Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 07-07-06

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

CONTENTS

[01] UN SG - JULY AGREEMENT - APPEAL

[01] UN SG - JULY AGREEMENT - APPEAL

Ban`s statement, read out by his spokeswoman Marie Okabe, comes two days before the first anniversary of the July 8 2006 agreement, signed by Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat in Nicosia, in the presence of the then UN Undersecretary for political affairs, Ibrahim Gambari.

The agreement provides for a process of bicommunal discussions on issues that affect the day-to-day life of the people and concurrently those that concern substantive issues, both contributing to a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem.

``Although the two sides continue to be engaged in regular discussions under the auspices of the United Nations and both leaders expressed their commitment to a solution leading to a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation, it is regrettable that one year has passed without any start to the agreed process,`` Okabe said.

She added that ``the Secretary General takes this opportunity, therefore, to urge the two leaders to build on a progress achieved to date, by showing the necessary imagination and political courage to move from talks about procedures to real engagement on substance.``

``We are emphasizing once again that the responsibility for a solution to the Cypriot problem lies with the Cypriots themselves,`` Okabe noted, saying that Moon ``also reiterates that the United Nations stands ready to assisting the two communities inner search for a solution to this protracted problem.``

The July agreement aimed at preparing the ground for substantive negotiations with a view to reaching a political settlement, agreed by the islands two communities, that would reunited the country, divided since the 1974 Turkish invasion.

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