Further articles:
Government determined to locate missing persons (Cyprus News Agency)
Andreas Kasapis' funeral by Michalis Syrimis

Nicosia, Jun 22 (CNA) -- President Glafcos Clerides will attend a memorial service here for 17-year-old Andreas Kasapis, the first missing person whose fate was ascertained after years of inquiries by a US investigative team.

Kasapis' remains, located in a field near the Turkish-occupied village of Ashia, in the southeastern part of Cyprus, will be buried today in his home-town of Detroit, in the US.

A report by Ambassador Robert Dillon on the five US citizens, missing in Cyprus since the 1974 Turkish invasion of the island, said Kasapis was taken away by two Turkish Cypriots from his house in Ashia village, where he lived at the time with his family, and shot dead, probably by "Turkish Cypriot militiamen."

The report, released earlier this year, concludes that the other four Americans, of Greek descent, "in all likelihood did not survive the events of in Cyprus in the summer of 1974."

There are 1,619 persons, including women and children, listed as missing since the Turkish invasion and so far only Kasapis' whereabouts were established.

The Greek and Turkish Cypriot sides exchanged information on missing persons, following a UN-brokered agreement on this humanitarian issue, with a view of proceeding to the return of the remains of those killed.

But things seem to have stalled apparently because of Turkish Cypriot demands to look into the fate of people assumed killed in a military coup which preceded the Turkish invasion.

Copyright © 1998 Cyprus News Agency (CNA)

Kasapis, Andreas Costas personal page
Summary of testimony given by the father of the missing Andreas Kasapis
News page: Fate of missing person Andreas Kasapis traced

Government determined to locate missing persons

Nicosia, Jun 22 (CNA) -- The government will try its best to see that the remains of four Cypriots of American citizenship will be handed to their relatives, President Glafcos Clerides said today.

Speaking after a memorial service for Andreas Kasapis, the fifth American citizen of Cypriot origin missing since the 1974 Turkish invasion of the island, whose remains have been recently discovered and handed to his relatives, Clerides said:

"We will continue our efforts to ascertain the fate of all persons missing," and pointed to the arrival to Cyprus, early next month, of UN representative to the tripartite Investigatory Committee on Missing Persons, set up in 1981 for this purpose.

Jean-Pierre Ritter has been appointed as UN representative to the Investigatory Committee. Takis Christopoulos represents the Greek Cypriot side and Rustem Tatar, the Turkish Cypriot side.

A report, released earlier this year, concludes that the other four Americans, of Greek descent, "in all likelihood did not survive the events in Cyprus in the summer of 1974."

Replying to questions, President Clerides said "we will do everything possible (to locate the remains of the four Americans) and I believe we will succeed in this."

Asked whether the government will proceed with the exhumation of remains of persons listed as missing in the free areas of the Republic, Clerides said:

"We have taken a political decision, according to an agreement we signed with the Turkish Cypriot community before a UN representative."

The two sides in Cyprus exchanged information on missing persons, following a UN-brokered agreement on this humanitarian issue, with a view of proceeding to the return of the remains of those killed.

The memorial service was also attended by US Embassy in Nicosia First Secretary, Donald Shemanski.

Kasapis' remains were buried today in his home-town of Detroit, US.

Copyright © 1998 Cyprus News Agency (CNA)

Andreas Kasapis' Funeral
An article by Michalis Syrimis, who attended the funeral on Monday

Note: the following article is in Greek

Χτες έγινε στην Εκκλησία του Ευαγγελισμού της Παναγίας στο Plymouth, Michigan, η κηδεία του Ανδρέα Κασάπη, του πρώτου αγνοουμένου του οποίου έχει εξακριβωθεί η τύχη. Τα οστά του Ανδρέα αναγνωρίστηκαν από αμερικανούς εμπειρογνώμονες που διερευνούν την τύχη των 5 αμερικανών υπηκόων, αγνοουμένων, μετά από απόφαση της αμερικανικής Γερουσίας.

Ήταν μια απλή και πολύ συγκινητική ακολουθία, στην οποία παρεβρέθηκαν γύρω στα 300 άτομα. Μίλησαν για τον Ανδρέα, ο πρόεδρος του American Hellenic Congress, ο Philip Christopher της PSEKA και του Justice Committee, ο πρέσβης της Κύπρου στην Washington και ο Thomas Miller ο οποίος διάβασε επιστολή του Bill Clinton προς τους γονείς του Ανδρέα. Μίλησε επίσης η ανιψιά του Ανδρέα και η αδελφή του, που διάβασε ένα ποίημα το οποίο είχε γράψει η μητέρα του. Το ποίημα διαβάστηκε και στις εκκλησίες της Κύπρου όπου έγιναν μνημόσυνα για τη μνήμη του Ανδρέα.

Όπως τόνισε ο Philip Christopher, το δράμα της οικογένειας Κασάπη έχει τώρα τελειώσει, αυτό όμως των οικογενειών τον υπολοίπων 1587 αγνοουμένων συνεχίζεται.

Ο Ανδρέας Κασάπης ήταν 17 ετών όταν συνελήφθηκε από Τουρκοκύπριους στο χωριό Άσσια κατά τη διάρκεια της Τουρκικής εισβολής του 1974. Η οικογένειά του ετοιμαζόταν να επιστρέψει στο Michigan, αφού ο Ανδρέας είχε γίνει δεκτός στο Engineering School του University of Michigan και θα άρχιζε τις σπουδές του λίγες μέρες μετά τη σύλληψή του.

Αιωνία του η μνήμη και ας είναι ελαφρύ το χώμα που τον σκεπάζει.

Michalis Syrimis