Dutch gov’t makes 50,000 euro donation to Cyprus Committee for Missing Persons
Dutch Foreign Minister Stef Blok toured the Anthropological Laboratory of the Committee for Missing Persons (CMP) in Cyprus, handing over a cheque for 50,000 euros on behalf of The Netherlands.
Blok was on an official visit to Cyprus on Thursday, accompanied by the Dutch Ambassador, as he toured the CMP facility in Nicosia where he presented to the CMP Committee Members a 50,000 euro contribution of his government.
The Netherlands is CMP’s fourth largest single-donor country, while this donation brings Dutch financial assistance to CMP to a total of 672,000 euros over the past 12 years.
This contribution to the CMP Project on the Exhumation, Identification and Return of Remains of Missing Persons in Cyprus will support the Committee’s goal of identifying and returning as many remains of missing individuals as possible to bring an end to the uncertainty which has affected so many families for so many years.
So far, 890 missing persons from both communities have been identified and returned to their families for dignified burials.
The CMP relies on donor support to alleviate the suffering of the concerned families.
Blok's visit to Cyprus took place one day after he survived a no confidence vote in parliament over controversial comments he made back in July about multiethnic societies.
The minister apologized for what he described as an “unfortunate and careless” choice of words, saying he was only trying to spark a debate. [Kathimerini Cyprus]
