Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 08-09-02

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

CONTENTS

[01] ADVISORS - PEACE TALKS - DINNER

[02] RUSSIA - CYPRUS - OCCUPATION REGIME

[01] ADVISORS - PEACE TALKS - DINNER

In New York, Marie Okabe, Deputy Spokeswoman of the UN Secretary General, asked if there was anything on the direct talks on Cyprus, said ``the Secretary General has warmly welcomed the launch of the talks and that is all we have for now.``

Speaking before the dinner, Presidential Commissioner George Iacovou said ``everything is ready for tomorrow`s launch of the direct talks`` and expressed the view that Wednesday`s meeting would be short, since no negotiations will take place.

Asked what would be discussed during the dinner, Iacovou said ``we will have dinner, exchange some views on tomorrow`s procedure,`` adding that the details have already been agreed on.

To a question if the leaders of the two communities would be entering issues of substance on Wednesday, Iacovou said the meeting would be the official launch of the talks and that negotiations would begin during their next meeting on September 11.

He furthermore said that Wednesday`s meeting would be short and that the agenda has already been agreed on.

Downer said he believed everything was ready for Wednesday`s meeting and noted that ``we are looking forward to it very much.``

Referring to the dinner, he said ``we are just going to have a general discussion,`` adding that he has not been in Cyprus for a few weeks.

``During August I have been back in Australia, and I am looking forward to sitting down and having a nice dinner and a bit of a chat. We are very much all of us looking forward to tomorrow,`` he said.

To a question about the procedure of the direct negotiations, Downer said ``you will see how it all works when the time comes, it will be pretty straightforward.``

Ozdil Nami, advisor to Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat, said he believed Wednesday ``will be an historic day.``

``We hope it is going to be a good beginning,`` he said and expressed hope that ``it is the beginning for the end of the Cyprus issue.``

Nami said ``we are looking forward to it, we have worked hard to reach that day so we will make it a good one, I hope.``

Asked if they would be discussing the issue of Limnitis at the dinner, Nami said ``we are here to have a pleasant dinner and of course from now on everything will be discussed, all issues will be discussed, there will be no stone unturned.``

``This is a new process and we are here to help each other, so it is within that positive spirit that we are beginning this new round of negotiations,`` he added.

He noted that ``all the details have been discussed`` and that the dinner ``is just a social get-together.``

[02] RUSSIA - CYPRUS - OCCUPATION REGIME

The Spokesman of the Russian embassy in Nicosia Vladimir Maystrenko assured on Tuesday that the Russian Federation was not a country to change its stance on the Cyprus problem overnight and pointed out that remarks by Russian Ambassador to Turkey Vladimir Ivanovski that Russia would be recognising the regime in the Turkish occupied areas of Cyprus had been taken out of context.

``The Ambassador of Russia was clear when he was asked yesterday by Turkish reporters on the possibility of recognising the self-styled regime. He said it was not possible for Moscow to recognise this pseudo-state and reiterated UN resolutions,`` Maystrenko told CNA.

Maystrenko added that ``we cannot but express our regret that some people are led astray by such reports and indeed hurry to advise the government of the Republic of Cyprus to make representations to Russia.``

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