Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 02-10-05

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

CONTENTS

[01] Ad hoc committees to begin work on Cyprus technical issues

[02] Two sides in Cyprus to designate experts for ad hoc committees

[03] UN Secretary General's statement on Cyprus talks - Full text

[04] Weather and Temperatures for Cyprus

[05] President: views of two sides still wide apart

[06] No concessions made on fundamental issues, President says

[01] Ad hoc committees to begin work on Cyprus technical issues

0050:CYPPRESS:02

Ad hoc committees to begin work on Cyprus technical issues

by Apostolis Zoupaniotis

United Nations, Oct 5 (CNA) - Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash have decided to create two ad hoc bilateral technical committees to begin work immediately on important technical issues of the Cyprus problem, the purpose of which is to make recommendations on technical matters on the core issues concerned.

In a statement read out by his Special Adviser on Cyprus Alvaro de Soto, after meeting President Clerides and Denktash in New York, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan notes that the leaders of the two communities have focused on the issues he highlighted to them during a meeting in Paris on September 6, and there has been an encouraging effort to explore ways of bridging differences pragmatically.

Annan points out that there is no simple solution to the Cyprus problem but stresses that the opportunity that is in hand must be seized and in this regard Greece and Turkey have an important role to play.

The full statement reads as follows:

''I have completed this afternoon two days of intensive consultations on Cyprus with His Excellency Mr. Glafcos Clerides, the Greek Cypriot leader, and His Excellency Mr. Rauf Denktash, the Turkish Cypriot leader.

I am happy to report that, since I met the two leaders in Paris, they have focused on the issues I highlighted and there has been an encouraging effort to explore ways of bridging differences pragmatically.

Here in New York I tried to crystallise for the two leaders a way they could push their discussions forward to further narrow their differences with the active assistance of my Special Adviser Mr. Alvaro de Soto.

As part of their effort to bridge differences pragmatically, the two leaders have decided to create two ad hoc bilateral technical committees to begin work immediately on important technical issues.

The purpose of these committees is to make recommendations on technical matters without prejudice to the positions of the two leaders on the core issues concerned.

Their work shall be ad referendum and shall focus on treaties and future common state laws. The UN will assist the parties in this work.

There is no simple solution to the Cyprus problem. For this reason, a comprehensive statement has to be a complex, integrated, legally binding and self-executing agreement, where the rights and obligations of all concerned are clear, unambiguous and not subject to further negotiation. I hope the work of the committees will help the leaders towards this end.

The opportunity that is in hand must be seized. In this regard, Greece and Turkey have an important role to play and I look forward to their continued support.

[02] Two sides in Cyprus to designate experts for ad hoc committees

0125:CYPPRESS:03

Two sides in Cyprus to designate experts for ad hoc committees

by Apostolis Zoupaniotis

United Nations, Oct 5 (CNA) - The UN Secretary General's Special Adviser on Cyprus Alvaro de Soto has explained that the two ad hoc committees to be set up to deal with technical matters of the Cyprus problem will be composed of a small number of experts designated by each side, the number of which will vary.

Speaking after a meeting in New York between UN Chief Kofi Annan, Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash, de Soto said the first of the committees will focus on treaties that are to be binding on Cyprus, as of the moment that a settlement comes into force, and also on the laws of the future common state.

He explained that the term common state describes ''the state that will be at the centre of a reunified Cyprus''.

Asked if he will personally be participating in the work or the two committees, he said ''the UN will assist the work of the committees'' and noted that he would be returning to Cyprus next week.

The UN envoy described today's events as positive. ''It is a very good thing that they had agreed this technical work should go forward and that should help the efforts considerably''.

Asked if Annan still hoped for a settlement by the end of the year, de Soto said ''we certainly all hope for a solution as soon as possible, before the end of this year''.

Given the medical condition of Denktash, the UN did not want to set a specific date for the resumption of the direct talks between President Clerides and Denktash.

''The Secretary General asked them to clear their calendar as in order to be available throughout the month of November. A precise date and place for their next meeting some time probably in early November will be set in due course'', he added.

[03] UN Secretary General's statement on Cyprus talks - Full text

0910:CYPPRESS:04

UN Secretary General's statement - Full text

by Apostolis Zoupaniotis

United Nations, Oct 5 (CNA) - UN Secretary General Kofi Annan issued a statement Friday after meeting Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash, in the context of the UN-led peace talks.

The full text of the statement reads as follows:

''I have completed this afternoon two days of intensive consultations on Cyprus with His Excellency Mr. Glafcos Clerides, the Greek Cypriot leader, and His Excellency Mr. Rauf Denktash, the Turkish Cypriot leader.

I am happy to report that, since I met the two leaders in Paris, they have focused on the issues I highlighted and there has been an encouraging effort to explore ways of bridging differences pragmatically.

Here in New York I tried to crystallise for the two leaders a way they could push their discussions forward to further narrow their differences with the active assistance of my Special Adviser Mr. Alvaro de Soto.

As part of their effort to bridge differences pragmatically, the two leaders have decided to create two ad hoc bilateral technical committees to begin work immediately on important technical issues.

The purpose of these committees is to make recommendations on technical matters without prejudice to the positions of the two leaders on the core issues concerned.

Their work shall be ad referendum and shall focus on treaties and future ''common state''* laws. The UN will assist the parties in this work.

There is no simple solution to the Cyprus problem. For this reason, a comprehensive s e t t l e m e n t has to be a complex, integrated, legally binding and self-executing agreement, where the rights and obligations of all concerned are clear, unambiguous and not subject to further negotiation. I hope the work of the committees will help the leaders towards this end.

The opportunity that is at hand must be seized. In this regard, Greece and Turkey have an important role to play and I look forward to their continued support.

As is well known, Mr. Denktash will undergo surgery soon and he is not likely to be available for a few weeks, but work will continue in October and I have asked the leaders to clear their diaries during November, when I am looking forward to seeing them again.

[04] Weather and Temperatures for Cyprus

1540:CYPPRESS:05

Weather and Temperatures for Cyprus

Nicosia, Oct 5 (CNA) - Today's weather and temperatures for Cyprus,
according to the Meteorological Service at Larnaca International
Airport are:

Temperatures (degrees Celcius)
---------------------------------------------------------------
Station               Maximum     Minimum       Weather
(At 1200 UTC)
---------------------------------------------------------------
Nicosia                  29          17          FAIR
Larnaca                  28          18          FINE
Limassol                 30          18          FINE
Paphos                   28          18          FAIR

[05] President: views of two sides still wide apart

1700:CYPPRESS:06

President: views of two sides still wide apart

Larnaca, Oct 5 (CNA) -- President Glafcos Clerides said here today that the positions of the Greek Cypriot and the Turkish Cypriot sides on the core issues of the Cyprus question have not been bridged.

Speaking after two days of intensive talks in New York with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash, the President also said that Annan has not yet made up his mind whether he will put forward a plan for an overall solution of the problem.

Commenting on the decision taken at the New York meetings to set up two ad hoc bilateral technical committees, he explained that these committees will submit recommendations to the negotiating teams of the two sides but will not take any decisions themselves.

He said the decision to set up the committees is an attempt to maintain the momentum of the peace process and pointed out that the Secretary General is not trying to please either side to the talks but instead he is working to bridge the gap between the different views of the two sides.

The President stressed that no concession has been made on the issue of sovereignty or the question of whether or not the Republic of Cyprus should continue to exist, perhaps in a different form, after an agreed negotiated settlement is reached.

[06] No concessions made on fundamental issues, President says

1800:CYPPRESS:07

No concessions made on fundamental issues, President says

Nicosia, Oct 5 (CNA) -- President Glafcos Clerides has stressed that no concessions have been made by the Greek Cypriot side at the UN-led peace talks on two fundamental issues (sovereignty and future existence of the Republic of Cyprus).

He indicated that should things at the talks reach such point of development, next year's presidential elections might have to be postponed.

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