants, the majority being from Victoria, were joined by a group of Turkish and Greek Cypriots from NSW. All participants were well prepared and demonstrated contemporary, scientific and mature attitudes.

The meeting started in the morning of April 15 and Prof. Joseph Camilleri opened the first session welcoming all participants. Afterwards the project coordinators delivered their speeches, briefly outlining the past and the aims of the project. Dr. Michael placed special emphasis on the importance of a thorough communication and said that at this stage the outcomes had secondary significance. I had called for the establishment of a Cyprus Research Centre, which should coordinate scientific research into issues related to Cypriot Communities with assistance from universities.

Generally, discussion of topics followed expert presentations on the same subject.

Joe Camilleri after briefing participants on the contemporary theories behind conflict resolution stated that ultimately the solution to the Cyprus conflict would have to come from the parties directly involved and not from 3rd parties. 3rd parties can accommodate or assist but not impose a solution to the Cyprus problem.

In the second session, the co-organiser of The "La Trobe Project", Dr. Michael delivered a speech about "Preconditions for a symbiotic settlement of the Cyprus Conflict". He said that UN-sponsored inter-communal talks failed to incorporate other aspects of the conflict, in particular the triangular relationship that connects Cyprus to Greece and Turkey, and by extension to Europe.

In the third presentation of the first day, the Executive Director of the Australian Multicultural Foundation Bulent Hass Dellal said that multiculturalism is a path to folow for ethnically diverse societies. In his speech Dellal also touched on the subject of leadership. He said, "Ultimately, true leadership is a mantle that must be earned...Leaders must be proactive, creative and visionary, they should not be reactive or defensive... Leaders must work for the common good and advance the goals of multiculturalism that embody tolerance, equity and social justice".

Dellal also pointed out that Australia's experiences were relevant to many countries including Cyprus.

The discussions on this topic were moderated by Dr. Gabriella Etmektsoglou, lecturer at La Trobe and Melbourne Universities.

All agreed that communications between non-governmental organizations were beneficial and should be encouraged.

After lunch Prof. Desmond Cahill, an expert on international studies and intercultural communications from RMIT University, delivered an speech on "The development of Intercultural Communication channels in the process of conflict changes". Prof. Cahill spoke of the need for communication to continue on the level of community leadership. "The most important component of a solution to the Cyprus problem is going to be the dialogue within the two communities themselves". "What has to guide their actions is the future and how they imagine the future. What Cyprus can be? Too often people become hostages of the past". "A cleric (mufti of Bosnia) once said that it is not a sin to go back to the past, but it is a sin to stay there".

Dr. Gabriella Ekmektsoglou, drew attention to the continual change in values. In time and with newer generations, the attitudes and desires of people change. And, this reality should also be taken into consideration while seeking for solutions.

In the fifth session, Mimis Sophocleous from RMIT Univeristy gave a presentation on "The Cypriot Communities in Figures", an analysis obtained from the Australian census results. This was followed by my own presentation on "The Social Structure of the Turkish Cypriot Community in Victoria". Yalcin Oytam, an academic from the UNSW, added relevant information about the Turkish Cypriot community in NSW.

Prof. Des Cahill moderated discussions on these topics.

The last session of the first day was concluded with the screening of "Espresso - When people from the wrong sides meet", a 26 minutes film by Adonis Florides and Theodoros Nicolaides, which won many international awards. Sympathetic messages sent to the workshop by the producers were read.

Yalcin Oytam stressed the historical absence of an independent role for the working people of Cyprus as a uniting political force. He also highlighted the capitulation to nationalism of traditional labour organizations as the final stroke in the tragedy of Cyprus.

In the first session of the second day, a report on the bone marrow campaign that had started in Cyprus and soon spread over the whole world was presented. The campaign had been initiated to save the lives of two children who suffer from leukaemia, one a Turkish Cypriot and the other a Greek Cypriot boy. The report covered the whole campaign from the beginning.

This campaign boosted contact between communities in Cyprus specially among the younger generations. Young people developed friendships over the Internet where contact is limited. This communication had led to the picnic organised by youth in Pergama, a village under British control. Here 2000 young Cypriots, half of them Turkish, had come to party together and donated blood samples for Andreas and Kemal. This event marked a significant development for the future of Cyprus.

After the report, Nitel Mimi, an 8th grade student at Pascoevale Girls College, presented her speech on "Blood and Peace". Nitel prepared this speech originally as a school project on "public speaking". Her essay has been distributed via the Internet. 13-year- old Nitel has received many messages from all over the world and her essay has been published in different languages and various publications including New York Times.

Nitel's speech was followed by a presentation by Jim Wood, the President of the Victoria Greek Cypriot Community. He spoke of the need to go back to the basics of the Cyprus problem. Sometimes the two communities need assistance (such as this workshop) to be reminded of these important everyday values. It took a tragedy of two kids and the need for bone marrow donation to wake us all up and realise how ridiculous the situation we are in is.

The second session of the second day was on "The Media Promoting Greek-Turkish Goodwill". Presenters looked at the problems faced developing closer relations between Turks and Greeks and the role of the media in this process.

Con Nikolopoulos from Neos Kosmos said that the Greek-Australian media have been influenced by multiculturalism when dealing with Greek-Turkish differences. In the Greek-Australian community, the small chauvinistic minority has been identified and isolated.

Levent Efe, from the Turkish Report, spoke about the "old guard" and the need for the silent majority and especially the educated Turks with modern and European attitudes to emerge and takeover the leadership of the communities. He expressed the view that "old guard" were hindering communities to adapt themselves to the changing conditions of the society they are living in.

The discussions on this topic was moderated by Salih Celebioglu. In this session, the topic of "Joint Bilingual Publications" was also discussed.

The fact that Greek and Turkish Cypriots don't have a joint publication, although they have many common historical and cultural values was found regrettable.

George Zangalis, President of the 3ZZZ ethnic community radio station and ex-President of the Public Transport Union, praised the initiative of the workshop and spoke about his intentions of getting a joint Greek and Turkish Cypriot union delegation to visit Australia. He also offered airtime on 3ZZZ for a Greek and Turkish Cypriot dialogue. Zangalis brought up the idea of combined Cypriot program. He called on Cypriots who were interested in this idea, to approach him personally on this matter.

In the third session, which was modrated by Spiros Constantinou, Peter Christophi from NSW announced that there was a plan for a "Bicommunal Cultural festival". He said that the group of Turkish and Greek artists from Cyprus were to be supported by local artists of both communities.

Huseyin Turem, another participant from NSW, talked about the uniting effect of art emphasizing particularly the danger of loosing local cultural practices as well as authentic artistic creativity. He said "Without due care, countries like Cyprus can disappear from the world's culture map while others such as the USA, would become more and more dominant over the world".

Aygun Ozkan talked about the difficulties Turkish and Greek Cypriot Students encountered when trying to establish contacts in Cyprus. Ozkan also said that with the development of the Internet, barriers had been generally overcome. Ozkan further pointed out that with increasing ties, the understanding and friendship between young people was also developing and that the Pergama Youth Picnic early this year, was an indication of this.

This session, which was directed by the Federal Senator Barney Cooney, concentrated on the events before the meeting with representatives of the Federal Immigration and Foreign Ministers and the problems experienced thereafter. Spiros Constantinou, Yalcin Adal, Yalcin Oytam and Tumer Mimi briefed the participants on the outcomes of this meeting.

Spiros Konstantinou spoke of his experiences when a joint Greek and Turkish Cypriot delegation - for the first time - met Australian ministers last year and how surprised he was that such a delegation was able to eventuate. Spiros spoke of justice for all Cypriots and the need for respect for human rights and individual freedoms. These cannot be sacrificed and be selective in their application. The need for hard issues that effect everyday Cypriots must be resolved on the basis of human justice. Finally, a new mentality needs to be brought about which would see a value belief system whereupon Cypriots support each other not on the basis of ethnicity, religion or gender but on the basis of truth, justice and fairness.

In this last session, all participants had the opportunity to express their opinion on the workshop and future activities.

Some sentiments were as follows:

"A Cyprus Research Centre/Institute should be established."

"The major obstacle in front of a resolution to the Cyprus conflict is the fanatic structure of some groups. Refugees should have the right to return to their legal residences. Cyprus should be disarmed. The loss of time makes a solution for Cyprus more difficult."

"Our experiences in Australia can be a good example for Cyprus,"

The embargoes that the Turkish Cypriots are subjected to are driving more Turkish Cypriots away from the island. Hence, demography in the North of Cyprus is continuously changing. Cultural, sports and economic embargoes on TC must be lifted. As an initial step, free trade within the island will work well for rapprochement and confidence building as well reversing immigration trends.

"The terms Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot should be abandoned and terms such as Turkish and Greek speaking Cypriots should be used instead."

Two young participants: "The young people of both communities should organize joint activities as Cypriots. We have benefited from multicultural education and we can work together."

In conclusion Dr. Michael stated that this workshop is but a small stone in the big picture of Greek-Turkish rapprochement that are witnessed in the last year or so as the "Earthquake Diplomacy". At the end of the day the real test for this new peace offensive and improved relations between Greece and Turkey will be the Cyprus issue. Irrespective of the 'high politics' of Greek-Turkish diplomacy, people-to-people relations and communication must continue and be sustained.

Tumer Mimi added that the "Intellectuals and the wider community have shown great interest in our workshop. We have been receiving warm messages from all over the world. The rapprochement process will be continued and developed even further. This is the age of technology and this process will lead us to peace. We are living in a multicultural country with contemporary values. We have to abandon the paranoia of the past and take logical steps towards the future."

At the end of the meeting Dr Yalcin Adal presented the two convenors of the workshop, with two Mediterranean trees as a gesture of the participants appreciation and as a symbolic act of the friendship that has been struck between the participants. Dr Adal said 'as these trees grow over time with care so should our friendship grow stronger day by day for each other'.

Finally, expert academics from the universities promissed to contribute to the continuing raprochament process.

Before leaving the meeting the participants took a group photo.

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