Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 10-01-30

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

CONTENTS

[01] SPOKESMAN TALKS CONVERGENCES

[02] US UNSG CYPRUS ISSUE SUPPORT

[03] LEADERS - CYPRUS TALKS - PROGRESS

[01] SPOKESMAN TALKS CONVERGENCES

On Friday UN Secretary General`s Special Adviser on Cyprus Alexander Downer made a statement that significant progress has been made in a series of areas of the chapter of governance, speaking on behalf of the leaders after the last meeting of the second round of intensive talks.

What I record now is that further convergences are achieved in a number of issues we are discussing and debating during the intensive negotiations and these steps forward we have made can be seen as progress,`` Stephanou said.

Speaking in view of the forthcoming visit of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to the island on Sunday, Stephanou clarified however that when he was speaking about convergences and steps forward he did not mean an agreement in the chapter of governance.

He dismissed rumors that during Secretary-Generals visit in Cyprus there will be an interim agreement for the issue and that there will be an arbitration process by UN.

Welcoming the visit of the Secretary General in Cyprus, he pointed out that the Government will take advantage of the visit in order to express once again its will and wish to continue working to reach a solution on Cyprus.

Nothing more, nothing less, Stephanou said.

He added that the framework of the visit was clearly defined by the announcement made by the UN and that Secretary General himself was initiated within the framework established by UN resolutions.

The Secretary General will come to Cyprus in the context he has announced. He will surely come to be informed, to express his support to efforts to resolve the Cyprus issue and nothing more,`` he said.

He added that President Christofias wishes the Cyprus issue to be high on the agenda of the UN and for that reason, the visit of the UNSG is a very important event.

Asked whether talks on the issue of governance will continue, Stephanou pointed out that the process is in the hands of two negotiators who will decide how they will continue, depending on the developments.

Everything is open, he said and said that on Monday there will be more to announce.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third.

President of the Republic Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Alit Talat have been engaged in UN-led direct negotiations since September 2008, with the aim to reunify the island. A first round of three-day intensive negotiations was held in early January. The second round began on Monday and concluded on Friday.

[02] US UNSG CYPRUS ISSUE SUPPORT

Answering a question about the UN Secretary Generals forthcoming visit to Cyprus, the American Official said that the United States continues to support the Cypriot-led negotiations under the auspices of the UN Secretary Generals Good Offices Mission, which includes the Secretary Generals visit to Cyprus.

He added that the United States applaud both leaders for their courage in embarking on this process and the progress they have made so far and expressed the countrys support to the parties efforts to reach a just and lasting settlement that reunifies Cyprus into a bi-zonal and bi-communal federation.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki moon arrives Sunday evening to Cyprus and on the next day he will hold separate meetings with the leaders of the two communities in Cyprus as well as a joint meeting on the same day.

[03] LEADERS - CYPRUS TALKS - PROGRESS

Speaking on behalf of the leaders after the meeting, UN Secretary General`s Special Adviser on Cyprus Alexander Downer said that significant progress has been made in a series of areas of governance.

The leaders have left the meeting feeling positive and there will be a bit more to say next week when the Secretary-General is here and the leaders meet with the Secretary-General, on Monday afternoon, he added.

Downer also noted that there will be a joint press conference at the end of that meeting with the Secretary-General, and Christofias and Talat will have a bit more to say then.

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