Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 02-09-06

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From: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org.cy>

CONTENTS

[01] Papapetrou says UN role upgraded in Cyprus peace effort

[02] Denktash promises to work to bridge differences

[03] President Clerides says UN may present Cyprus settlement plan

[04] UN chief expects Clerides and Denktash to make progress

[01] Papapetrou says UN role upgraded in Cyprus peace effort

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Papapetrou says UN role upgraded in Cyprus peace effort

by Maria Myles

Paris, Sep 6 (CNA) - Government Spokesman Michalis Papapetrou described today's meetings in Paris between UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash as "significant".

He told CNA that the role of the UN in the peace effort is being upgraded and is gradually becoming a leading role in the whole peace process.

Papapetrou also said that to achieve specific progress by the beginning of October, when Clerides and Denktash will go to New York to meet the Secretary General anew, the Turkish side should return to the negotiating table with a political will in line with UN resolutions.

"The Paris meeting is proved to have been an important one in the UN effort to reach a settlement in Cyprus," the Spokesman told CNA.

He said Annan assessed the situation so far at the direct talks and the attitude of each side to the talks, and added that "essentially the Secretary General has demanded from the two leaders that they make specific progress in a short period of time because the timeframe is closing in."

Papapetrou said Annan expects Clerides and Denktash in New York to hear from them whether they have succeeded in doing what they have been asked to do.

"To achieve this goal (concrete progress) it is necessary that the Turkish Cypriot side goes to the talks in a different political will, which will be in line with the letter and the spirit of UN Security Council resolutions," he told CNA after today's meetings.

Papapetrou is in Paris accompanying President Clerides, who met earlier today with Annan, first in private and then attending a lunch hosted by the Secretary General.

The President returns home tomorrow.

President Clerides and Denktash have been engaged in UN-led direct talks since mid January this year with a view to reach a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem.

[02] Denktash promises to work to bridge differences

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Denktash promises to work to bridge differences

by Maria Myles

Paris, Sep 6 (CNA) -Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash has promised to work to bridge the differences between the Greek Cypriot and the Turkish Cypriot sides at the peace talks, in spite of the hard line positions he has maintained at the talks so far, and said he was pleased with a meeting here today with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.

Speaking after the lunch Annan hosted for Denktash and President Glafcos Clerides, the Turkish Cypriot leader said he outlined his side of the story to the UN chief and pointed out the difficulties that exist with regard to a Cyprus settlement.

He described the meeting "good and timely" and said everything was discussed today and that Annan was a "good listener."

Asked if the possibility of the UN tabling a comprehensive solution plan was discussed, he said "the Secretary General says it is possible to bridge the gap and we shall try to see if it is possible, if not we continue until we do."

Denktash said the Secretary General has learned a lot of things at the talks today and added "I am pleased with my meetings and he is pleased with us."

Asked if he hopes to bridge the gap between the positions of the two sides, he said he would try to do so and when asked by CNA if he is willing to shift from his longstanding positions to help achieve this goal, he replied "there is no standing still, as you know."

Invited to say whether a comprehensive solution plan might be presented to the two sides, he said both sides have to hope and work for it.

President Clerides and Denktash have been engaged in UN-led direct talks since mid January this year with a view to reach a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem.

[03] President Clerides says UN may present Cyprus settlement plan

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President Clerides says UN may present Cyprus settlement plan

by Maria Myles

Paris, Sep 6 (CNA) - Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides said here today that the UN might put forward a comprehensive solution plan to facilitate the Cyprus peace process, if there is no progress by the beginning of October, when both he and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash will have to report back to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on their peace effort.

Speaking after a lunch Annan hosted for him and Denktash, in the context of the ongoing peace effort, the President also said that the UN chief had asked them both to continue their effort to find a negotiated settlement.

"During a private meeting I had with the Secretary General we discussed what the sticking points were, we explained our positions on those points and the reasons for those positions," the President told the press after the two-hour-long lunch.

The Secretary General, he said, suggested that "we return to Cyprus, continue with the talks, and that he would want to see us in New York on October 3 and 4 to see what progress has been made, if any, up until then".

Asked whether the UN might present a solution plan, if by October there is no progress, President Clerides said this had not been decided but it was not excluded either.

The President leaves Paris tomorrow for Cyprus.

President Clerides and Denktash have been engaged in UN-led direct talks since mid January this year with a view to reach a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem.

[04] UN chief expects Clerides and Denktash to make progress

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UN chief expects Clerides and Denktash to make progress

by Maria Myles

Paris, Sep 6 (CNA) - The UN Secretary General expects Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash to make "very significant progress" by the first week in October, when he will be meeting them again in New York after today's encounter in the French capital, Kofi Annan's Special Adviser on Cyprus Alvaro de Soto said here today.

Speaking to the press after a two-hour-long lunch Kofi Annan hosted for President Clerides and Denktash, de Soto also said the UN chief expects the leaders to remain committed to the goal of negotiating a comprehensive settlement and work towards this direction in a more intensified manner.

"The purpose of the New York meeting is to review progress and encourage them to continue their efforts. We are not saying we expect the settlement to be solved by the first week of October but the Secretary General is hoping for very significant progress," de Soto told the press.

Asked by CNA if he had secured a commitment to this effect by Clerides and Denktash this time round, de Soto said "this is certainly the Secretary General's expectation and both leaders remain committed to the goal of negotiating a comprehensive settlement."

On his own role in the negotiating process, de Soto said it was "the responsibility, the role and the duty of the two leaders that is important" and not his own.

Replying to other questions, he said that at today's meetings Annan, President Clerides and Denktash "did take stock, there was a frank discussion and they discussed ways in which a course could be charted for the way ahead."

He said they have agreed to go back to Cyprus and work to try and intensify progress and they also agreed that "progress will be kept under close review and for that purpose they will be gathering with the Secretary General again on October 3 and 4."

De Soto returns to the island on Tuesday and regular meetings in the context of the ongoing direct talks he is conducting begin on Wednesday.

President Clerides and Denktash have been engaged in UN-led direct talks since mid January this year with a view to reach a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem.

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