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The European Charter for regional and minority languages: application by Cyprus examined

Strasbourg, 29/09/2006: The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe recently adopted a recommendation for the attention of the Cypriot authorities on measures they could take to improve the application of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages in Cyprus.

These measures include applying protection of Cypriot Maronite Arabic under Part II of the Charter, ensuring the availability of teaching of and in Armenian at secondary level and adopting policy to promote and protect Armenian and Cypriot Maronite Arabic.

The recommendation follows the evaluation report prepared by the Charter's Committee of Independent Experts, using information submitted by Cyprus and by NGOs, and obtained during an on-the-spot visit by the Committee of Experts to Cyprus. During this visit, meetings were held with representatives of the regional or minority languages spoken in Cyprus, including representatives of NGOs, as well as representatives of the Cypriot authorities.

For further information on the Charter and its monitoring mechanism, click here, or contact the Charter Secretariat at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg (Directorate of Co-operation for Local and Regional Democracy, DG I - Legal Affairs, F-67075 Strasbourg, tel: +33 (0)3 90 21 52 77).

Report and recommendation on the application of the Charter in Cyprus.