Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 08-04-21

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

CONTENTS

[01] PRESIDENTIAL COMMISSIONER - G/C TECHNICAL COMMITTEES AND WORKING

GROUPS

[02] BRITISH MINISTER - CYPRUS QUESTION

[03] VIETNAM - CYPRUS QUESTION

[01] PRESIDENTIAL COMMISSIONER - G/C TECHNICAL COMMITTEES AND WORKING GROUPS

Iacovou said that two working groups and two technical committees will meet for the first time during the next days.

Iacovou said that the Heads of the Greek Cypriot technical committees and working groups will be meeting with him at the Presidential Palace twice a week for coordination and programming.

He also dismissed allegations expressed by political parties that the members of the Greek Cypriot working groups and technical committees will not be impartial due to their stance on the UN brokered Annan plan that was rejected by the overwhelming majority of the Greek Cypriots in 2004.

Their work will be under my supervision and no member of the working groups or the technical committees will express personal views during the discussions, he said.

Iacovou added that the government has given the necessary guidelines to the Heads of the technical committees and working groups noting that their role is mainly preparatory.

He also expressed the view that there are good prospects for reaching convergence at some issues that are expected to be discussed.

There are some issues for which there are good prospects to reach convergence, the Presidential Commissioner said, adding that some other issues are considered to be difficult and thorny.

Regarding the participation of Turkish settlers in the Turkish Cypriot working groups and technical committees, Iacovou said that the Turkish Cypriot side always had advisors from Turkey.

``During the whole course of bicommunal discussions, the Turkish Cypriot side, citing lack of advisors, has had advisors from Turkey. Each side can invite any advisors it wants for instance Russian or British, he said.

Iacovou added that the Greek Cypriot and the Turkish Cypriot communities can also jointly invite advisors and this will be the case with the UN and the EU.

The leaders of the two communities in Cyprus, Cypriot President Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat agreed March 21st to instruct their aides to set up technical committees and working groups to deal with various aspects concerning the Cyprus problem.

To this end, seven technical committees and six working groups have been set up.

On March 21st, the two leaders agreed also to meet again in three months to review the work of the working groups and technical committees, the results of which will be used to start negotiations under UN auspices for a solution.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkish troops invaded and occupied its northern third.

[02] BRITISH MINISTER - CYPRUS QUESTION

In an article posted on the Foreign Office website, Murphy welcomed the opening of the Ledra Street crossing point, one of Nicosias main commercial streets, but noted that progress must not stop there.

[03] VIETNAM - CYPRUS QUESTION

According to Vietnamese news agency VietnamNet Bridge, Vietnams UN Security Council Ambassador Bui The Giang told the Council on April 15 that a recent agreement between Greek and Turkish communities on the island has been encouraging.

We welcome some encouraging progress made at a UN-sponsored meeting on March 21 between leaders of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities, during which the two sides agreed to start fully-fledged negotiations within three months to resolve the prolonged dispute on the island, Ambassador Giang said.

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